OWU Dining Gets a Fresh Start With New Provider

DELAWARE, Ohio — Ohio Wesleyan University has switched dining providers this year, ending its contract with AVI Foodsystems and signing Harvest Table Culinary Group, following years of the university's dining program ranking among the lowest in the country in student surveys. 

The change took effect this summer at Hamilton Williams Campus Center and Smith Dining Hall. Harvest Table, which partners with a select group of colleges nationwide, has introduced chef-driven menus, scratch-made food and mobile ordering, along with expanded allergen-friendly options and on-site nutrition support. The company says it sources at least 20 percent of its ingredients locally, though OWU has not independently verified that figure. 

Student reaction so far has been largely positive. Senior Nate Cory, a business administration major, said the change has been noticeable. 

"The dining experience hit a 180 this year," Cory said, adding that he previously experienced food poisoning and struggled to find nutritious options that matched his activity level as an athlete. "The food is all edible now, and I leave full." 

Not every student is convinced the improvement will last. Tyler Mathews said he's skeptical the university can maintain this level of quality long-term, noting that dining service has started strong before only to decline over the course of the year. 

"Last year they started out strong too, and we all saw how that turned out," Mathews said. 

University officials have not released survey data on student satisfaction since the switch took effect, leaving it unclear whether Harvest Table's early reception will hold up or whether OWU is simply in the same honeymoon phase Mathews describes.

Without that data or a longer track record, it's too early to say whether the new partnership will lift OWU out of its historically low national dining ranking