Fordham Dining has offered premium dinner restaurant nights at both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. Most recently, Rose Hill had its second premium dinner restaurant night on March 29, which was sold out.

Rachel Diaz, Aramark marketing manager at Fordham University, explained how the idea came to be and what the dining experience entails.

“The idea originated from the desire to allow students to have a fine dining experience while showcasing our culinary team,” said Diaz. “Additionally, our goal was to make it easy for students to have the opportunity to get plated dinner right on campus with an authentic type restaurant atmosphere and service.”

Diaz said that the premium dinner restaurant nights at Fordham started before the pandemic, and they were officially brought back at the end of last semester.

“We launched our first one of the current academic year in December 2022. Since then, we’ve offered them monthly for all students to enjoy. It’s been exciting, and we’ve seen a tremendous response from students with multiple sold-out reservation slots,” said Diaz.

Diaz explained that the premium dinner restaurant nights consist of a four-course prix fixe plated dinner that students order tableside with a professional waitstaff. There is also music, formal table settings and centerpieces. Students can make a reservation through Eventbrite, where one person can register the whole table.

“We work to convey everything students would expect to see in a restaurant,” said Diaz.
In addition, the menus always include vegan, gluten-free and dietary-restricted options to ensure that all students can participate. Diaz said that students can reach out with any dietary-related questions or concerns. The dinners are also offered at a discounted rate as an added benefit to meal plan holders.

“Unlimited plan holders dine for just a swipe which is essentially free,” said Diaz. “Weekly and block meal plan holders dine for a swipe plus ten declining balance dollars. Any student who doesn’t have a meal plan is welcome to dine with us as well for a flat door rate charge of $25.”

Diaz added that Fordham Dining is planning to have a fourth and final premium dinner restaurant night at each campus at the end of April or the beginning of May.

“We look to tailor the menu and themes of our nights differently than the last, so we recommend students follow our Instagram @RamDining and keep an eye out for our weekly newsletters for when those details, menus and reservations are released,” said Diaz.

Liliana Kinnan, GSB ’25, and Kiera Reid, GSB ’25, attended the most recent premium dinner restaurant night.

“The dinner was surprisingly very tasty and a bang for your dining dollar buck!” said Kinnan. “I enjoyed the experience thoroughly and liked the amount of effort that went into making the prix fixe menu, and it was inclusive to those with different dietary needs. I think that Fordham should offer them more as a nice deviation from the normal dining options (thinking about the same urban bowl I get four times a week).”

Reid also said she enjoyed the event and overall experience and said that she would attend the event again.

“The dinner was really nice and so was the service. The quality of the food was great, overall very enjoyable. I think they’re really fun and a great experience. I think Fordham should offer them more often,” said Reid. “I think the cost is fair, especially for the quality of the food. I would definitely do it again.”

At the end of the experience, students are offered feedback cards at each table so that the dining team can receive feedback for planning future events, said Diaz.

Diaz added: “We hope students not only get to take away excellent food and an elevated culinary experience but also long-lasting memories created with friends around the table.”