Hanover College Dining

Sip, sip, hooray! 🥤🎃🍁 Nothing says “happy fall break” quite like a custom dirty soda. We closed out Customer Satisfaction Survey Week with a Fall Dirty Soda Bar & a big thank you to our students for sharing their feedback! See you after break 😎

Some things are better when you get the first bite 👀🍔 Tonight, we officially kicked off our Foodie Ambassador program with our First Bite event! Our ambassadors got to create, customize, photograph, and (most importantly) EAT their way through a BYO fry bar, slider bar and dirty soda bar. Basically, we gave them everything they needed to make their feeds as hungry as we were. 😅 This program is about more than just great food. We’re giving students a chance to share their dining experiences, create content, and have a voice in what we do. Plus, they get paid for their work in flex dollars. We may be open to a couple more ambassadors. So, if you’re the friend who knows what’s good, loves creating content, and has opinions…we want you at the table. 📱 DM us to get involved.

The bao buns? Low-key a sleeper hit. 🥟✨ We see you, bao bun fans.

The cart may be parked, but we’re still smiling about Monday’s Wellness Shot Cheer on Wheels 🙌 From quick chats between classes, to students stopping by for a little boost, these moments are what makes campus dining more than just a meal. Thanks to everyone who rolled through and and made it such a fun afternoon!

We are so excited to announce our newest addition to the marketing team, Baylee ✨ Baylee is a freshman track and field athlete! She will be joining forces with our current intern, Brooke, to help with all things dining marketing and events! Help us congratulate & welcome Baylee in the comments 👇

🎶 Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots…. Everybody! 🎶 Don’t worry, these wellness shots were packed with goodness, not regrets 🍋 Here’s to hoping that boost gets you through midterms, Panthers!

Got beef? 🍔 Tell us. Love us? Tell us that too. Our Customer Satisfaction Survey is LIVE on Monday, and we’re ready for the compliments, critiques & constructive roasting. 👀 Your feedback = how we get better. Take the survey. We can handle it. 😉

We had a “sweet” time at Southwestern Elementary on Friday for their career day 🧑‍🍳 We made apple nachos, listened to Chef Chris talk about and show some knife skills and safety tips, and the kids even got to try on real Chef’s coats.

The Box always hits. Don’t forget to check out the gluten-friendly sweet potato dessert flatbread this week while we have it!

The moon was out. The bao buns were flying. The Shoebox had a soundtrack. 🌕🥟🎶 We wrapped up Mid-Autumn Festival last night with an evening at the Shoebox featuring artists in residence Chen Lin Ma & Kuan-yun Huang, a holiday puzzle with Professor Duong Nguyen, and enough musical variety to take us from an infamous keyboard to a one-string đàn bầu to Chinese drums. Honestly? Not a bad way to end the day & we sure enjoyed that moon-festival magic. ✨

Sushi, anyone? 🍣✨ To kick off our Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration, we welcomed Toi Wells, better known as The Tie-Dyed Chef, as a Guest Chef to the CC today! Thank you, Toi, for bringing such a unique and delicious experience to campus. 🌕 The celebration continues tonight in the Shoebox. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Our Partnership Meeting menu last week was delicious 🤤 We featured some incredible desserts & a fry bar action station — a teaser of a menu for our Foodie Ambassador Kickoff next week 🤫 Our catering menu is also loaded with action stations now! Have a dream action station for your event? Message our catering team today at dining@hanover.edu.

Avery sent us a comment card saying she was wanting some more protein options in the C-Store for when she’s in between classes & needs something quick. Turns out, we had just gotten in some of these Hiland Fruit & Yogurt Probiotic Smoothies. Since she left her email on her comment card, we were able to reach out & offer her a taste of each flavor on us! She says they’re good + they’re in the C-Store now! Go grab one (or a few) and tell us what you think!

We celebrated the first day of fall the best way we know how — apple cider & apple cider donut holes! We even got local apple cider from Goleys! 🍎 Which is the superior fall flavor, apple or pumpkin?

Quick, easy, delicious & so much room for customization to make your tastebuds soar 🙌 Which CC station are you hitting today?

Temps are falling, soup season is calling 🍁 Don’t forget, we always have two soups out for lunch & dinner in the CC. Pair it with a sandwich from the deli, and you have your perfect cozy fall meal.

Our Game Day-Themed Community Brunch was a real touchdown in our books 😉 Thanks to all who came! We hope to see you at our Harvest Community Brunch on October 18 (or earlier, we are always open to the public)!

