Effective Fall 2026:
Two of our dining courts have updated some food stations from a buffet format to a plated format, while remaining all-you-care-to-eat. Read through the FAQ below to learn why this decision was made, what might look different, and how the dining guests’ experience remains the top priority.
What factors did OHIO consider most when making these updates?
Waste reduction and resource management were major decision drivers. The plated station approach supports Ohio University’s sustainability goals while ensuring that resources are used as responsibly as possible. We project this small change will help us make meaningful impacts in waste reduction, environmental stewardship, and responsible resource use. OHIO students, faculty and staff care already care deeply about sustainability and responsible resource use. This is just an additional way to optimize that investment.
The sustainability objectives of plating food in a collegiate dining environment include reducing food waste, improving resource efficiency, supporting campus sustainability initiatives, decreasing overproduction, and using food more responsibly while maintaining a high-quality student dining experience.
Beyond improving practices to be more sustainable, how will students benefit from this update?
By moving some of our Nelson and District dining court stations from a buffet to an all-you-care-to-eat plated format, students are far less likely to experience long lines, waits or shortages of popular items, especially those students who dine in the later half of dining hours. This will also allow us to keep menu variety, freshness and quality even higher at these stations, as less resources will be spent producing excess food to keep buffet stations full.
Which locations and stations will have plated meals in this new format? Will ALL dining options now be pre-plated?
Nelson and The District (at Boyd) will be the only dining courts to offer some plated concepts or stations during this academic year. Several stations (DIY taco bar, etc.) do not lend themselves organically to a plated format and will not be updated. Other locations such as our cafes and food trucks are not affected by this change.
Can a student request a customized plate (various portion sizes, etc.?)
Any customer, whether they have any special dietary requirements or if they want more, or less of any item, all they have to do is ask. We remain an “all-you-care-to-eat” dining venue, both at Nelson and District.
Plated and staff-served stations allow our team to better accommodate allergen concerns, dietary restrictions, and personalized requests while providing a more engaging dining experience.
Will all meals be calorically equal or run a range? Will the same amount of vegan/vegetarian/dietary need focused meal options/combos be available as before?
Our menu offerings remain the same, customers can still access nutritional information exactly like before, directly on our website, with additional information found on menu screens at each station. Customers are also welcome to ask for a freshly plated portion size of their choosing, and to return as many times as they wish during the meal.
What is being done with the food waste. Do you compost? How do you anticipate this will change OHIO’s overall waste or food scrap level and process?
Yes, all discarded food from customers comes back on the beltline and into our dish room, where we then compost any food waste. We anticipate a highly significant amount of post-consumer food waste to be avoided as a result of pre-plating some meals. Our culinary teams will also be able to better align production with demand to reduce overproduction.
I have a question or concern about this or need general support from someone within Culinary Services.
Please connect with any of our management teams on site. We can also set up a time with customers to meet in person with our leadership to discuss more complex needs or support services. Find current staff contact info.