University dining is undergoing a major transformation. Today’s students have grown up with digital technology and instant services. Their relationship with institutional dining is changing: they now expect a seamless and personalized experience, inspired by commercial dining.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is the first generation to have grown up in a fully connected world. They are demanding, well-informed, and have little patience for everyday annoyances: endless lines, a lack of transparency, and rigid processes.
Gen Z wants to take control of their experience. Accustomed to delivery apps, students want to choose their meals, customize their orders, and pay easily.
In a university cafeteria, orders can be placed in several ways: via a touchscreen kiosk, a smartphone, or by ordering at the table.
For many students, the lunch break is short. As a result, long lines remain one of the main barriers to attendance.
Fast service is now a major factor for people under 25. A report on trends and challenges in the snacking market in 2025 also highlights that digitalization is becoming a key driver for streamlining operations and improving the customer experience.
Gen Z is a socially conscious generation. They want to know what they’re eating, where it comes from, and what the environmental impact of their meals is. Displaying product origins, promoting local or organic sources, and providing nutritional information are no longer optional—they’re expected.
👉 Learn more: Central purchasing agencies supporting school meal programs.
Digitizing a university cafeteria involves more than just installing a kiosk. It’s about building a cohesive ecosystem that optimizes both the dining experience and kitchen operations.
The ordering kiosks on campus allow students to place orders at their own pace and offer several benefits:
Ordering via QR code at the university cafeteria has become very popular among students.
Diners scan the QR code at their table, place their orders, and pay directly from their smartphones. For restaurants, this reduces congestion at the order counters and streamlines the customer experience.
👉 Learn more: Why should institutional dining facilities adopt table ordering?
The most successful approach involves integrating all of these tools into a seamless omnichannel experience. Students choose their ordering channel (kiosk, QR code, checkout counter), track the progress of their meal in real time, and pick it up at the pickup point.
This model, inspired by commercial fast food, significantly reduces wait times and improves the overall perception of service.
Modernizing a university dining hall is not just about image. It yields measurable results, both in terms of student satisfaction and operational performance.
At the opening of its new campus, EM Lyon Business School—featured in this article on the inauguration of an eco-friendly and innovative campus in Lyon—adopted a dining model inspired by university food courts.
Result: A 15% increase in average basket size and 40% of orders placed via QR code.
The renovation of the dining area has also made the university cafeteria more appealing.
The campus sees about 500 visitors a day, with attendance up 10%, proving that this renovation can boost visitor numbers.
👉 Learn more: 5 tools for measuring guest satisfaction in institutional dining.
At EM Lyon, the average time to pick up an order is now less than 5 minutes. Synchronization between distribution points and production screens allows teams to anticipate demand and organize order preparation more efficiently.
Beyond just tracking operating hours, digital tools generate valuable data: hourly order volumes, most popular dishes, and peak times. These metrics enable managers to adjust their offerings, reduce waste, and optimize staffing accordingly.
Modernizing a university dining hall requires a gradual and structured approach.
The first step is to analyze the current experience:
This assessment helps identify the main pain points and define transformation priorities.
Not all solutions are necessary from the start. A small campus doesn’t have the same needs as an institution that serves 2,000 students a day. The goal is to gradually build a cohesive digital ecosystem tailored to your scale, your organization, and your budget constraints.
Step 3. Get the teams and students on board
The success of a digitization project also depends on user adoption.
Involving students in the rollout, communicating about the new services, and explaining their benefits helps facilitate the adoption of these tools.
Step 4. Measure and adjust continuously
Once the solutions are in place, it is essential to monitor key metrics such as foot traffic, wait times, and guest satisfaction.
This monitoring allows us to adjust our systems and continuously improve the user experience.
Attracting Gen Z is no longer just about the food offerings. Speed, convenience, digitalization, and transparency have become essential factors.
By drawing inspiration from the principles of commercial dining, institutions can transform their campus dining halls into vibrant, lively spaces.
