FDIC Cafeteria

YESSS LAWWWD… That’s all I have to say.
And, I keep saying it every day… After every bite!
Well you may ask, how does one get so excited about cafeteria food? Easy. In a nutshell, give me great food, and many great choices to choose from daily! As with all other reviewers, I echo their thoughts… it does not get any better than this when it comes to great food being served out of all places… an employee cafeteria. I’m talking about from southern-​comfort food… to good home style cookin’…to international cuisine… this place has it all! Tell me what cafeteria in the area you know of serves not only American but Caribbean, Indian, Brazilian, Vietnamese and many other cuisines from across the globe all in the same week?! And, a pretty good rendition of these dishes at that! I mean I just ate a Banh Mi Sandwich that was amazing. The day prior, I ate Fried Chicken that will make you want to slap your Grand Mamma… frankly because it was just that good and she must have shared her secret recipe with them… and not me! LOL!
This is the one-​stop shop and spot to get good eats. For those who know me, you will notice my Unilocal check-​ins for lunch tend to not be frequent across the surrounding area. That’s because… I often NEVER venture away from this place into the Arlington/​Clarendon/​DC area for mid-​day eats! Why should I… When I have it all in one place to inhale like a vacuum and satisfy my hunger. You name it… the Main Course/​Global Cuisine Stations, Grill and Fast Food Stations, Salad Bar, Tapas Bar, Sandwich Station, Stone Brick-​Oven Pizza Station, Soup Bar, Dessert Bar & Frozen-Yo…to top it all off! Simply put… I LOVE THIS PLACE! Another honorable mention for this cafeteria is not only their ability to offer a variety of food daily… but their ability to stay very «health-​conscious» about their daily menu and offerings.
Unfortunately, as much of a fitness buff and health conscious person I think I am, my favorites from this place tend not to fall in that category. Hahahaa. My favorites are: The Ribs, Fried Chicken (To die for… I actually wish they sold it in 12pc buckets… lol), Mac n’ Cheese, Korean BBQ, Cheesesteaks, Roasted Turkey… and anything from the Salad Bar. That’s the extent of the healthy component for me and my daily eats. I mean thanks to this place I actually eat beets and many varied salads now. Something I detested as a kid and used to feed to the house cat instead… sorry I digress.
Back to the review. The cafeteria is open early for breakfast hours and again for lunch. All prices are reasonable and much cheaper than eateries within the surrounding area. Although I did not speak on it… the Breakfast foods are a knockout too… with Friday’s always being a favorite among folks…“Chicken n’ Waffles w/​Strawberry-​Whip Cream Toppings” and «Catfish n’ Grits Day!» I can go on and on about the great food experienced here. From the servers… to chef/cooks…to cashiers… everyone working in the cafeteria is always very friendly. And, the food is consistently GOOOOD. As in my favorite words’… «Hittin’ & Stickin’!»
Don’t take my word for it. You just go and try it for yourself. I guarantee… «You’ll want to come back!» If you can get in that is. Unfortunately, it is for employees-​only and their visitors… sort of on the… Members-​Only tip. Sorry I left that part out earlier. LOL

Great food for the price. Friendly staff and lots of variety. The lines are insane if you show up around 12. Either be early or late or you’ll spend a good portion of your lunch hour in line.

BEST. CAFETERIA. EVER. Sometimes I have dreams about this place and wake up disappointed. All the other reviewers are right — this place may be the best cafeteria of any employer. Try that fro-​yo and you’ll be saying «Google who?»

I am a regular customer and I continue to be impressed by the fresh, high quality selections at below-​market prices! Lunch is my meal here and I typically order the fresh fish of the day.
Note — This is the FDIC cafeteria so you must be affiliated with FDIC in some way to get into the corporate campus. The breakfast looks good too with plenty to choose from.

I’ve been here a few times now for breakfast and each time I am welcomed with great food, friendly service, and cheap prices.
Let’s be honest here. It is the FDIC cafeteria. However, that doesn’t make a difference when it is serving its employments some good grub for their long work day that is restaurant quality. Everything is fresh.
I come here typically for breakfast. For those health conscience, they serve healthy alternatives. For example, if you love sausage and don’t prefer pork, they offer turkey sausage links as the alternative to the pork sausages patties. I like both. Usually I will go for turkey over pork though.
They offer a lot of fruits, various drinks, bagels, muffins, cold and hot meals. You’re definitely getting a lot for your buck versus McD’s.
Only down side is you can’t just walk in and eat. You’ve got to be affiliated with FDIC in some form. Personally, I’m a nanny for a little girl I get ready in the morning and I take her to her daycare here.
I really like it for sure.

Good pricing and options for breakfast. But it might behoove you to bring lunch instead of paying $ 6 – 7 each day :/​anyways at least Pollo Rico is down the block for $ 5 crack (chicken)

Hands down, its the best cafeteria anywhere. The food is high quality and its really cheap. I’ll start with breakfast. You can get a full hot breakfast for less than $ 4. The muffins are homemade and they’re AMAZING! The donuts are clearly brought in from somewhere but they’re really good too. Cheap coffee. A huge fruit and yogurt bar. A big variety of cereal and all types of bagels. Oatmeal, cream of wheat and grits available every day. I was working here for three weeks and I ate breakfast here every day. You can mix it up so you get enough variety.
Lunch is almost as good. The offerings change a lot more from day to day. Pizza, burgers, salad bar, and made-​to-​order sandwiches are available every day. There’s always something ethnic and some sort of pasta or rice dish. The food is high quality. There’s a tapas bar now with humus and roasted veggies. The frozen yogurt machine is a hidden gem — you’ll find it on the far end near the soda machine. They even have a toppings bar with sprinkles and chocolate surup. Don’t miss it!
The ladies who work the register are great. One thing about the registers, you may buy the same meal two days in a row, but you might get charged a slightly different price. Given the huge variety of offerings, the staff doesn’t always punch in the exact same codes every time, so sometimes the total cost will vary by $ 0.50 or $ 0.75. Plus, you don’t usually get a receipt so you don’t see how much each item was. I didn’t really mind though because everything is really cheap. I always felt like I was getting a good deal!

Agreed. The cafeteria food is good and definitely cheap. I eat there every chance breakfast and lunch. My frequent items are:
Omelets with everything
Egg whites
Pancakes
Waffles
Hot meat station
Soft serve ice cream

I definitely agree with the first reviewer. Find a friends who work there or get a job there and get some cheap eats. It’s standard lunchtime fare with salad, sandwich, and even pretty decent sushi. The breakfast runs around $ 2 – 3 dollars, so you really can’t beat that!

I miss you FDIC cafeteria.
I miss you and think of you whenever I visit my current office’s poo poo overpriced cafeteria.
I miss the tasty food you used to cook up just for me.
I miss your cheap prices.
I miss everything about you…
(Author takes a break to wipe away a single sincere tear)
The FDIC cafeteria has the best food all at subsidized government prices. As an example, I used to get a Gi-​normous BBQ chicken Panini, 2 double-​chocolate chip cookies and a medium fountain drink for $ 5 friggin dollars. The Panini was so HUUGE that I used eat only half and bring the rest home.
If you know anyone that works at this FDIC office smack-​dab between Ballston and Clarendon, you must have them sign you in as a visitor and have lunch at this cafeteria.