The University of Massachusetts Amherst has once again been recognized for its exceptional campus dining experience, earning the coveted No. 1 spot on The Princeton Review’s list of Best Campus Food for an unprecedented 10^th year. The achievement underscores UMass Dining’s commitment to serving healthy, sustainable and delicious food, featuring authentic, globally inspired cuisine that reflects the diversity of the campus community. 

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The Princeton Review’s 2027 rankings are based on surveys of 172,000 students at the 392 colleges and universities across the nation. UMass Amherst is the only Massachusetts school to place in the top 15.

With 25,000 students, faculty and staff on meal plans, UMass Dining is the largest collegiate dining program in the United States, serving more than 50,000 meals daily, nearly 9 million annually—across four residential dining commons, 30+ retail cafés and markets, and a full-service catering and concessions program, with continuous dining available from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. In campus surveys, 88% of students have said they believe UMass Dining contributes positively to their personal well-being and 86% of students believe it enhances their overall university experience.

“Woohoo! We are honored by this acknowledgement: 10 consecutive years as the #1 Best Campus Food in the nation from The Princeton Review belongs to all of us,” said Ken Toong, assistant vice chancellor of UMass Auxiliary Services, which includes UMass Dining. “It reflects the dedication of our incredible team and staff, the unwavering support of campus leadership under Chancellor Reyes and Vice Chancellor Mangels, and the trust of our customers/students who choose to dine with us every day. Their encouragement fuels everything we do. This recognition is a testament to what’s possible when we come together around a simple idea: food for the common good. Thank you all.”

“This unprecedented achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our dining services staff and the leadership of Ken Toong, and [Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance] Andy Mangels,” said Chancellor Javier Reyes. “Not only does UMass Dining provide our campus and local community with healthy, sustainable and delicious food, it also offers our students a rich cultural experience. This is made possible through partnerships with over 100 local farmers, fishermen and producers. In the last year alone, UMass Dining invested more than $2.5 million with Massachusetts vendors and nearly $5 million across New England.” 

In other Princeton Review rankings, UMass held steady at  No. 41 on the Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public) list; and was listed No. 9 on the Top 50 Green Colleges list, up from No. 25 last year.

For more information about UMass Dining, visit umassdining.com. The full list of rankings from The Princeton Review’s “The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition” can be found at  www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges.