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Virginia Commonwealth University
- Campus Dining

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Virginia Commonwealth University - Campus Dining - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Campus Dining

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Campus Dining rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Campus Dining Grades:

Quick Stats

Average Meal Plan Cost $3340 per year
Freshman Meal Plan Required? Yes
Yes
Student Favorites
  • Alpine Bagel
  • Chick-fil-A (Park Place FC)
  • Quiznos (Bookmark Bistro)
  • Subway (Commons Café)

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

College students love to eat, but by mid-semester, most students are no longer eating at Shafer Dining Hall. Although it is buffet-style with pizza, salads, burgers, and more, the food becomes repetitive and seems to not settle well on student stomachs. They offer “upper meal swipes,” which is just usually two swipes rather than one entry swipe. Using these swipes, students can get homemade sushi, lobster, fried rice, and sometimes a great Bananas Foster. But even these can become dull after a while.
 

Eating off campus or using the Dining Dollars that come with your meal plan are very popular with students. When using the Dining Dollars, you can eat anywhere on campus and just use your VCU ID to pay. Once the money is used, you can either reload it or just use the money you have in your pocket to pay. Students also like to stock up their dorm rooms with food that is easy to prepare or only requires a microwave to cook. Cereal and milk is the most popular of these foods when students get the Shafer blues.

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Virginia Commonwealth Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Dining at Virginia Commonwealth University

zdepskizm

'15

Fashion and Apparel Merchandising

2.7
C+

Shaffer the Main Cafeteria

While it does have a lot of options, it really is hit or miss. The food tends to be a lot better when they are giving tours. It is almost always crowd though if the tours around. and when it gets around 9pm it food tends to be a lot worse even though they close at 12pm on week days they start to close down everything even though the place is still crowded.

Truthfully there are only a few things that are always good at Shaffer, and that's anything that is upper cuts. The Sushi is amazing, so is the crab legs and chicken wraps. Also anything that is dessert is good at Shaffer ( except the peanut butter cookies they are gross, because they are hypoallergenic and are not even real peanuts, they are fake ones, the cookie has the strangest texture I have ever tried and taste offal.)

But over all it doesn't pass but it doesn't fail, it's just hit or miss.

Jan 10, 2012

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Campus Dining at Virginia Commonwealth University

PsshJess

'15

Film, Video, and Photography

3.8
B+

Just Shafer...

Everywhere around campus has quality food except Shafer, but that is to be expected for having to make quick food for the buffet. Other than Shafer, the food is great and there are enough choices to not get tired of the food. The cooks are normally friendly, the only rude person I have ever gotten has been at Pizza Hut.

Dec 21, 2011

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Campus Dining at Virginia Commonwealth University

Suke002

'14

Arts

3.5
B

Food

it is good. there are more options being added currently. I wish there was more available for meals swipes verse dining dollars though.

Nov 30, 2011

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Page 1 of 12

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus dining on the following topics

Facts

24-Hour Dining None
Special Options Dining Dollars is a rechargeable declining-balance account on your dining plan that allows you to make tax-free food purchases at any VCU dining center or VCU retail restaurant. Following the purchase of a dining plan, additional Dining Dollars may be added in increments of $25 at any time during the semester.

Dining Halls & Campus RestaurantsWhat's This?

Alpine Bagel Café
Location: Gateway Building (MCV Campus) and University Student Commons (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Alpine Summit Sandwiches, cappuccino,freshly baked bagels
Hours: MCV Ca.m.pus: Monday–Friday 6:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; Monroe Park Ca.m.pus: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

Bookmark Bistro
Location: Barnes & Noble @ VCU (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Quiznos, Starbucks
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Camille’s Sidewalk Café
Location: Shafer Court Dining Center (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: American
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 7 a.m.–2 p.m.

Chilis
Location: Cary & Belvidere Residential College
Food: American
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday– Saturday 11 a.m.–12 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Common Convenience
Location: University Student Commons (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Anytime snacks groceries, and sundries
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m.–10:30 p.m.

Commons Café
Location: University Student Commons (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Bené Pizza and Pasta Subway
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m.–10:30 p.m.

Hideaway Café
Location: Hunton Student Center (MCV Campus)
Food: Coffee, pizza, sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 7 a.m.–3 p.m.

Market 810
Location: Shafer Court Dining Center (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Food bar choices (hot and cold), fruit bar, ice cream, pastries, salad bar
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday 7 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.

Market 810 - 2 Go
Location: Shafer Court Dining Center (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Express meals, pizza, wings
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday 7 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.

Park Place Food Court
Location: University Student Commons (Monroe Park Campus)
Food: Chick-fil-A, Grille Works, AFC Sushi
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Skull and Beans
Location: Tompkins-McCaw Library (MCV Campus
Food: Baked goods, coffee, sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

Starbucks
Location: James Branch Cabell Library
Food: Beverages, pastries
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m.–11 p.m.

Most Recent Student Author

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Major: Communications

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