Southeastern food ranked among best in country
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
by: Tonya Lowentritt
FINE DINING – A Southeastern Louisiana University student makes her meal selection at the Mane Dish restaurant in the university’s Student Union. Southeastern food has been rated best in Louisiana and 35th nationally for the quality of its food by Niche, a national college marketing research firm.
HAMMOND – Students’ opinions and taste buds earned Southeastern Louisiana University
2023 Best College Food in Louisiana recognition and a national Top 50 ranking, too.
The rankings were published by Niche, the market leader in connecting colleges and
schools with students and families.
The ranking, based on student reviews, considers meal plan costs and student
access to healthy, quality food across a wide range of cuisines and dietary preferences.
At the national level Southeastern came in at No. 35. Only one other Louisiana
university made the Top 50 cut.
“With the expansion of our Student Union, we completely transformed the dining
experience on campus,” said Connie Davis, director of Auxiliary Services. “After much
research, we found that trends in campus dining include a central location that offers
both healthy and delicious options with affordable variety for the students and campus
community. The Mane Dish restaurant has an ever-changing menu that can be customized
to the consumer's preferences. Located in the new Student Union, it’s a great space
to relax and enjoy a meal while on campus.”
The ranking was based on survey responses obtained from students at more than
1,300 public and private traditional four-year colleges and universities across the
United States. Among the criteria considered were healthy and organic options, overall
quality, and variety of offerings.
Student opinions collected in the survey referred to the many options for campus
dining, the variety of meals from which to choose, quality and freshness of food,
and reasonable prices.
“The food is great and also good for you,” said one student online reviewer.
Another said, “The quality of the dining experience is fantastic. The staff is friendly
and the food is always fresh and delicious.” “There are plenty of options to choose
from to eat; I love having so many choices,” said a third.
In addition to its Mane Dish dining facility, which offers all you care to eat
meals made on site, Southeastern also maintains a food court, featuring a variety
of nationally-based vendors.