Shortly before my second year of college, I received a few orientation and mobility lessons for learning how to navigate with low vision and a blindness cane. These lessons were helpful for learning general travel skills, but I noticed they didn’t get into specifics about navigating college campuses or using university resources available for students with vision loss. One lesson that would have been really helpful is tips for navigating the dining hall with a blindness cane, so I’ve created the College O&M series to share my most-used tips and strategies for learning about this topic and others. Here are my tips for learning how to navigate college dining halls, which are the buildings I visit the most often outside of my dorm.
Disclaimer
I am not a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS), and I strongly recommended working with a COMS from the state department for visual impairment or vocational rehabilitation to determine the appropriate mobility solution for individuals. The tips and strategies shared throughout this post are informed by my lived experiences using a blindness cane (white cane) on my college campus.
Learning the layout of the dining hall
One of the most helpful things I learned during my first week of freshman year was the layout of the dining hall. I learned which types of food were served at each station, where different seating areas were located, and how to find items such as silverware, plates, and the dish return. When I went to the dining hall closest to my dorm for the fist time, someone walked me around to show me where everything was so I could familiarize myself, and I haven’t needed any additional assistance with learning the layout of the dining hall since, with the exception of when a building was remodeled.
When learning a new space like a dining hall, take note of details such as:
- Fixed landmarks: the entrance/exit doors, the tray and utensil station, the beverage area, the dish return, and the cashier or meal-swipe station.
- Spatial relationships between objects: for example, “the salad bar is directly across from the entrance, and the hot food stations are along the left wall.”
- Tactile and auditory cues: the sound of the dish return conveyor belt, the feel of different flooring textures between stations, or the smell of a particular food station can all serve as reliable landmarks for future visits.
- It’s also worth finding out when off-peak hours are, which can help with avoiding crowds. Fewer people in the space means fewer obstacles, less noise, and more time to explore stations.
If the dining hall is remodeled or rearranged (which often happens between semesters or at the start of a new school year), it might be necessary to consider it a “new” environment and start over with identifying landmarks or figuring out where items are located. This makes it easier to focus on the most important reason to visit the dining hall: finding something to eat!
Related links
- School Cafeterias and Low Vision
- How To Be An Effective Human Guide For People With Vision Loss
- Building Identification: College O&M
How to find an accessible menu
Since my college uses Sodexo dining services, I typically use the Bite by Sodexo app to figure out what is on the menu before I leave my dorm. Other colleges list their menus online or send out copies of the weekly menu via email. Reviewing the menu ahead of time lets me decide which dining hall to visit and mentally map out which stations I want to stop at, which makes the actual visit much smoother. Some of my friends prefer to go to the same dining hall consistently or don’t feel the need to check menus in advance, but I like to compare options at different dining halls or identify food allergy-safe items.
If the dining hall menu is shared as an image or PDF, I often use a visual assistance app like Seeing AI or Google Lens to extract the text from content and read it in large print or listen to text as it is read out loud. Another option is to use screen magnification or browser zoom to make text larger; I sometimes pair magnification with inverted colors to make it easier to read text on colored backgrounds.
Related links
- Going To Restaurants With Low Vision Assistive Technology
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
Reading labels with assistive technology
Many food labels in the dining hall are not available in large print, and the small print on allergen warnings or station signs can be difficult or impossible to read with low vision. To read labels, I use a few different assistive technology strategies and smartphone applications.
Reading labels with magnification
To make labels larger, I often use my phone camera to zoom in on text or use a video magnifier/magnification application so I can access information visually. Magnification apps often have options for applying display filters to improve the contrast of text and make it easier for me to use my vision to access text. Sometimes, I will take a picture of labels and then zoom in to read them or copy text from an image; I used this strategy to read what flavors of gelato were available in the dessert case.
Using AI-powered visual assistance apps in the dining hall
Visual assistance apps and image recognition apps are helpful for reading information out loud or accessing information nonvisually. I use Google Lens and Microsoft Seeing AI to point my phone camera at a label and have the text read aloud. Seeing AI and Google Lens can also identify objects, recognize barcodes, describe photos, or provide more information about food items. Some visual assistance apps like Seeing AI and Google Lookout offer hands-free scanning modes for continuously identifying items as well.
Google Lens can identify food items by appearance, which is especially helpful at the salad bar, where items like grains and roasted vegetables often look similar and don’t always have labels (is this red peppers or tomatoes?). However, image recognition alone should never be used for identifying potential food allergens; for example, soy milk and regular milk may look similar in a glass.
Using visual interpreters in the dining hall
Another option is to use visual interpreting applications like Be My Eyes or Aira, which connects users with sighted assistance via one-way video and two-way audio. Visual interpreters can read labels, describe what’s available at each station, and help students navigate the space in real time. These services are particularly useful in situations where visual assistance apps may not be able to recognize text accurately, or if the campus is an Aira Access location that provides free service for students with visual impairments.
Disclaimer: I previously received free Aira service through a now-defunct program for college students in 2018/2019 and spoke at an Aira-sponsored event in 2018.
