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University of Southern California - Campus Dining

Campus Dining:

B

(explain this grade)

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Quick Stats

Freshman Meal Plan Requirement

Yes

Off-Campus Places to Use Meal Plan

  • None

Average Meal Plan Cost

$2,700 per semester

Student Favorites

  • Baja Fresh
  • Carl’s Jr.
  • Parkside Dining Hall

24 hour Dining

  • Trojan Grounds

Other Options

  • There are vending machines scattered across campus, the best of which are in the main lobby of Taper Hall. There will sporadically be restaurants or fast food chains that come on campus to advertise their newest food product, and there are occasional farmers’ markets in Alumni Park.

College Prowler Take

Campus dining receives more positive feedback than negative, depending on where you go. Convenience plays a big part in on-campus dining, and you are never too far from the nearest place to eat. The food at EVK is never very healthy or tasty, but servings are enormous, and the food is very consistent, while Parkside serves a variety of foreign foods and food with different ingredients than people are used to. Meal plans that allow for freedom of discretion are considered to be the best. Most students in New and North Residential Colleges eat at EVK, but some people make the cross-campus trek to Parkside, which many view as the better dining hall. Most students in apartments cook food and order out on a regular basis. Everyone else varies between deliveries and campus dining.

The great lunch secret on campus is at the Galen Center behind Heritage Hall. Most think it’s specifically for athletes or just don’t even know it’s there, but anyone can eat there during lunch. You can only use your discretionary account, but it’s more than worth it. The booths are big and comfortable, and there are large screen televisions all around with baseball games and live ESPN feeds. The food is the best part, with dishes ranging from turkey wraps to hefty taco salads. If you are looking for a quick bite to eat between classes, try the Tutor Café or Popovich Café for a variety of healthy and delicious sandwiches.

 

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

Anonymous says:

Campus food is just fine. We have...

Campus food is just fine. We have many choices such as Wolfgang Puck, as well as a salad bar, buffet-style line, and pre-made salads, sandwiches, and sushi.

Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

Let’s just say I eat out a lot.

Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

Food . . . well . . . USC has EVK....

Food . . . well . . . USC has EVK. That’s a cafeteria. It has food, maybe not good food, but plenty of it.

Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

The Mexican food at La Salsa is...

The Mexican food at La Salsa is pretty good. The only on-campus bar is also there, but as of recently, you need a very good ID.

Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

On-campus food is iffy. EVK...

On-campus food is iffy. EVK cafeteria sucks like a Hoover. It gets better at Café 84, which has a lot of different options including a Jamba Juice and Krispy Kreme.

Campus Dining
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Dining Halls

Red Mango
Yogurt
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Rice Garden
Chinese
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Submarina
Subs
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Malibu Subs
Sandwiches
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Parkside Restaurant
All-you-can-eat cafeteria and made-to-order ethnic food, including Americana Grill, Eurasian Kitchen, The Grainery, and the Greenery
Parkside
Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–10:30 a.m., 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.–10 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.–10 p.m.

Popovich
Café items, quick meals
Marshall School of Business
Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.

Wasabi Sushi
Sushi
The Lot
Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Wolfgang Puck’s Express
Gourmet salads, Italian
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Zao Noodle Bar
Asian, stir-fry
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Trojan Grounds
Bakery items, coffee
Birnkrant Residence Hall
Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–1 a.m., Saturday–Sunday 9 a.m.–11 p.m.

Tutor Café
Deli sandwiches, grab 'n go items, Peet’s coffee, salads
School of Engineering
Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–9 p.m.

Upstairs Café
Restaurant-style variety
The Lot
Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Main Street
Convenience store, also offering continental breakfast, ethnic foods, kosher, salads, sandwiches, soups, sushi, vegetarian selections
The Lot
Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Carl’s Jr.
Burgers
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Colombo Yogurt
Frozen yogurt
The Lot
Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

EVK Residential
All-you-can-eat cafeteria, including stations for grill items, hot entrees, Mexican, a salad bar, vegetarian cuisine, waffles
EVK
Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–10:30 a.m., 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.–10 p.m.

Baja Fresh
Mexican
The Lot
Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Betty Crocker/Seattle’s Best Coffee
Bakery items, coffee
Commons
Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Café 84
Café 84 Pizza, Casa Italian, the Grill, Jamba Juice, Krispy Kreme, salad bar, Starbucks, Wok Krazy
Café 84 Dining Complex
Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Law School Café
Breakfast, lunch, grab 'n go selections
Basement of Law School
Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

LiteraTea
Grab 'n go sandwiches and snacks, tea
Doheny Memorial Library
Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

The Lot Marketplace
Convenience store
The Lot
Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Galen Center
Gourmet pizza, salads, sandwiches
Heritage Hall
11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Jamba Juice and Starbucks
Coffee, smoothies
Café 84 Dining Complex
Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

La Salsa
Mexican grill
The Lot
Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Did You Know?

The National Association of College & University Food Services holds an annual Dining Awards contest in which USC placed second for 2002.

The famous food fight in the classic college film Animal House was filmed on location at a USC dining hall.

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