Enjoying a comforting meal with friends and colleagues. Refueling before class or after practice. Building relationships that define the Franklin & Marshall community. All this and more happens at F&M’s beloved “D-Hall.”

Situated in the heart of the residential quad, D-Hall is more than a dining location; it is a key cog in the daily rhythm of campus life. Every day, the Restaurants at Ben Franklin — the actual name of the College’s primary dining facility — welcome hundreds of students, faculty, and staff through its doors for nutritious and delicious meals.

With Sodexo’s new general manager John Walker at the helm, F&M Dining is evolving to offer more diverse menus, foster sustainability and create an environment of openness and trust with the campus community.

“It’s not only a place to get a nutritious meal, but also a welcoming place for building community and social connections,” says Walker, who wants to strengthen the overall dining program by focusing on consistency and outstanding service.

Anyone ordering a sandwich or wrap already knows about outstanding service, courtesy of longtime employee Penny McMorrow. It is common to see Penny talking with students after preparing their meals—or even if she didn’t feed them at all.

“The kids feel like my very own,” says Penny, who has worked in the D-Hall for 25 years. “These students are the best. They keep me here. I develop relationships with them through our conversations. Some of them stop by just to talk.”

Penny’s personal touch is just one reason why students say the D-Hall is so important to them. The diversity of the food—including special events featuring global flavors—is a highlight for many. Recent events have included a special Lunar New Year dinner, Pasta Palooza, and Mardi Gras beignets locally sourced from the Lancaster Beignet Company.

“I love D-Hall,” Bryce Kresho ’26 says. “There are always healthy and different options. The omelette bar is my go-to spot every day.”

To support students in their search for healthy options, the College’s Registered Dietitian, Lin Roberts, visits campus at least once a week to meet with students and discuss their personal dietary goals or offer guidance on their special dietary needs. Lin works closely with the Office of Student Accessibility Services and Sodexo’s professional chefs to ensure that all students' dietary needs are met.

Walker is eager to continue enhancing the dining experience to evolve with the changing dietary needs and tastes of students. He’s noticed that students have become much more savvy in their culinary choices over the years. 

“Students are now asking for more high-protein meals, non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan options,” Walker says. “They no longer want the convenience of somewhat unhealthy options. They want high-conscious and globally influenced meals.”

Walker also wants to introduce technological solutions to improve the dining program. He says recent trends in college dining include self-service kiosks, smart food lockers and Uber Eats and Grub Hub. “We need to design a program that mirrors these types of services to provide a much-needed benefit to on-campus students,” he says.

As technology and new flavors emerge, the strong community created by F&M Dining remains a constant. Sunny Sun ’29 and Aurelia Tang ’29 are a perfect example.

“This is the place to meet great people, like her!” Tang said of her friend as they enjoyed lunch together. (Sun’s favorite food offerings are chicken and meatballs, while Tang loves the fresh fruit and ice cream station).

“I love D-Hall, especially the Simple Servings option,” says James Conway ’26, who is a Diplomat wrestler.

Simple Servings provides safe and appetizing food choices for community members with food allergies, gluten intolerance, and those who prefer simple food. All foods served at this station are prepared with ingredients that do not contain milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, or gluten. 

Simple Servings is one of several distinctive stations offered in the dining hall. Other stations include made-to-order stir fry, a comprehensive salad bar, the Grille, as well as Kosher, Halal, and plant-based dining options in KIVO (Kosher, International, Vegan, and Organic).

The vast majority of the food served (more than 80 percent) is made from scratch daily.

“The food is always good, and the employees are always nice,” Conway said. “Team meals after practice are some of my favorite moments.”

With an evolving dining program led by Walker—and supportive people like Penny and Lin—F&M students are certain to make some of their favorite college memories over a great meal. 

Of course, D-Hall is just one of the dining locations where students gather to eat and hang out. More memories are made over local Lancaster coffee at the Diplomatic Cafe; custom grain bowls, salads, sushi and international cuisine at Steinman College Center; a quick bite before lab at LSP Flavors; and, on occasions, a walk downtown to one of Lancaster’s many award-winning restaurants.