Partnering with student groups is our favorite 🫶🏼 Thanks to all who came out for Oktoberfest at the Box last night! Thanks to the @hanovergermanclub for all you do!

We put our cupcake decorating skills to the test… blindfolded. 👀🚫🧁 The results? Questionable. The confidence? Unmatched. 😂 Now we’re passing the frosting torch… 👉 @parkhurstdiningwittenberg — you’re up next! Let’s see what you’ve got. 😏 (Disclaimer: These cupcakes were only taste tested by our team, they were not sent out into the CC wild.)

🚨 Hanover Dining is hiring another Marketing Intern to join our team! 🚨 👉🏼 Swipe to see what Brooke had to say about being our intern. Apply at the link in our bio!

Thanks to the Fairfield Inn for having us at last night’s Taste of Town event 🍝 We are so excited to cater your future events at the Fairfield & beyond! Catering questions? Reach out to us today at dining@hanover.edu.

Our bakers made some scrumptious cupcakes to celebrate our September Bday students (or someone just needing a random cupcake on a Monday — we get it 😜). Enjoy!

Meet Amanda 🌟 Amanda is typically creating some “applause-worthy” dishes at Bravo 👏 Make sure to say hello next time you see her in the CC!

🍎✨ Shana Tova! ✨🍯 Today at the bakery, we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, with a traditional Lekach! Lekach is a sweet, spiced honey cake traditionally enjoyed during Rosh Hashanah. The honey symbolizes hopes for a sweet and prosperous year ahead. Here’s to a sweet start to a wonderful new year! Shana Tova! 🥂✨

Listen up — Cathy’s got something to say! 🗣️Panther Sauce & Special Sauce are NOT the same (and she’s even giving you the ingredients 🤐).

Applications are now open for the student-only Foodie Ambassador Program! If you love sharing your go-to meals with friends, trying new items, or posting social media content, this is for you! Selected Foodie Ambassadors get first taste access, rewards & insider dining opportunities. Apply by September 16. Link in bio.

The Gluten Free Brothers knocked it out of the park with their bites 🤤 We’ve been receiving rave reviews on this new product in the C-Store, have you tried them?!

We are so excited to announce that Shelly Dews has joined our team as the new Director of Catering 🙌 Shelly brings more than a decade of experience in event planning, venue management, business development, and customer service. As the owner and operator of The White Barn Venue, LLC, she successfully coordinated and managed countless events, building a reputation for exceptional client experiences, strong community partnerships, and flawless event execution. She will be your go-to for all on-campus catering. You can also reach out to her if you’re interested in having your event catered in Madison or the surrounding area!

Chef’s Table was on another level today 🤌🏼 Sesame Tempura Chicken Bao Buns with a Korean Cucumber Salad…honestly, our mouths are still watering. This is just one, of the many, new things you can expect from us this year 😉

Team Member Moves 🎉 Linda has made her way from Kitchen Manager in the back of the house to Front of House Board Ops Manager this year & we couldn’t be more excited for her 👏 Linda is doing a little bit of everything right now — managing every aspect of the dining room, running concessions ops and so many more things. We truly couldn’t function without Linda and hope you’ve gotten to meet her! If you haven’t, you sure are missing out. If you have any issues in the dining room — talk to Linda, she will get you straightened out. Thanks for all you do 🫶🏼

The ‘ber months are here 🍂

Honestly nothing makes us happier than when you tell us you feel confident with the choices offered in our locations 🫶🏼 Thank you for sharing! If you aren’t feeling the same way, we would love to walk through it with you & help you get there too — reach out to us at dining@hanover.edu.

The Box is BACK on September 1 & we are preparing for our close up 👀 🍻 Let’s be honest — some of it will NEED a documentary.

We can’t wait for you to find your fav dining spot 🫶🏼

Can you handle the Big Panther Challenge? 🐾 If not, who is going to try it when the Box opens next week? It’s two pounds of burgers between two cheesy Americano grinders with cheddar and American cheese, four slices of bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, & Panther Sauce served with fries + a vanilla shake. Time to beat is currently 20 minutes. Win & you get your photo on the winner wall (we haven’t put a pic up in awhile 😉). Lose? $25 & a pretty little picture for the loser wall. Yes — Panther Bucks are accepted if you join the majority & get defeated.

It was so good to meet all of you this morning & answer your dining questions! Now don’t be a stranger 😉 We hope you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls!

