Southside Buffet @ South Food District

The Southside Buffet offers an all-you-care-to-eat experience with a rotation of entrees, salads, sides, and desserts prepared daily. Special menu feature pop-ups and themed dinners are also favorite events in the Buffet.

Location

Redifer Commons

Dining Type

All You Care To Eat Buffet

Accepted Payments

Apple Pay, Credit Cards, Google Pay, LionCash, Meal Plan/Dining Dollars

Online Ordering

Online ordering not yet available at this location.

Spring 2024 Hours

Sunday: 10:30 am - 2:00 pm Brunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Monday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Tuesday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Wednesday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Thursday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Friday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Dinner

Saturday: 10:30 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Dinner

Spring Break Adjusted Hours: February 25 - March 2

Sunday: 10:30 am - 2:00 pm Brunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Monday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Tuesday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Wednesday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Thursday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner

Friday: 7:00 am - 11:00 am Breakfast
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Dinner

Saturday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Spring Break Adjusted Hours: March 3 - March 9

Sunday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Monday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Tuesday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Wednesday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Thursday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Friday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Saturday: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner

Meet Our Staff

Image
Noel Hansen photo

Noel Kelly

Assistant Director, South Food District
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Manager Matt Grube

Matt Grube

Manager, South Food District
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David Anderson photo

David Anderson

Managing Chef, South Food District

Come Visit Us

Dining FAQs

Dining

General

What food options are available to me right now?

For a listing of food choices, explore the dining options


Students can also get up to date information via Dining on the Penn State Go app.

What is LionCash and how is a deposit made?

LionCash makes the Penn State id+ Card even more convenient! It’s an online, prepaid flexible account that makes on-campus and off-campus purchases safe and easy. LionCash is used to pay for laundry in the residence halls, and can be used in vending machines and copiers across campus. There are over 200 participating merchants both on and off campus who accept LionCash for payment. Students with a Campus Meal Plan who run low on funds can use LionCash to supplement their meal plan - and still receive the same meal plan discounts.

Deposits are simple to make online, and funds are available immediately! Funds carry over year-to-year, until a student is no longer affiliated with the University. 

To learn more and to make a deposit visit: Penn State id+ Card (idcard.psu.edu)

Food Allergies / Special Diets

Are there vegetarian/vegan options available?

The five dining commons serve meatless and vegan menu options every day. Each all-you-care-to-eat dining commons offers a vegan entrée and varying side dishes for each meal. Salad bars also offer vegan proteins such as tofu, beans, and quinoa. Additionally, a la carte stations offer vegan and meatless items daily. 

For current menu choices, please view today's menu.

For more information, please visit the Allergies & Special Diets page.

What if I have food allergies and intolerances?

Penn State Campus Dining offers multiple resources to ensure students with food allergies and intolerances dine safely on campus.  We encourage students to contact the Registered Dietitians’ Office at [email protected] to make a plan for navigating dining on campus.

Meal Plans

General

Can I change my meal plan? What if I need more money for another week living on campus?

When a student accepts the HFS Contract, the Campus Meal Plan will default to level 2. The Campus Meal Plan level can be managed on eLiving > My Info > My Meal Plan, through the last day of finals for the semester. The system will display whether the student's account is eligible to be increased or decreased.

When a student's dining dollar balance runs low, add funds to the student's LionCash account instead of increasing the meal plan level. Campus Meal Plan account holders can use LionCash and receive the same discounted rate that the Campus Meal Plan offers for qualifying purchases. Indicate Campus Meal Plan when checking out, and the system will transfer the required funds to cover the cost of purchase. 

How do I check my meal plan balance?

There are several ways a student can check their meal plan balance:

  1. Online idcard.psu.edu/manage-accounts 

  2. Transact eAccounts app, downloadable through Google Play or Apple App Store

  3. eLiving > My Info > My Meal Plan

  4. Penn State GO app > Dining > Penn State Eats mobile app *

  5. Penn State Eats web ordering *

* balance will only be displayed when an order is processed

The Campus Meal Plan level can be managed on eLiving > My Info > My Meal Plan through 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET the last day of finals for the spring or fall semester. The system will display whether the student's account is eligible to be increased or decreased to a different meal plan level.

When a student's dining dollar balance runs low, add funds to the student's LionCash account instead of increasing the meal plan level. Campus Meal Plan account holders can use LionCash and receive the same discounted rate that the Campus Meal Plan offers for qualifying purchases. Indicate Campus Meal Plan when checking out, and the system will transfer the required funds to cover the cost of purchase. 

How does my meal plan work?

The Campus Meal Plan provides easy purchasing and savings for students who regularly eat meals on campus. 

The Campus Meal Plan is accessed through the student's Penn State id+ Card and mobile credentials. Based on the level purchased, dining dollars are added at the beginning of each semester. Indicate Campus Meal Plan when checking out, and the system will access the account and deduct the proper purchase amount.  

The Campus Meal Plan can be used at all on-campus dining options. University Park offers over 30 eateries on campus, including the Berkey CreameryHUB Dining, Beaver Stadium, Bryce Jordan Center, and other options. There are five all-you-care-to-eat dining commons available, with one in each housing area, that offers the best value to meal plan members.

Campus Meal Plan members receive a discount on their qualifying purchases. 

If I live off campus, can I purchase a meal plan and what are the options?

Students living off campus are eligible to purchase either a Campus Meal Plan or Commuter Meal Plan, or can use LionCash to make purchases in on-campus dining options.

Meal plans can be purchased through eLiving > Contracts > Purchase Meal Plan

Learn more about the meal plan options to determine which one is the best fit for you. 

Is the meal plan required, can I cancel it?

The Campus Meal Plan is a required purchase for students living on campus for summer (if applicable), fall, and spring semesters and cannot be cancelled. Students who live in on-campus apartments are not required to purchase the Campus Meal Plan.

The Commuter Meal Plan is available for students living in off-campus housing or living in an on-campus apartment. Any student who needs to make a change to their Commuter Meal Plan should contact their Commonwealth Campus Housing and Food Services Office, or the id+ Office at University Park.

Students who withdraw or end their relationship with the University after the semester has started may be eligible for a refund of remaining dining dollars and, for the Campus Meal Plan, a prorated refund of the base cost, within the timeframe outlined in the HFS Contract Terms, Conditions, and Regulations. Any refund will be credited to the student's LionPATH account or to the credit card used to purchase the meal plan.

The meal plan cannot be transferred or assigned to another individual.

What are the different meal plan discounts?

Campus Meal Plan account holders have access to the greatest discounts in on-campus dining:

  • 65 percent off cash meal price at all-you-care-to-eat dining commons at University Park and Behrend

  • 65 percent off cash price on prepared items* at residential food courts

  • 10 percent off campus price on prepared items* at specialty fast casual operations, such as Soup & Garden, Grate Chee, and Blue Burrito in HUB Dining at University Park, Bruno's at Behrend, and coffee shops at campus locations.

The Commuter Meal Plan and LionCash offer a 10 percent discount off cash price on the items and  locations listed above. Additional LionCash discounts may be available at off-campus participating locations.

*prepared items are meals, snacks, and beverages that are made by Campus Dining staff. No discounts are offered on purchases made at nationally branded restaurants and cafes or packaged items.

What happens to my leftover dining dollars?

Campus Meal Plan

Dining dollars remaining at the end of summer session carry over to fall semester and dining dollars remaining at the end of fall semester carry over to spring semester, provided the student has an active Campus Meal Plan for the fall and spring semester, respectfully. Any dining dollars remaining at the end of the spring semester expire. The Campus Meal Plan is a required purchase for both fall and spring semesters.

The Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract defaults to level 2 of the Campus Meal Plan, and can be managed on eLiving > My Info > My Meal Plan through the last day of finals for the semester. The system will display whether the student's account is eligible to be increased or decreased.

When a student's dining dollar balance runs low, add funds to the student's LionCash account instead of increasing the meal plan level. Campus Meal Plan account holders can use LionCash and receive the same discounted rate that the Campus Meal Plan offers for qualifying purchases. Indicate Campus Meal Plan when checking out, and the system will transfer the required funds to cover the cost of purchase. 

Commuter Meal Plan

Commuter Meal Plan funds carry over from fall to spring regardless of whether a spring commuter meal plan has been purchased. At the end of spring semester, any funds remaining will expire.

LionCash

LionCash funds carry over year-to-year and available to spend while the student is an active Penn State student.
 

What is LionCash and how is a deposit made?

LionCash makes the Penn State id+ Card even more convenient! It’s an online, prepaid flexible account that makes on-campus and off-campus purchases safe and easy. LionCash is used to pay for laundry in the residence halls, and can be used in vending machines and copiers across campus. There are over 200 participating merchants both on and off campus who accept LionCash for payment. Students with a Campus Meal Plan who run low on funds can use LionCash to supplement their meal plan - and still receive the same meal plan discounts.

Deposits are simple to make online, and funds are available immediately! Funds carry over year-to-year, until a student is no longer affiliated with the University. 

To learn more and to make a deposit visit: Penn State id+ Card (idcard.psu.edu)

What is the cost of room and board?

Room and board rates are approved by the Board of Trustees in advance of every academic year.

Room and board rates are per student, per semester, and are charged to the student's LionPATH account for payment. Students are charged the corresponding room rate based on their actual room assignment. The Campus Meal Plan (board rate) is comprised of the base cost and dining dollars for the selected meal plan level. 

What type of meal plans are available?

There are three different meal plan options:

  • Campus Meal Plan: required for all students living in University Housing; optional for students living in Nittany and White Course Apartments

  • Commuter Meal Plan: optional plan for students living in off-campus housing or living in Nittany and White Course Apartments

  • LionCash: available for all students to use; it is necessary to have some funds available in LionCash for on-campus laundry facilities. Students with a Campus Meal Plan should always use dining dollars to make purchases on campus before utilizing LionCash

Where can I use my meal plan?

Campus Meal Plan dining dollars can be used at ALL Campus Dining locations any Penn State Campus*, as well as at popular destinations at University Park such as Beaver Stadium, Bryce Jordan Center, Pegula Ice Arena, and Berkey Creamery.

Commuter Meal Plans can be used at ALL Campus Dining locations any Penn State Campus*.

LionCash can be used at ALL Campus Dining locations any Penn State Campus* and any participating merchant throughout Pennsylvania.

*Penn State Campuses offering Campus Dining locations:  Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Behrend, Brandywine, Dubois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, University Park, Wilkes-Barre, and York

Food Allergies / Special Diets

What if I have food allergies and intolerances?

Penn State Campus Dining offers multiple resources to ensure students with food allergies and intolerances dine safely on campus.  We encourage students to contact the Registered Dietitians’ Office at [email protected] to make a plan for navigating dining on campus.