Dining Hall Ratings
Whitney
Whitney dining hall is rated first by University of Connecticut students in a survey conducted by Nutmeg Publishing. Located within the stately brick walls of East Campus, Whitney is popular for its stylish interior and relaxing coffee shop ambience. Though space — and, therefore, the amount of food — is small compared to other dining halls, many students find the atmosphere well worth the reduced selection. Whitney is notable for its emphasis on vegetarian dining — many diners attest to the number of tofu flavors in the menu rotation — its comfortable café area, and its public Spotify playlist, which allows students to add anything to the queue, from the Top 40 to the Minecraft soundtrack.
Whitney is also home to a wall of hidden notes — if you look closely at the stone wall in the café room, you will notice bits of folded paper nestled within the cracks in the stone. For years, students have been leaving notes in the wall for future readers to find, from original poems to positive affirmations. If you ever have some time to spare, consider exploring the note wall, perhaps with a cup of good coffee
2. Northwest
Northwest, rated second by students, is located in the Northwest residence area, making it a staple for students living in Northwest, North, or Towers. Northwest offers several comfort foods like pasta and pizza, as well as special meals during the year like Thanksgiving dinner in November. While they are not as experimental with their meals as McMahon, they offer reliable choices for most students on campus. Northwest is the picture of a typical college dining experience, with simple tables and chairs.
“People only like South more than McMahon because they are the kind of people to order chicken tenders at a restaurant.”
3. South
South dining hall is a controversial dining choice at UConn, with as many critics as ardent defenders. Many students prefer South because its convenient location and wide selection of food make it a dependable option. The dining hall features multiple stations, such as the comfort station, international station, and grill station, ensuring that even the pickiest eaters can find something to fill their stomachs. For the exceptionally picky, there is also an endless supply of pizza, fries, and grilled cheese. Some students are more passionate about their preference: “South fish sticks bussin bussin SHEEEEEESH,” one survey respondent said.
South also employs the legendary “Soop Doop,” aka Luis Dias, whose friendly demeanor and catchphrase of “Good luck with everything, SOOP DOOP” have made him a celebrity among UConn students.
4. McMahon
Rated fourth, many students consider McMahon a safe dining option, although it garners expected criticism. McMahon is located inside of the McMahon residence hall, making it very convenient for those who live in the building. It offers international cuisine and environmentally-friendly practices such as composting. McMahon features a pizza oven, churning out cheese and specialty slices all day to contribute to its standing as a popular, reliable option. Students can choose to sit at regular tables or they can relax in booth-style seating.
“[McMahon] actually has good eggs in the morning and cooks their meat thoroughly (and of course they got the pizza oven)”
5. Putnam
Putnam dining hall serves students in the Hilltop Dorms, Werth Tower, and Garrigus residence halls. Located at the top of the hill behind the athletic fields, Putnam provides a brisk workout for any prospective diner who does not happen to live close by. Students enjoy its spacious, sunlit seating and wide food selection with two floors of food choices. Survey respondents agree that Putnam’s menu is among the most consistently appealing. Putnam is also renowned for being the only dining hall on campus that boasts a smoothie bar.
6. Gelfenbien
More commonly known as Towers because of its proximity to the Towers residence halls, Gelfenbien dining hall sits at the top of a considerable hill of stairs in a distant corner of campus. Nonetheless, students from all over campus willingly trek over to enjoy dining features such as pasta bar, stir fry bar, quesadilla bar, and omelet bar. These customizable bars are designated to different days of the week and attract so many students that the line will stretch all the way across the hall.
Other Gelfenbien features include NOSH kitchen, which provides daily kosher meals, and a pizza station, which supposedly churns out the best pizza on campus — however, Nutmeg Magazine can neither confirm nor deny this. Overall, Gelfenbien’s wide selection and daily action bars are widely considered to be worth the walk.
7. Buckley
Buckley, located close to Storrs Center, is one of the smaller dining halls on campus, and so, offers a limited menu compared to other dining options. It usually offers one rotating meal choice along with pasta, pizza, and dessert. This dining hall is attached to Buckley residence hall and is located next to Shippee residence hall. However many residents of those dorms may walk to South dining hall instead. Buckley is closed on weekends, further explaining why students may walk to South.
8. North
North was voted eighth by students and therefore, considered the worst dining hall on the Storrs campus. The lack of available information about this dining hall further contributes to the general dislike towards North. Attached to the North residence halls, North offers common, basic foods like pizza, pasta, and burgers.
Written by Sydney Fournier and Mary Lasley Photos by Skyler Kim