2026 Cinnamon Roll Run ✔️ Such a fun tradition Coach Wells started with the cross country team with our General Manager Alex’s cinnamon rolls before she even started working for Hanover Dining! We love being a part of your traditions 🫶🏼

Cinnabuns’ cinnamon rolls. Monday. Check your emails 🫶🏼

Heard 🫡 Keep your feedback coming! Whether it’s a suggestion, a compliment or a craving — we want to hear it. You can scan the QR codes in the dining locations to send us feedback!

GIVEAWAY 🎉 We are partnering with the @hanovercampusstore to bring you this *delicious* giveaway! We will pick a few winners on Monday to receive some random prize packs out of what’s pictured. To enter: 👉🏼Make sure you’re following both accounts. 👉🏼Like this post 👉🏼Tag a friend!

It’s officially Aug-tober at Cafe 1827 (or so our flavor-of-the-week cake pops thing 😉) 🎃 We are so excited to see you at Cafe & Underground tomorrow when they open for the semester. Also — meal plans start tomorrow! We are thrilled to share that Steel & Steam will continue crafting delicious pastries for us this year at Cafe 1827. Plus, we are adding even more variety with weekly gluten-friendly features, vegan options occasionally & Panther Picks throughout the semester so stay tuned for that. Check out our Instagram story this week (and every week) to see what’s being served!

Welcome to Hanover, freshman! 🐾 We can’t wait to meet you this week. As a reminder — if you have a food allergy & haven’t set up a time to chat with us, email us at dining@hanover.edu so we can make sure you have a seamless experience. Inspired Eats is also a great option for you! Chef Darius makes beautiful dishes free of the top 9 allergens and gluten-friendly! You will also notice that we have moved the allergen-friendly cooler, specific gluten-friendly cereals & even purchased an allergen-friendly toaster for the Inspired Eats space.

You’ve probably been used to seeing Kealyn in the CC most days and while you will still see her there some, we are excited to say that you will start seeing her even more at catering events 👏 Kealyn has officially transitioned from FOH Supervisor to Catering Supervisor. We are so excited for how she will continue to help us elevate our catering on campus & in Madison and the surrounding areas.

We are so back & with added flair 🙌 One thing you’ll notice in our menus this academic year is more variety, more flexibility & more options for a wide range of dietary preferences. For example, you’ll see this gorgeous and delicious portobello mushroom stack (made today by Chef Ari) on the Grill throughout the semester. Can’t wait for all of you to see what’s cooking 🧑‍🍳

Last, but certainly not least, come explore the Underground. From early morning coffee at Cafe 1827, to late night bites at Inferno and Cinco — the UG provides all-day vibes to fuel you!

Here we grow again 🎉 We are so excited to announce another team member promotion — Kris has accepted the role as our AM UG Supervisor! Kris was previously a Sous Chef in main, many of you have tasted her delicious soups and maybe have even seen her running the basketball concessions stand. If you need help in the UG — find Kris! She will get you taken care of.

At our Bravo station, we offered made-to-order stir fry & Mac-n-cheese bowls last semester. We are so excited for more dynamic options this year at this station! We don’t know about you, but our mouths are watering thinking about it!

The Box is a campus fav 🤌🏼 A wide variety on the menu, open late, tvs to watch your favorite games and even a fire pit to enjoy in-season — this is THE place.

Some of our favorite events each year are made possible through partnerships with our student organizations! 🎉 Whether it’s a themed meal, cultural celebration, fundraiser or something completely new, we love working with student groups to bring ideas to life and create memorable experiences on campus. As we prepare to kick off a new semester, we’d love to hear what you have planned! 💡 Have an event idea? Want to collaborate with us? Reach out to us at dining@hanover.edu.

Watching our team members grow is one of our fav things 🥹 Many of you have seen (& love) Bethany, who typically serves Spoon & Fork. We are so proud to announce that she has been promoted to our morning/afternoon Front of House Supervisor!

Have you seen our feedback QR codes? 🤔 If not, you can find them inside all dining locations. These are just for you to drop quick feedback — what are you loving (or not so much), what do you want to see more of, or do you just want to tell us that you think we are the best? Unfortunately, while we would love to be, we can’t duplicate ourselves and be in every location all day around the clock (bummer). We count on you to help us make your experience better!

Support local 🙌 At Hanover Dining, we know our source. Meaning, we spend a certain amount of money each year on local products — whether it’s Bohman Bee honey, Prairie Farms milk, Steel & Steam coffee and pastries, or another fabulous vendor. We hope you can taste the difference!

