What Families and Students Value in Campus Dining
Unlock the survey
What Families and Students Value in Campus Dining
User responses 150,475
Survey Type Market Research
Audience All Audiences
Top Insight
- Respondents prefer food on campus for its convenience and speed over other factors.
- Respondents associated school meals with health-forward and nourishing qualities more than with other attributes.
- Global and regional dishes are the most popular types of food that respondents wish were more available in cafeterias.
1.
When thinking about food on campus, what matters most to you (or your family)?
Insight
62%
More than average
respondents prefer food on campus for its convenience and speed.
62.51%
Convenience And Speed
Convenience And Speed
62.51%
94,056
Freshness And Ingredient Quality
41.37%
62,248
Affordability
14.31%
21,527
Balanced Nutrition
3.4%
5,114
Food Safety And Allergens
0.86%
1,301
2.
Which values are most important when choosing or supporting school meals?
Insight
4.6X
More than average
consumers associated school meals with health-forward and nourishing qualities than with environmental sustainability.
66.91%
Health-forward And Nourishing
Health-forward And Nourishing
66.91%
651
Comforting And Familiar
16.75%
163
Environmentally Sustainable
14.49%
141
Culturally Inclusive And Diverse
13.46%
131
Trend-aligned And Modern
8.22%
80
3.
What types of food do you (or your family) wish were more available in cafeterias?
Insight
3.6X
More than average
respondents prefer cafeterias with global or regional dishes than those with plant-based or flexitarian options.
56.75%
Global Or Regional Dishes
Global Or Regional Dishes
56.75%
17,385
Grab-and-go Bowls Or Wraps
32.84%
10,061
Plant-based Or Flexitarian Options
15.41%
4,721
Low-allergen Or Tailored Options
0.96%
294
Functional Snacks (E.g., Energy, Focus)
0.22%
67
4.
What increases trust in an educational foodservice brand?
Insight
37%
More than average
consumers prefer an educational foodservice brand that combines USDA compliance with a twist of innovation.
37.49%
USDA Compliance With A Twist Of Innovation
USDA Compliance With A Twist Of Innovation
37.49%
15,949
Locally Sourced Ingredients
33.35%
14,187
Visible Nutritional And Allergen Info
30.85%
13,123
Student/parent Co-designed Menus
6.15%
2,618
Transparent Sourcing And Labeling
1.82%
775
5.
How do you learn about what’s offered in school or campus dining?
Insight
1.8X
More than average
respondents associated learning about school or campus dining offerings from TikTok, Instagram, or food blogs than from school newsletters or apps.
40.37%
Tiktok, Instagram, Or Food Vlogs
Tiktok, Instagram, Or Food Vlogs
40.37%
27,686
Word Of Mouth Or Peer Recommendations
30.81%
21,131
School Newsletters Or Apps
21.33%
14,628
Social Media Posts From Students/parents
20.25%
13,887