The Princeton Review and Sodexo Report Findings of Their 2026 Campus Dining Services & Student Experience Survey
NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Princeton Review®, one of the nation's best-known education services companies, and Sodexo, a global leader in food services and facilities management, today reported findings of an inaugural survey of campus dining services.
The survey, which emanated from a strategic research partnership the companies announced in March, was designed to establish a national baseline for ways campus dining services contribute to their campus communities and to the recruitment, retention, wellbeing, and engagement of students. The Princeton Review conducted the survey from May 29 through August 15.
Administrators of enrollment data, student affairs and auxiliaries at 82 institutions across the U.S. completed the survey. Respondents hailed from every region of the country. Their schools comprised a range of institutions by type and size including public and private; urban and rural; small, mid-sized, and large.
The 49-question survey requested information about food service operations, formats, offerings, facilities and sustainability practices as well as student engagement, support, assessment, and more. Highlights of key findings follow.
The Princeton Review 2026 Campus Dining & Student Experience Survey Report at PrincetonReview.com provides detailed information about the survey methodology, format, and findings including graphs, statistical data, and quantitative analyses. The report also shares qualitative findings: excerpts of open-ended responses from administrators on topics from their career development training to their uses of technology in operations. The report is downloadable at https://www.princetonreview.com/college/campus-dining-and-student-experience.
The findings will be shared in presentations at higher education and food service industry conferences, interactive forums, and campus workshops over the year ahead.
Key Findings
• Campus dining spaces serve multiple community functions.
The main uses of campus dining spaces (apart from dining per se) and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Social gathering (100%)
Studying/academic work (95%)
Events/programming (89%)
Faculty or staff engagement (85%)
Cultural programming (77%)
Student organization meetings (70%)
• Campus dining is embedded in recruitment and onboarding.
Nearly all respondents reported their campus dining services played a role in recruitment, onboarding and/or marketing programs. The areas most cited and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Student orientation programs (100%)
Campus tours (90%)
Accepted student days (88%)
Campus visits (87%)
Open houses (80%)
Admissions or recruitment marketing materials (78%)
• Culinary programming is active and highly on-site.
Respondents overall reported a robust level of culinary offerings, programs and initiatives. Those most cited and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Themed dining or culinary events (100%)
More than 75% of food offerings prepared on-site (95%)
Guest chefs or rotating menu concepts (86%)
Internationally/culturally diverse food in at least 26% of menus (85%)
• Dietary access is broad though there are gaps in specialized accommodations.
Nearly eight of 10 respondents reported their dining services offered dietary accommodations. Those most cited and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Gluten-free and dairy-free options (99%)
Vegetarian options (99%)
Vegan options (96%)
Nut-free options (95%)
Religious or fasting-related accommodations (95%)
Dedicated allergen-free stations (89%)
Halal options (73%)
For some specialized options, gaps in accommodations were noteworthy. Those most cited and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Low-sodium or heart-healthy options (52%)
Kosher options (29%)
Jain diet options (10%)
• Sustainability practices are widespread.
Eight of 10 respondents reported taking part in sustainability practices. Those most cited and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Local food sourcing (91%)
Food waste tracking (89%)
Sustainable or eco-friendly packing (85%)
Food waste diversion or composting (82%)
Donations of surplus food (80%)
• Digital access is mainstream: use of emerging tools remains limited.
More than half of respondents reported digital access for their customers with respect to menu viewing, ordering, and payment options (though slightly less than two in 10 reported using digital tools for food delivery and menu personalization). The digital access options cited and the percent of respondents reporting them were:
Digital menu boards (94%)
Campus ID integration (94%)
Contactless payment (87%)
Mobile ordering (84%) / Online ordering (50%)
On-campus delivery (22%) / Robot delivery (10%)
AI-powered menu personalization tools (9%)
Other survey topics included questions about programs dedicated to student retention, food security, and methods for assessing dining service participation and outcomes.
The survey was developed with guidance from an Advisory Board of higher education leaders that included James Dwyer, Vice Chancellor for University Business Services, Washington University in St. Louis; Jude Kiah, Associate Vice Chancellor, CFO/Student Affairs, Texas Christian University; and Ken Toong, Associate Vice Chancellor, Auxiliary Enterprises, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
"We are delighted to partner with Sodexo to shine a light on current and evolving practices in campus dining services and gather data that can provide a benchmark to inspire their growth and development," said Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief of The Princeton Review.
Franek, who oversees the company's publishing programs and surveys, added "Over the years, we've seen how important campus dining services are to college students as well as to college applicants we've surveyed. In the past decade, dining services have substantially evolved. They are far more than on-site providers of food. They are significant contributors to the social, academic, and cultural experiences of their communities while serving delicious and diverse food that accommodates a wide range of dietary needs."
"This research gives us a clearer picture of what campus dining makes possible," said Ashton Sequeira, CEO of Sodexo, Education. "It builds community. It supports students in ways that matter every day. And it shows us where we still have work to do. That matters. When we pair the data with what students and campus leaders are telling us, we can move from insight to action and help colleges strengthen dining's role in student experience and long-term success."
Sodexo also independently conducts campus dining research including its bi-annual Student Lifestyle Survey which gathers data from college and high school students and parents about campus dining experiences. The 2027 Sodexo Student Lifestyle Survey is set to be released in January.
About The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is a leading tutoring, test prep, and college admissions services company. Every year, it helps millions of college- and graduate school–bound students as well as working professionals achieve their education and career goals through its many education services and products. These include online and in-person courses delivered by a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors; online resources; a line of more than 150 print and digital books published by Penguin Random House; and dozens of categories of school rankings. Founded in 1981, the company is now in its 45th year. The company's Tutor.com brand, now in its 25th year, is one of the largest online tutoring services in the U.S. It comprises a community of thousands of tutors who have delivered more than 29 million tutoring sessions. The Princeton Review, headquartered in New York, NY, is not affiliated with Princeton University. For more information, visit PrincetonReview.com. Follow the company on Facebook (@ThePrincetonReviewSAT), Instagram (@theprincetonreview), LinkedIn (the-princeton-review), YouTube (@ThePrincetonReview), and TikTok (@princeton.review). Subscribe to The Princeton Review's twice-weekly newsletter, Brick & Mortarboard, here.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is a division of Sodexo Group, a global leader in food and services shaping better everyday experiences at every moment in life: work, heal, learn and play. Operating in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam, Sodexo North America is committed to meeting the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and to contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Rob Franek, Editor in Chief and David Soto, Senior Director, Data Operations, The Princeton Review, are available for interviews about the Campus Dining Services & Student Experience Survey project and findings.
SOURCE The Princeton Review
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