Liberty No. 1 on list of best college dining halls

Fresh ingredients, innovation, and diversity contributed to the No. 1 ranking of Liberty University’s Reber-Thomas Dining Hall on the 2015 Best Dining Halls list by BestColleges.com.

Liberty outranked Cornell College (No. 2), Ohio State University (No. 3), the University of Chicago (No. 6), the University of Notre Dame (No. 14), and the University of California – Los Angeles (No. 16).

“Concentrating on fresh ingredients and culinary options, Liberty University has several dining options,” the site states. “The Reber-Thomas Dining Hall offers an innovative approach to dining with nine different areas, like the Main Dish, featuring homestyle comfort foods, or the Red Avocado station, with all of the ingredients needed for a made-to-order burrito or taco.”

Liberty has regularly been recognized nationally for its efforts to provide a top-notch dining atmosphere on campus. Last summer, Liberty ranked among the Top 10 Gluten Free Accommodating Colleges and was ranked on the top-10 list of the most gluten-free friendly college campuses by Examiner.com. In 2013, Liberty ranked third in the healthiest colleges in the United States, and Food Management magazine also awarded Sodexo, Liberty’s dining services provider, with the Best Wellness Concept award for its Simple Servings station at the dining hall. In 2012, Liberty ranked in the top 20 for “Best Cafeteria Variety” by CollegeProwler.com.

Liberty will have a chance to showcase its innovative dining services to industry leaders next year when it hosts the 2016 National Association for College and University Food Service (NACUFS) Mid-Atlantic Region Conference.