Think campus dining is just about food? Think again. In David’s latest blog, he reveals how dining programs, when intentionally designed, can become one of the most powerful tools in higher education. Rooted in the concept of SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™, this piece explores how shared meals foster belief, belonging, and the deep connections that drive student retention, well-being, and even career success.

What if one of the biggest secrets to student happiness—and retention is staring us in the face? In this joyful and data-backed blog, David Porter shares why good comfort food is more than a necessity, it’s a strategic pillar and cornerstone of the student experience. From mac & cheese, fresh baked rolls w butter, roasted potatoes, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and Belgium waffles topped with vanilla ice cream, Porter explains how craveable comfort food and well-designed dining spaces foster and amplify emotional connections, boost mental health and emotional security, and turns the freshman fifteen into making fifteen new friends not gaining fifteen new pounds. This isn’t just about flavor—it’s about feelings, memories, and human connections. And human connection(s) create positive results.

Today’s students are more disconnected than ever—and it’s not just a side effect of the pandemic. It’s a generational shift. In this timely and thought-provoking blog, David Porter explores how intentional campus design—what we call SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™—can rebuild the sense of belonging students desperately need.

From reimagined dining spaces to smarter programming for first-year students, discover how colleges and universities can create environments that foster real human connection, improve retention, and spark lifelong memories.

In a time of frozen funding, hiring freezes, and escalating student expectations, colleges and universities are under immense pressure to do more with less. But amidst the chaos, a surprising hero emerges: your campus dining program. David breaks down how strategic investments in dining—not cuts—can drive retention, boost auxiliary revenue, and create the kind of community today’s students crave. Discover how campuses are turning food service into a competitive advantage and why connection, not just calories, could be the key to thriving in uncertain times.

In his session at NACAS South 2025, David Porter challenged higher education leaders to rethink food service RFPs. He argued that universities should define their dining programs, not contractors, whose goals prioritize profit over student engagement. Highlighting Porter Khouw Consulting’s approach, he emphasized creating value through student-focused dining experiences and a transparent, fair RFP process. Check out this blog, where he expands on the session’s key insights which urged institutions to take control of their food service strategy and transform student life through dining.

What if “luck” isn’t luck at all—but the natural result of relentless effort, bold vision, and deep human connection? In this powerful reflection, H. David Porter shares how decades of strategic work in campus dining have reshaped student experiences nationwide. From the birth of SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™ – NEXT GEN ANYTIME DINING to a mission that’s transforming lives, this piece is a blueprint for building your own “luck”—one purposeful step at a time.

Student success isn’t just about academics—it’s about connection. A thriving Student Social Biome is built through daily interactions in residence halls, dining spaces, and common areas. Enter SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™—a strategic approach to designing campuses that foster meaningful relationships. When paired with Next-Gen Dining, which transforms meals into social experiences, this approach strengthens student well-being, retention, and success. From communal tables to late-night breakfast socials, intentional design fuels belonging. The question isn’t whether your campus has a Social Biome—it’s whether you’re cultivating it for student success.

College dining should be more than just meals—it should be a hub for connection and belonging. At Porter Khouw Consulting, our SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™ approach transforms dining into a powerful tool for student well-being, fostering friendships, resilience, and engagement.The First 45 Days are critical for student retention. Our Next Gen Dining Programs create intentional experiences—small-group meals, cultural storytelling, and community events—that help students find their place.
When dining is designed with purpose, it drives success. Let’s reimagine campus dining together.

If you don’t tell your story, someone else will—and they won’t get it right. Campus dining programs offer immense value, yet too often, their impact goes unnoticed. Through SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™, dining can become more than just a meal—it can be a platform for connection, culture, and student success. From engaging staff as storytellers to leveraging student voices and showcasing the real value of meal plans, strategic storytelling is essential. By crafting authentic narratives, dining programs can increase engagement, drive participation, and reshape perceptions.Want to turn your dining program into a story worth telling? Read more to learn how.

If you were at NASPA 2025’s Opening Keynote, you felt it: the tension, the urgency, the hope—and most importantly, the community. Whether you were nodding along with Dr. Amelia Parnell’s deeply personal reflections or digesting the clear-eyed analysis of the state of our profession, one message rang clear: we are in the midst of profound […]

Selecting a college goes beyond academics and rankings—it’s about finding a community where you can thrive. RateMyFreshmanExperience.com offers real student insights into campus life, social dynamics, and support systems, helping prospective students make informed decisions. Through authentic reviews and comprehensive overviews, this platform empowers students to choose a college that aligns with their personal and social needs

With more students commuting, seeking off-campus dining options, or feeling disconnected from their institutions, colleges and universities must reimagine how they structure the student experience. The first six weeks of a student’s college journey are critical—if they don’t form strong connections, they are far more likely to leave. Dining, as the most frequented campus space, offers the greatest opportunity to foster engagement and retention.

