The top 3 trends shaping college dining in 2026

Indian Tacos were featured in the Metz Street Eats program on college campuses.Photos courtesy of Metz Culinary Management

This fall, students’ social media feeds are having a growing impact on college dining menus And the foodservice provider sees that trend continuing into 2027. Global flavors and new beverage technology are also playing a bigger role

“We know students are tapped into social media, so we want to give them food experiences that capture some of that same engagement,” Ed Knake, Metz Corporate Executive Chef, Higher Education/Independent Schools, said in a statement. He added that the emphasis is less on chasing individual viral foods than on recognizing how students discover and experience food today.

Knake and his team are playing that out

Knake and his team are playing that out with Metz Street Eats, a program that features rotating concepts inspired by emerging food trends, global cuisines, and creative twists on familiar favorites. This academic year, the lineup reflects the continuing popularity of “smashed” foods on social media. Offerings include smashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, fried tofu-stuffed smashed sweet potatoes, and smashed burgers.

Students will also be treated to Mediterranean-inspired selections, Indian street food tacos, and globally influenced takes on meatball sandwiches, such as Korean barbecue meatball subs and falafel Greek “meatball” gyros.

Desserts and beverages get their share of experimentation as well. The academic year opened with an ice cream-stuffed doughnut featuring Dole Whip, followed by such concepts as an upside-down shake, a “dirty” float, and dessert quesadillas filled with banana, Nutella. strawberry cheesecake, and other combinations.

With beverages a hotbed of innovation, Metz introduced

With beverages a hotbed of innovation, Metz introduced the signature Sip Station to several campuses. It’s a beverage program powered by Botrista technology that prepares on-trend drinks such as boba teas, smoothies, refreshers, iced coffees, lemonades, and more in under 30 seconds within a compact footprint. “Students are looking for the same variety and customization in their campus beverage choices that they find at coffee shops and specialty beverage concepts,” said Brian Bachman, Metz VP of Purchasing-Culinary, in a statement.

Sip Studio also gives students more customization choices within the drinks themselves, including adjusting the sweetness level. And with the platform, dining teams have more opportunities to add seasonal offerings and limited-time beverage concepts to keep menus fresh throughout the year. It can be offered as part of a meal plan or à la carte and can also be paired with other dining promotions. An Asian-inspired Global Kitchen menu, for example, might be accompanied by a boba beverage promotion, Metz suggests.

Metz is planning additional Street Eats concepts for the spring semester and will continue experiences like its popular VegFest promotion. For Chef Knake, the objective behind the changing menus and beverage technology is to give students reasons to look forward to eating on campus.

“Food should be fun,” he said. “If we can take something students are seeing and talking about and turn it into an experience they can enjoy in their own dining hall, that keeps campus dining fresh and engaging.”