Students say campus food quality is declining
FRESNO, Calif — Thousands of students use Fresno State dining services on campus every day. But inconsistent prices, long waits and safety concerns have students saying campus food quality is declining.
“I think it’s declining because of a lack of overall care,” said Josiah Poynter, a Mass Communication and Journalism student. “It’s pretty clear that the RSU has a lot of options, but the options are limited in terms of when you can get them and what you can get. I drive two miles away down Shaw, and the food is 10 times better at the same thing and it costs, maybe a dollar or two cheaper.”
The pricing discrepancy between on-campus and off-campus locations in many of the chain restaurants on Fresno State’s campus is clear. Online ordering shows the same exact six-inch sub sandwich sold at the Subway on campus is six dollars cheaper at any other local Subway.
But many students say there isn’t enough time to grab food between classes because of long lines and high wait times anyways.
Although University Dining Services provides the “FETCH mobile app” through Transact Mobile Ordering for students to work around long wait times, many of the restaurants on campus quote pickup times upwards of 20 minutes. Some restaurants will even close their online ordering options, making it completely inaccessible to order ahead.
“If you go to a Taco Bell, a Habit, a Subway, a Panda off campus, you’re waiting maybe max 10 minutes,” Poynter said. “I’ve waited here upwards of 45 minutes for a burger.”
Poynter said he believes a healthy diet and schedule are crucial for student success, and low-quality food makes it harder for students to survive on campus.
For students living on campus, who are required to pay for a campus meal plan, the dining hall is often the only option available to them, but some question its standards.
“A lot of my friends, they don’t really like eating the meat there because they’re a little iffy on if it’s something that’s safe to consume,” said Bethanie Braun, a student living in the dorms. “Maybe they [Fresno State] could put out a video showing us how it’s prepped, just to make sure that it’s safe.”
Fresno State Focus reached out for a comment, and have not yet received a response.
Others are simply looking for more variety. Braun offered a few other solutions that would give students a more quality dining experience.
“I think that the university could potentially provide something like a weekly meal plan that’s not specific to dining services [the resident dining hall],” Braun said. “I think that students would really enjoy it and that it would be beneficial.”
Update as of Friday, March 13, 2026:
Fresno State Focus received a response from Megan Sarantos, director of Dining Services.
“University Dining Services takes food safety in the Dining Hall and across all its operations very seriously. Earlier this semester, an ASI senator shared an anonymous student concern about chicken that appeared pink or undercooked.
Dining Services leadership immediately reviewed the concern and confirmed that Dining Hall procedures meet and exceed U.S. Department of Agriculture food safety guidelines. Chicken is safe when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and University Dining Services cooks are trained to prepare it to at least 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Color alone is not a reliable indicator of doneness, as other factors can cause a pink hue even when the chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat.
Following the concern, Dining Hall leadership also worked closely with staff to reinforce cooking procedures, food quality standards and proper thermometer use. All Dining Hall employees hold California Food Handler certifications as part of our commitment to food safety.
University Dining Services welcomes feedback from students and encourages anyone with concerns about their dining experience to share them so they can be addressed promptly.“