Did you know that each month, we set up birthday cupcakes to celebrate all our Panther birthdays? 🎉

This snack pack is perfect example of why we love hearing from our Panthers 🤝 Last semester, we received tons of requests for healthier grab-and-go options to fuel your busy schedules. Our dining program is driven by student feedback, and many of our offerings come directly from your ideas and suggestions. While we can’t always make everything happen, we sure do try! Keep them coming — we’re always looking for better ways to serve you 🫶🏼

When you drink a cup of fully-caffeinated coffee from our CC, we are proud to tell you that we know exactly where it comes from. From bean to brew, we partner with @steelandsteamcoffeeco who uses a local roaster.

Student-athlete satisfaction ✔️ Last fall, Hanover Dining had the best student-athlete satisfaction score across our company. We can’t wait to continue that & work toward earning the best satisfaction rate for students across the board!

Food allergy? Chef Darius will be your bestie 🤝 As our Inspired Eats Sous Chef, Chef Darius makes sure that we have a meal available daily that is free of the top 9 allergens & gluten!

TBT to one of our favorite events of the year — the International Banquet! 🤝

A successful event starts with great food. We are currently booking catering for corporate events, weddings, parties, lunch parties, special occasions & any thing else you may need high quality food for! 📆 Dates fill quickly — contact us today at dining@hanover.edu to speak with one of our catering experts for a customized menu and quote!

Flippin’ excited to meet you, Panthers! 🍔🐾 We fired up the grill, served up burgers, hot dogs, and plenty of smiles as we welcomed our newest Panthers and their families during Panther Connect! It was also a chance to meet some of the faces behind your dining experience—including our new Executive Chef Chris, who was not yet on site when you came in for LEAP! We can’t wait to feed you this fall. See you soon! ❤️🔥

How lucky are we to have students that are so worth missing? 🥹 But really, we miss you lots, come back to us soon, okay?

We bet a great yap sesh was had here 😉 Can’t wait to yap with you again soon!

New Panthers — HIII 👋 We can’t wait to serve you! Check out our main dining room (CC) 😉 Additionally, we offer a vegetarian station daily AND an allergy-friendly station daily.

GIVEAWAY! TBT to an UG burger special last year 🤤🍳 Drop your dream special in the comments for any of our locations & there may be a winner chosen 🤐

One less thing to worry about 🙌 We all need that honestly. Office lunches, graduation parties, retreats, weddings and more — let us take the food part off your plate 😉 Email us today at dining@hanover.edu.

🍽️ New Chef. New ideas. Same commitment to great food. We’re excited to welcome Chef Christopher Taft as Hanover’s new Executive Chef! Chef Chris brings more than 20 years of culinary experience and is passionate about creating dining experiences that students enjoy, from comforting favorites to fresh new menu offerings. We’re also happy to share that Chef Mary will be moving into a new role as Executive Catering Sous Chef — elevating our plates & creativity in that realm. Join us in welcoming Chef Chris to campus & congratulating Chef Mary 👏

We are proud to have Chefs with so many unique backgrounds & specialities. Chef Ari loves to bring Indonesian flair to the CC 🤤 Whether you have an adventurous palate or just want a burger in fries, it’s our pleasure to able to accommodate.

Just daydreaming of buffalo chicken quesadillas & The Box rocking with students again 🥹

Your guests bring the conversation — we’ll bring the food. 🥗 Catering is available throughout Madison, Hanover, and surrounding communities. Reach out today at dining@hanover.edu to start your order!

If you hang around our socials, you’ve probably seen us mention Caring For Kids 💙 This is an annual campaign we do, in partnership with many accounts across our company’s footprint, to raise funds for Children’s Hospitals. All of our funds raised go to Norton Children’s in Louisville! Last year, we did some faculty & staff cooking classes to raise money for this — as well as some other fun things!

Ya Gotta Regatta 🤙🏼 🚤 From feeding you with VIP river views to feeding @brantleygilbert & his crew at Roostertail Music Festival — our team couldn’t have been more proud to be a part of one of Madison’s biggest weekends of the year.

“You look like the Fourth of July. Makes me want a hot dog real bad!” 🇺🇸

TBT to last year’s Regatta 🚤 We can’t wait to see you (& feed you) on the river this weekend!

Did you know we can even do action stations & cash bars for your catering event? The sky is truly the limit. Reach out to our catering experts at dining@hanover.edu to get all the details!

Eating on-the-go, or just want to eat lunch in the sunshine? ☀️ We are proud to offer green boxes in the CC! Each student meal plan comes with a credit to check one out. Return it & you get your credit back to keep enjoying the green boxes free of charge!

