# UCSC Dining vs Palmetto

The clearest difference is ads: Palmetto at none against UCSC Dining's shown. Palmetto also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). UCSC Dining's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 43%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Palmetto holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 392 and 676 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of UCSC Dining's written reviews are positive against 43% of Palmetto's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UCSC Dining ships an update every 6 days, Palmetto every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UCSC Dining | Palmetto |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (392 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucsc-dining-menu/id1479214104/reviews) | **[4.8 (676 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/palmetto/id6760778732/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 392 | **676** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 8 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chai Jie](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479214103) | [Per Diem Subscriptions, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1601246395) |

## What reviewers say

### UCSC Dining

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucsc-dining-menu/id1479214104)

Access detailed menus for all five UCSC dining halls, covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night options. Search for specific foods, view nutrition facts, ingredients, and allergens, and even preview upcoming menus.

**Highlights:** Dining hall menus, Nutrition facts, Ingredient information, Allergen details, Future menu previews, Food search across halls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very good app for dining hall info
- 👍 Amazing app
- 👍 Clutch app
- 👍 Great app, easy to use
- 👍 Amazing, no need to check menu in person

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Hours are hard coded and inaccurate
- 🐛 App lied about waffles
- 🐛 Ad banner is annoying

**Reported bugs**

- Inaccurate opening hours
- Incorrect menu information (e.g., waffles)

**Requested features**

- Add Owl's Nest cafe
- Allow viewing nutritional value for cafe items
- Option to search by food and see dining hall serving it
- Update hours for dining halls
- Update status for dining halls (e.g., open/closed for renovations)


### Palmetto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/palmetto/id6760778732)

Easily order and pay for your favorite bowls, smoothies, and superfood items. Earn rewards on every purchase made through the app. Secure payment options are available.

**Highlights:** Order bowls, smoothies, and superfood items, Secure payment with Apple Pay, Earn rewards on purchases, View menu and favorites, Track rewards progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UCSC Dining free?

UCSC Dining is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Palmetto free?

Palmetto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, UCSC Dining or Palmetto?

Palmetto is rated higher. UCSC Dining averages 4.5 out of 5 from 392 ratings, while Palmetto averages 4.8 from 676 ratings.

### Do UCSC Dining or Palmetto have ads?

UCSC Dining shows ads; Palmetto does not.

### Which is updated more often, UCSC Dining or Palmetto?

UCSC Dining ships an update every 6 days, and Palmetto every 3 weeks. Most recently, UCSC Dining was updated on October 26, 2026 and Palmetto on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*