Commons Dining Hall — Local services in Troy

As a sophomore at RPI, I can attest that everything about RPI's dining services is appalling and inedible. Food here at RPI is absolutely atrocious. It is nearly inedible most of the times. Commons is a buffet-style dining area where they serve food at different stations and you can get whatever they are serving. The food is awfully cooked and horribly prepared. The quality and taste of the food they make is horrendous. It doesn't look like they've ever planned on making their food taste any better. I've been bothered by the food since the very beginning of freshmen year. This attitude isn't just from me; most of the people I've talked to know how bad the food is at both Commons and Sage dining halls (yes, the only two availible options on campus). Even the paid restuarants at the Student Union serve God-awful food that don't justify the price we paid. The $10 ramen you pay for is absolute garbage and Halal Shack is mediocre at best. You would think RPI would help you with dining options but they simply don't care. The make you pay thousands of dollar every year on what they describe as "food".

I don't consider myself a picky eater. In fact, I love food of all sorts and enjoy pretty much anything that is half-decently made.

As a student-athlete, you expect to eat a healthy diet but the dining halls at RPI simply do not meet your basic standards.

Check out this article by the Polytechnic: https://poly.rpi.edu/opinion/2023/04/rpi-failure-to-feed/

Behind the walls of the dining halls at RPI are dirty kitchens, unorganized workers, and a wicked food council that serves the bare minimum of what you would call "food".

I've been to several other universities and all of them have food courts that serve delicious and fullfilling entrees. I just don't understand why the people who run RPI can allow this to happen.

It's not a surprise that RPI is among the highest ranked universities in the nation for having the worst dining options.

If food is a make or break factor for your college decisions, I implore you to not choose RPI. You will regret coming here not because of the rigorous academics, but because you...

Welcome to The Commons Dining Hall, where your appetite comes to die a slow, painful death. This "dining experience" is a tour of the seven culinary sins, minus the redemption. Here's a breakdown:

Asian Station: Ever wondered what sadness tastes like? This is it. The under and over cooked rice and suspiciously rubbery chicken will leave you questioning every life choice that led you here.

Simple Servings: They promise "simple," and boy, do they deliver. Simple as in bland, tasteless, and potentially a war crime. Every bite feels like chewing on unseasoned cardboard.

The Grill: Imagine a grill, now subtract the flavor, the seasoning, and the joy. What remains is this sad excuse for a station. The burgers look like they were grilled by a toddler with a lighter, and the fries are blander than your ex’s text messages.

Pizza: A disgrace to Italy. The crust is a stale cracker, the cheese is a sad layer of glue, and the toppings… let’s not even go there.

Now, let’s get to the only saving graces:

The Pasta Line: Tyree and Rebecca are the Michelangelo and Da Vinci of pasta. They whip up dishes so good they make you forget, for a brief, beautiful moment, that you're in The Commons. Honestly, they deserve a medal for sticking around this mess.

The Bakery: If you’re trying to diet, stay far away. They’re evil geniuses, tempting you with an unholy amount of cookies. Ask for one? They give you five. You leave stuffed, ashamed, and slightly in love with whoever is behind the counter.

In short, The Commons Dining Hall is less of a dining facility and more of a gastronomic horror show. If not for Tyree and Rebecca, this would be a negative-star review. Eat here only if you're feeling brave or have a death wish. One star, because zero...

The staff in the dining hall are very nice and helpful people. Especially the people at the bakery, when they were closing up I went over to get a cupcake and the man offered to give me even more to take home with me. One staff member at the grill went out of his way to make me a custom hotdog when I asked if they ever make them. The food here in general is okay, sometimes is pretty good but it is never bad or disgusting. The fruit isn't usually ripe, but you can take fruit out of the cafeteria with you so it not being ripe doesn't really matter. I love to go with my friends and the renovations to the dining hall really makes the place look nice and creates a great vibe for the place overall.

The place currently is properly following covid protocols put in place by the university. The only noticable change is that the deli center is now make it yourself instead of someone putting together a...