Meal plans, snack prices and food options have traditionally been targets of criticism from Tufts students looking to chow down. Some students have expressed dissatisfaction with the variety and the cost of a Tufts meal. However, according to recent college surveys, these grumbles may be unfounded. Compared to other schools, Tufts consistently ranks relatively high in the quality of both its on- and off-campus food.
CollegeProwler.com, which ranks colleges based on student feedback, gave Tufts a grade of A- for the quality of its on-campus dining. According to one Tufts student, whose opinion was published on the Web site, "We have awesome food. My parents were shocked. I swear the food is better than home-cooked."
Freshman Callie McHugh, a tour guide, is similarly enthusiastic about her dining experiences. "On all of my tours, I tell potential students that I miss Dewick when I'm not there, which is completely true," she said. "There's a really great variety of options. The only thing that frustrates me is when they run out of bagels, but other than that, I'm happy."
Even some students from other schools praise the food at Tufts. Union College freshman Anna Gjesteby, who has visited and dined with several friends attending Tufts, said that she'd take Tufts' food over her own school's any day.
"At Tufts, there seems to be a lot more variety, and the choices look a lot healthier," she said. "Dinner is my least favorite meal at Union, but I loved eating dinner at Tufts. I like the dining halls there better than the one here."
High marks on quality, however, come at a price. A brief survey of nearby schools shows that the average dining hall meal costs considerably more than those of other institutions (see box below).
Students have also voiced complaints about the cost of meals at Hodgdon Good-to-Go, where Jumbos stop between classes for takeaway sandwiches, coffee and hot meals. Part of Hodgdon's appeal is that students enrolled in a dining plan can exchange a dining-hall meal for its cash equivalency, which ranges from $4.76 for breakfast to $9.37 for dinner.
However, some students said that Hodgdon's seemingly steep prices, which have increased since last year despite a more than five percent tuition increase, make them feel shortchanged.
"I think [the meal equivalency] is horrible," sophomore Hope Wollensack said. Compared to the price of a meal at the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall, she said, the trade is unfair.
Their concern is not unfounded. The difference between a dinner credit at Hodgdon and the greater cost of dinner using JumboCash at a dining hall is $2.34, reflecting nearly a 20-percent disparity.
"You probably overpay for what you get [at Hodgdon]," agreed senior Robbie Bayless, a regular Hodgdon customer.
Student manager Aaron Lee, though, felt that Hodgdon prices are worth every penny. When asked if they seem over the top, Lee replied, "It seems so, but you're paying for convenience."
Hodgdon's prices are relatively similar to, if not less expensive than, those of nearby franchises. For instance, a dinner consisting of a quarter chicken, two side dishes, a medium fountain beverage and a cookie is $1.38 cheaper at Hodgdon than a comparable chicken dinner meal at the Boston Market in nearby Medford.
Chicken dinners aren't the only competitively priced items at Hodgdon. Compared to a regular-size "Signature" sandwich at the Quiznos at Lafayette Center in downtown Boston, a sandwich at Hodgdon is 44 cents cheaper. At a Subway restaurant on Washington Street in Dorchester, a twelve-inch sandwich is 84 cents more expensive than a similar sandwich at Hodgdon.
While they benefit from these savings at Hodgdon, some students feel that the quality of the meals is inferior to those at off-campus dining options.
Senior Zach Postle, who visits Hodgdon at least twice a week, had mixed feelings about its food quality. "[The quality] seems to depend on the day that you go there," he said.
Some Jumbos feel more strongly about Hodgdon's offers compared to those of local franchises.
"I'd say the quality [of food at Hodgdon] is pretty poor," freshman Katie Tajer, a former Hodgdon employee, said.
While nearby franchises seem to offer higher-quality meals, many Jumbos believe that Hodgdon outperforms its competitors in variety. Stations at Hodgdon include the T-Stop Deli, Churros Caliente!, Pan Asia Express, Basil's Pasta and Grill and Roasters BBQ, and many students enjoy this diversity.
"[I prefer] the options at Hodgdon rather than those at a single restaurant," Bayless said.
