Today’s students have made what they want clear. Students prefer fresh, balanced meals that fit their lifestyle, values, and budget. Higher education student surveys consistently highlight students’ primary priorities.

1. Variety and Balanced Nutrition

Students want more than your typical cafeteria options. It shouldn’t all be pizza, pasta, and continental breakfast. They want globally inspired dishes, plant-based and flexitarian options, and meals that accommodate dietary restrictions like vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and religious dietary needs.

One study found that 57% of students want global or regional cuisine on campus, and 15% prefer plant-based or flexitarian menus. This variety not only keeps dining interesting but also ensures that dining facilities are meeting students’ nutritional needs.

By implementing exciting and nutritious culinary concepts and food stations that cater to students’ needs for variety and health-conscious foods, you can make a real difference to the people on your campus.

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Sodexo works with colleges and universities to implement unique dining and food purchasing experiences, and helped the University of Denver with this launch.
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Milkshake bars are very popular on campus in 2026, and can be cashierless.

2. Flexible Hours and On-Demand Access

College schedules don’t follow a traditional 9-to-5. Students don’t even have the same schedule as each other. Some have classes early in the morning while others have them well into the night. And they need on-campus dining hours to reflect their unconventional schedules. Nearly half of students want dining halls to open earlier or stay open later, and 39% say they’d like continuous service throughout the day.

Students also cite convenience as the single biggest reason they choose to eat on campus, with 65% saying it’s the top driver for using dining facilities.

You don’t need to put all your eggs in one basket, either. You might not have the infrastructure or manpower to keep a dining facility running 24/7. This is where on-campus vending and markets can deliver the experience your cafeterias can’t. Unattended retail solutions are available all day and night, making the perfect solution for early mornings or late night study sessions. They’re also affordable alternatives to meal plans and may better support students from low-income backgrounds.

3. Technology Integration

Students today expect dining to be tech-enabled. They appreciate integrated technology like mobile menus, nutritional information apps, self-checkout kiosks, and contactless payment. Over 50% of Gen Z, the generation making up the majority of the current college student population, have used delivery platforms or aggregator apps for meals. And 41% say they would switch providers for a smoother digital experience. As we mentioned before, convenience is key, so it makes sense that people on campus are looking for a quick and easy way to get their food that’s both convenient and cost-efficient.

4. Freshness, Quality, and Value

While students have made it clear they want variety in their meals, they tend not to prefer novelty. Most students prioritize the taste, freshness, and value of food over unusual or new ingredients. You might have some changes to make. According to a survey from Inside Higher Ed, 37% of students believe their campus dining needs improvement. And it won’t just make students happier, it might also entice more students to purchase a meal plan. According to Technomic’s College and University Consumer Trend Report, 77% of students who don’t have a meal plan said that better quality, greater variety, and improved convenience would persuade them to sign up. That could be a big opportunity for campuses to win over more students.

This is a small snippet of a larger article by Canteen (part of Compass Group.) See the full case article by Canteen.

 

As a leading foodservice and support services company, Compass Group North America has been a family of sectorized companies for 29 years. They serve award winning restaurants, corporate cafes, hospitals, schools, arenas, museums and more. In addition, Compass is proud to offer state-of-the-art self-service and office coffee solutions and premier support services with cleaning and facilities maintenance.
See your E&I contract with Canteen and Compass Group.

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