Deciding On Dining: Pros & Cons Of Penn State’s Five Dining Halls

“Which dining hall is the best?”

It’s the age-old question of any freshman.

So, naturally, we decided to help answer the timeless question.

Initially, when I set forth on this dining hall adventure, I approached it with the intention of ranking each dining hall. After trying all the buffets and seeing the various selections of restaurant supplements that some commons offer, ranking them was almost an impossible feat.

Preferences for a dining hall are completely subjective, and I couldn’t come up with a ranking I was entirely happy with. With this in mind, instead of ranking each dining commons, I will instead share the pros and cons of each of the five options.

East Food District At Findlay Commons

As a freshman who lives in Pollock Halls, I would be lying if I said I didn’t enter East Halls with a bit of resentment. East is the most recently completely renovated housing district at Penn State and home to only freshmen.

Findlay Commons is huge and admittedly, I was a bit disoriented when I first entered. Within its buffet, there are decent food options and from the couple times I have gone into the buffet, its serving sizes are larger compared to others, though the quality of the food was lacking when comparing the same meal at different buffets.

Also, during peak meal times, lines were fairly long. Though it can get busy, there are plenty of seating options and availability. Besides the buffet, Findlay offers a wide variety of supplementary restaurant options, from açaí bowls to burgers, though its mobile ordering wait times don’t make taking the venture there worth it.

Especially during peak hours, mobile ordering from almost anywhere in Findlay can produce wait times that will vary from 20 minutes to two hours depending on the restaurant. One of the only positives in my mind is the close distance to the Berkey Creamery, which is always nice, especially after a good dinner.

With the distance East is from the rest of campus combined with wait times for options available at other commons, going to Findlay just isn’t worth it.

Pros: Wide food variety in supplemental restaurants, range of seating availability, large facility

Cons: Long wait times, out of the way, the large facility can be confusing to those who haven’t gone before

Pollock Dining Commons At Pollock Commons

Pollock, home to your very author, is known for its extensive buffet. It’s an experience eating from the buffet as it is often crowded and a bit overwhelming. Pollock’s buffet has two sides with a large variety of food options, but as someone who lives within the halls, the choices tend to get repetitive.

Because of Pollock’s expansive food selection, like East, the line for the buffet can grow quite large. And although there is a diverse selection within a given meal, the quality of the food itself can be haphazard.

Pollock Commons’ Asia Market, on the other hand, is a hit. The market has a good variety of Asian foods, including boba, and is great for a late-night meal as it’s open until 11 p.m. Although the wait can be long at times, if a grab-and-go buffet or delicious Asian food is something you’re looking for, Pollock Dining is the place for you.

Pros: Great buffet variety, good supplemental restaurants, ideal location on campus

Cons: Busy, food quality could be improved

North Food District At Warnock Commons

Originally, I hadn’t tried the buffet at North Food District, and I was purely basing my initial ranking off both what I’ve heard of the commons combined with my own experience. Because of this, I had North ranked last.

I hadn’t heard many good things about North Halls, only about its limited food selection, small dining area, and how Warnock Commons was the only common without an Edge within it. On top of that, North was quite a walk away, and I didn’t see what positives could redeem it.

After going there myself, my opinion completely flipped. North’s dining area is smaller than others, but the ambiance completely makes up for it. It has a renovated feel without the overwhelming number of people that occupy East.

Its food selection is admittedly limited, so you should check its menu before entering the buffet because if you don’t like it, you don’t have much of a choice. If the buffet isn’t for you, it also offers a Greens + Grains and a Halal Cart in its marketplace. The few times I have been there, the food has been delicious, though a bit over-seasoned.

I enjoyed North for what it offered, and it is an underrated food district.

Pros: Good food quality and ambiance, not busy

Cons: Limited food variety, out of the way

South Food District At Redifer Commons

If a variety of options is something you’re looking for, South Food District is the place for you. South Halls has a variety of restaurant options, almost as many as East, and the mobile ordering wait times are much shorter compared to East.

The buffet is not as diverse as Pollock’s, which is just a three-minute walk away, but the variety of food options makes up for it. The seating is also a plus, with a multitude of seating options spread out throughout the dining area. It’s accessible to all students, whether you’re living in the dorms or downtown.

Pros: Wide food variety in supplemental restaurants, various seating options

Cons: Smaller buffet variety

West Food District At Warning Commons

Although I live in Pollock, I am a West Halls girl through and through.

West’s buffet selection is quite limited and isn’t for everyone. However, to me, West’s food has a more homemade feeling to it and a great dining area.

What really elevates the experience is the warm chocolate chip cookies the buffet offers. These cookies are a top-tier contender to any cookie alternative you think is best. On top of this, since West is right next to the Pattee and Paterno Library, it is a great option for a lunch or dinner break during a study session.

West’s only downfall is the lack of supplemental restaurants. Though West doesn’t offer much, what it does have is great.

Pros: Good food quality, warm chocolate chip cookies, good location for food breaks

Cons: Limited food variety, smaller range of seating

Ultimately, whatever food district is the best is completely subjective to the consumer and what fits your preference. Whether you prioritize variety, food quality, or the convenience of a dining hall, each dining district has something unique to offer.

Since this was originally supposed to be a dining hall ranking, here are my rankings based on the following conditions.

Buffet food quality: Arguably the most important part of all of this is the quality of the food itself. Most dining hall buffets serve similar food, but some have a special selection of items and some tastes different.

Food variety: On top of dining hall buffets, some commons have other restaurants within them.

Busyness: This category is subjective to time but for this scenario, I am basing it off of Penn State Eats wait times during the afternoon and the general busyness of the buffets. The higher the point, the less busy it is.

First Place: West Food District at Warnock Commons
Buffet food quality: 8.5/10
Food variety: 5/10
Busyness: 8.5/10
Total: 22/30

Second Place: South Food District at Redifer Commons
Buffet food quality: 5/10
Food variety: 8/10
Busyness: 7/10
Total: 20/30

Third Place: North Food District at Warnock Commons
Food quality: 8/10
Food variety: 3.5/10
Busyness: 8/10
Total: 19.5/30

Fourth Place: Pollock Dining Commons at Pollock Commons
Buffet food quality: 8/10
Food variety: 7/10
Busyness: 4/10
Total: 19/30

Fifth Place: East Food District at Findlay Commons
Buffet food quality: 5/10
Food variety: 9/10
Busyness: 4/10
Total: 18/30