We miss you a latte, Panthers 😢 Did you know that Hanover College has Cafe 1827 in the Underground, which is a proudly serve Starbucks location? When open, we also are thrilled to welcome community members in to grab a coffee!

Not only do we partner with Steel & Steam in our CC, but we are also proud to offer their baked goods in Cafe 1827!

TBT to the carrot cake pop-up of our dreams 💭

Planning an event? We’ll handle the food. 🍽️ From small gatherings to large celebrations, we’re catering across Madison, Hanover, and nearby areas. Message us at dining@hanover.edu for catering details!

In the wake of last week’s storms, we’ve seen something powerful rise from the damage: community. Our team linked arms — literally & figuratively — with the incredible staff & faculty, to support the maintenance team who has been working nonstop to clean up the college. We are also grateful for the chance to support the team & volunteers with meals as they continue the hard work ahead. There’s a long road to recovery for many in the Hanover, Madison & surrounding areas, but this community is strong, and we are honored to be a part of it!

Did you know that we offer two soups daily in our main dining room? Also, when open, we are also open to the public! You can visit us at dining.hanover.edu to see our hours of operation!

An heirloom carrot hates to see us coming 🤤

TBT to our Dia de Los Muertos Celebration at The Box last year in partnership with the Spanish Club 💀 We can’t wait to partner with your organizations next year!

Beautiful food for every table. 🍰 If you’re hosting in Madison, Hanover, or nearby, let us help make your event unforgettable. Email us to book catering at dining@hanover.edu.

Coming to campus in the fall for the first time & checking us out? Welcome, we are glad you’re here & can’t wait to meet you! 👋 Seeing posts about pop-ups & wondering what they are? Well, they’re on of our favorite things! We do them a few times per month and while they’re limited quantities, they’re typically totally free to students! Sometimes they go with a theme or sometimes they’re just for fun 🤩 Pictured is a pop-up we did with our General Manager’s famous cinnamon rolls — if you’re lucky, we may be able to convince her to do this one again next year! Comment below to help us out 👇

It was wonderful meeting all of you new Panthers at LEAP days over the past two weeks & an honor to serve you! If you met us at LEAP, drop a 👋 in the comments! Clearly — from the lack of photos — you kept us busy! Meaningful conversations were had & plenty of intros made. It’s been a joy to continue the conversations with some of you already!

Before Jose crossed the stage, he turned in one last assignment: a day in the life of a student employee. 🎥 We’re incredibly proud of the students who choose to work with us throughout their college journey. They balance classes, activities, friendships, and work while helping create memorable dining experiences for the campus community. Congratulations on graduation, senior team members, and thank you for being part of our team. We’ll miss seeing you around. 🎓💙❤️

TBT to our cupcake decorating cooking class last fall! This one was a blast 🧁 Should we bring it back this year?

Made fresh and served with care — that’s how we do catering. ✨ Booking now for events in Madison, Hanover, and surrounding areas. Send us a message at dining@hanover.edu to reserve your date!

From Hispanic Heritage Month to Ramadan to Cinco de Mayo — we are building an engagement calendar for the fall that we can’t wait for you to experience 🙌

The menu told a story all its own. 🍽️ Last night, guests mingled around overflowing charcuterie boards, enjoyed passed appetizers throughout cocktail hour, and sat down to a thoughtfully curated dinner featuring sea bass, airline chicken breast, and vegetable lasagna. The gorgeous, historic Fairfield was the perfect setting 🤌🏼 The evening ended on a sweet note with tiramisu, cheesecake, and gluten-friendly chocolate torte. Creating memorable meals for life’s biggest moments is one of our favorite things to do. Planning an event? We’d love to help bring your vision to the table. Message us today at dining@hanover.edu.

Honestly, we are missing the carbs & calories from the bakery 😅

TBT to one of your favorite pop-ups: Churro Bar 🤤 Definitely planning this one again for next year. What toppings do you want to see?

Beautiful food is just what we do 🤌🏼 From your office party to your wedding — our Chefs specialize in making food that tastes just as good as it looks, while our Catering Experts make your event one no one will forget. Reach out to us today at dining@hanover.edu to get your next event on our calendar.

Hand-breaded in house at every location 🤝 At The Shoebox, the chicken tenders are a fan favorite for a reason. Put them on your bucket list when you’re back on campus. 🍗

It was an honor to host John & Donna Shoemaker at The Shoebox a couple weeks ago. Thank you for your donation of this space and allowing us to continue making it a space where everyone feels welcome at our tables 👏