Nicholas Kristof has argued that if we want to address the mental health crisis among college students, we need to go beyond band-aid solutions. We need to reimagine the college experience as one centered around human connection.¹ This means designing campuses that prioritize communal spaces, investing in dining programs that bring students together, and recognizing that the most important education students receive may not be in the lecture halls, but in the moments they share with one another over meals, coffee, and conversation.

Higher education faces declining enrollment and rising mental health challenges. The key to retention may be hiding in plain sight—dining. Dining is one of the few universal student touchpoints. When designed intentionally, it fosters social connections, emotional well-being, and academic success. Research shows that friendships formed in the first six weeks of college predict long-term retention. Next-gen dining reimagines meal programs as hubs for interaction, transforming them from transactional spaces into community anchors. By investing in dining as a social infrastructure, colleges can boost retention, engagement, and student success—one meal at a time.

Many colleges assume self-operated dining means sacrificing the bulk discounts, rebates, and cost efficiencies enjoyed by large food service providers. But is that really the case? In our latest blog, we break down how self-op programs can leverage Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), direct supplier negotiations, and strategic procurement models to close the pricing gap—without giving up operational control.

Should your campus self-operate its dining program or contract with a food service provider? While self-op offers flexibility and control, it demands strong leadership, financial planning, and operational discipline. At Porter Khouw Consulting, we’ve developed The Porter 10X Self-Op Promises—a framework ensuring self-op dining thrives, not just survives. In this blog, we outline the essential commitments every self-op institution must make for success.

Many colleges and universities struggle to keep retail à la carte food service locations financially sustainable. With high food costs, excessive labor expenses, and price-sensitive students, many institutions are forced to subsidize their dining operations, sometimes by hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Two critical tools—Menu Engineering and Prime Cost Optimization—offer a way to eliminate […]

This blog uncovers the hidden pitfalls of management fee contracts in campus dining and why they often lead to skyrocketing food costs. It reveals how providers, with no financial risk, lack the incentive to control spending
—leading to inefficiencies, inflated pricing, and excessive waste. More importantly, it explores strategic contract shifts that can hold providers accountable, ensuring cost efficiency and financial sustainability for institutions.

This paradox challenges traditional dining hall strategies and highlights the value of stability in food offerings. Instead of overwhelming students with choices, a dependable menu that includes the most popular and familiar items creates a sense of reliability and comfort. This article explores the Variety Paradox and its implications for designing dining programs that truly satisfy student needs.

If your institution is facing declining enrollment, low student satisfaction with meal plans, and rising costs from food service contractors, it’s time to rethink your approach. The good news? By adopting a strategic, student-focused dining program rooted in SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™, you can recruit and retain more students, build long-lasting alumni connections, and achieve significant financial savings.

A great campus food hall is more than just a place to eat—it’s a hub for connection and well-being. At PKC Design Studio, our blueprint balances operational efficiency with an exceptional dining experience. By combining data-driven design, smart space planning, and SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™, we create vibrant, future-ready spaces that foster student engagement and success. Stay tuned to discover how strategic food hall design transforms campus life.

With the enrollment cliff and retention crisis looming, colleges face a key question: focus on recruiting new students or retaining current ones? The answer lies in balance. A holistic approach—combining recruitment with student success efforts—is essential. Retention initiatives like first-year support and affordability not only keep students enrolled but also enhance an institution’s appeal. Stay tuned as we explore strategies to future-proof campuses.

This blog explores the shift from the traditional “all-you-care-to-eat” dining model to the more flexible and student-centered “Anytime Dining.” As campus dining evolves, this new approach prioritizes convenience, sustainability, and community, addressing concerns like food waste and meal plan dissatisfaction while fostering stronger social connections and improving student retention.

When colleges and universities grapple with retention issues and declining housing occupancy, the immediate response is often to address financial aid, academic challenges, or mental health services. But there’s a silent, systemic issue hiding in plain sight that can have an equally devastating impact on retention and housing success: the campus dining program.

This blog explores why reframing the conversation and focusing on strategy first, colleges and universities can transform their dining programs from transactional services into transformative tools for campus success.

This blog explores why lowering meal plan prices is a short-sighted approach and how institutions can adopt a value-driven strategy that transforms dining programs into powerful tools for student engagement, retention, and success.