Penn State has some amazing food on campus. Most people look down on dining halls but the food in Penn State's dining halls can actually be pretty delicious sometimes. The five main dining halls on campus are ranked below, from worst to best. Definitely check out each dining hall because each is special in its own way.
5. East (Findlay Commons)
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Now, I have not been to East since it was renovated so I am judging East from my freshman experience. I barely ate in East even though I lived there. I feel like there were not a lot of options for food. Roxy’s was pretty good but sometimes the lines were pretty long. Also, the Big Onion (may it rest in peace) is gone forever. The Big Onion was amazing and if it still existed, maybe East would have been ranked a bit higher. If I was getting food from East, I was normally getting it from Good to Go and microwaving the food back in my room.
4. North (Warnock Commons)
The reason why I like North is because it is quiet and there are not too many people who eat in North. If you want a nice, quiet place to eat, then North should be your go to place. Also, if you hate eating alone then North is a good place to eat because there is hardly anyone there so it doesn’t feel awkward to eat by yourself. I also like Bluespoon because I can get mozzarella sticks, burgers, cheesesteaks, and more. If you’re in the mood for a salad, Bluespoon may be a go to place for you as well.
3. Pollock
I would have put Pollock above South, but sometimes I feel like Pollock is too crowded for me to find a seat and enjoy myself. One time I waited for about an hour to get an omelet at Pollock (totally worth it though). I like the different options Pollock has and The Mix adds to the deliciousness of Pollock. When I did summer session, I basically lived at The Mix. Pollock has a lot of options, from its daily specials to pizza to salad to yummy smoothies and more. Even if you don’t live in Pollock or South, you should definitely experience Pollock brunch at least once.
2. South (Redifer Commons)
The reason why South is ranked above Pollock is because of the various places you can get food. There is an all-you-can-eat dining commons but there are also little areas where you can get specialized foods at the 65% discount (if you have a meal plan). You can get burritos, stir fry, wraps, paninis, salads, burgers, and Italian food. I like this because I can always get something I am in the mood for. I have recently fallen in love with their paninis (I get chicken tenders with marinara sauce and provolone cheese and its delicious).
1. West (Waring Commons)
The reason why I ranked West as number one is because I feel like West always has the most options when it comes to food. Oh, and let’s not forget about West cookies (literally heaven on a plate). If you have not had West cookies yet, you definitely need to try them. West also has a lot of omelette stations open which is amazing for an omelette lover like myself. There are about eight omelettes going at once. I would definitely say the left side of the station, the side with the bottomless pans, is not as great as the right side, but any omelet from West is a good one. I also personally feel like West is huge so there are a lot of places to sit. Let’s not forget about West Wing! I always thought The Mix in Pollock was my favorite, but West Wing is giving The Mix a run for its money. Maybe it’s just me, but West is my favorite dining hall.
Every dining hall has delicious food and wherever you are on campus, you are pretty close to a dining hall or you're not far away from the one you really want to go to. Each dining hall is delicious in its own way.