Related links
- Magnifying Glasses For Low Vision
- How I Use Google Assistant While Traveling
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- Recognizing Images With Seeing AI
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- How I Use Be My Eyes With Low Vision
- Using Aira With Low Vision
Navigating buffet lines and selecting food items
Most of the dining halls on my college campus have buffet-style or cafeteria-style layouts. Depending on the station, students may grab a pre-portioned plate, scoop items with utensils, or request made-to-order items. Some stations rarely have a line since students can just walk up and grab a plate, while others like the made-to-order stations may have short lines that students wait in. Here are some strategies for navigating buffet lines and selecting food items:
- Know where lines form. Some areas may have crowd guidance systems in place (which can include barrier stands with elastic strips or ropes), while other lines may naturally form behind plate or tray areas at each station. Talking to the next person in line is one way to figure out when the line is moving, as is gently tapping a cane to make light contact with objects/people.
- Besides labels, another strategy is to identify food by smell, temperature, and consistency. For example, the warmth radiating from a hot dish or the texture of a serving utensil can provide useful information. Gently probing items with a serving utensil or unused fork is also an option, as is asking a staff member or another student. Do not rely on these sensory characteristics alone to identify if a dish contains potential allergens.
- Locate plates, utensils, bowls, and other items. Plates and napkins are usually stacked at the beginning of the line. To estimate the size of a plate or bowl, touch the side and then follow around the rim to locate the serving utensil without touching the food inside. Most knives, forks, and spoons can be distinguished by the shape of their handles or by their weight.
For made-to-order stations, I find it helpful to ask someone what options are available so that I can plan what to get in advance. Many of the made-to-order stations contain the same base ingredients, but it can still be helpful to know details like what protein options are available, if there are any new items, or if something is no longer available (e.g. no more zucchini).
Asking staff for assistance
While I don’t frequently ask for assistance when navigating the dining hall, many of my friends who have less usable vision than I do will ask a dining hall staff member to help them identify what food is available and to help carry items to a table. Dining staff will often recognize students who use blindness canes and proactively offer help, which may include offering an arm for guided assistance. Students can also request assistance after swiping their meal card typically a staff member will meet them at the register and guide them through the dining hall.
If students need help carrying items to the dish return, staff members are generally willing to assist. Usually, staff will check in with students who have asked for help from time to time and offer to take dishes back or help with other tasks. Admittedly, it was uncommon for dining hall staff to approach me or assume that I need help with something, but I knew I could ask staff for assistance if needed.
Related links
- Ten Staff Members To Meet Before Starting College
- How To Be An Effective Human Guide For People With Vision Loss
- How To Approach Someone with Low Vision
Take multiple trips to carry things
The important thing to remember is that the dining hall is all-you-care-to-eat, not all-you-can-carry in one trip. No one will notice if a student makes multiple trips through the buffet line or if they go back to grab a drink after putting their main dish on the table, but people might notice if someone drops ice cold water on their head when trying to carry two cups at once or if someone drops hot pasta on their shoes— at least that was the case when I did both of those things in the dining hall!
My college dining hall doesn’t use trays, so I typically carry plates or bowls with my non-dominant hand and use my dominant hand to carry my cane. For drinks, a cup with a lid or a reusable bottle with a secure cap is much easier to carry one-handed than an open cup, or a half-full drink may be easier to balance than a glass that is completely full to the top. Again, many dining hall staff members are willing to carry a plate or drink to a table, especially if someone is usinga cane. Simply asking “Could you carry this to a table for me?” is often enough.
Related links
Choosing a table in the dining hall
To find an open table in the dining hall, I often use my vision to look for areas that are uncluttered, that have chairs pushed in, or that otherwise appear to be empty; over time, I learned to identify what seating areas were reliably unoccupied or available when I would go to the dining hall, or I would go with friends that would find a place to sit. Once I find an open table, I often prop my cane vertically against a shoulder and quickly use my hand to check a table surface before setting down plates or cups. This helps me avoid placing items on a wet surface or in an area that isn’t open.
One of the easiest ways to damage a blindness cane and create a tripping hazard for others is to leave it on the floor; several of my friends had canes get broken or damaged when canes would tip over and get stepped on. Whenever I am eating, I collapse my cane and put it on my chair behind me, then unfold it before I get up. My friends who use rigid white canes rest their cane across their shoulders while eating, which also has the added benefit of making it visible to dining staff who might offer a refill or check in.
Related links
Learn to find the dish return
The dish return can be one of the trickier parts of navigating the dining hall. One of the most helpful strategies I’ve learned is to listen to the dish return before approaching it the speed and sound of the conveyor belt tells you whether it’s moving quickly or backed up. Place the plates and cups on the appropriate tray, and if a tray is full, wait for the next available one rather than trying to stack items. This is a skill that may require some practice; off-peak dining hall hours can be a good opportunity for this.
Other tips for navigating a college dining hall with vision loss
- If there is an impending a snowstorm or other inclement weather event would make getting to the dining hall difficult or unsafe, ask in advance about getting food that can be stored in a dorm refrigerator. I share a few recommendations in Organizing A Dorm Mini Fridge With Low Vision
- Some dining halls use iris scanning for meal plan verification. At my college, visual impairment was an acceptable reason for opting out of this system, and students would instead use their student ID or mobile ID/mobile payment systems to charge meal swipes.
- Students with food allergies or medical conditions can meet with the campus dietician to identify safe options. Many dining apps include allergen filters that can be set up in advance.
- Want to learn more about why school cafeterias can be challenging for students with visual impairments? Read School Cafeterias and Low Vision
Published November 4, 2019. Updated December 2025