Social Media Trends, Global Flavors, and New Technology Shape Campus Dining for 2026-27

From smashed burgers and Indian street food tacos to boba teas and specialty refreshers, some of the trends filling students' social media feeds are finding their way onto college dining menus this fall.

Metz Culinary Management is drawing on social media trends, global flavors, and new foodservice technology as it welcomes students back to its higher education dining programs for the 2026-27 academic year.

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

A centerpiece of the new academic year is Metz's Street Eats program, returning for its fifth academic year. Street Eats features rotating concepts inspired by emerging food trends, global cuisines, and creative twists on familiar favorites.

This year's 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 encounter 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.

More Beverage Choices - Automatically

That same interest in new experiences is helping drive the introduction of Sip Studio™, a specialty beverage program powered by Botrista technology, at several Metz accounts. "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 Vice President of Purchasing-Culinary. "Botrista gives our teams a practical way to deliver that experience, with drinks prepared in under 30 seconds and a compact footprint that allows the technology to work in a variety of foodservice settings."

Operated by dining staff from behind the counter, the automated Botrista system can produce a wide variety of specialty beverages, including boba teas, refreshers, smoothies, iced coffees, lemonades and protein drinks. The technology allows campuses to expand beverage choices without the staffing and equipment requirements of a full-scale specialty coffee or beverage operation.

The platform also gives students choices within the drinks themselves. Sweetness levels can be adjusted, while seasonal offerings and limited-time beverage concepts give dining teams additional opportunities to keep menus changing throughout the year.

Sip Studio beverages 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.

Food As Fun

Metz will continue that mix of new and returning experiences throughout the academic year, including its popular VegFest promotion in October and additional Street Eats concepts through the spring.

For Chef Knake, the objective behind the changing menus and technology remains one of giving 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."