2023-2024 meal plans are now available for purchase.
What is a Meal Plan?
Meal Swipes
Meal Swipes give you access to any of our all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, including The Dish at O'Hill, Harvest Table at Runk, and the Fresh Food Company at Newcomb Hall.
Meal Exchange & Reusable To-Go
Meal Exchange allows you to use a Meal Swipe to purchase pre-set combo meals at select locations beyond the dining halls. Only one Meal Exchange/To-Go swipe per hour is permitted. There is a daily limit of 2-3 Meal Exchange or Reusable To-Go swipes, depending on the chosen meal plan.
UVA Dine offers free reusable to-go boxes in all 3 of the residential dining halls. Using a Meal Swipe to obtain a reusable container is a convenient way to take food on the go while minimizing waste. Once you redeem your first container, you must return it to receive a clean one. The same container cannot be used more than once per Meal Swipe. Using a reusable container does not count towards your daily/hourly limit. Learn more about the Reusable To-Go program.
Flex Dollars
Flex Dollars are included with your meal plan to be used at all UVA Dine locations. Click here to see where Flex Dollars can be used on Grounds! Flex Dollars maybe used with Good Uncle and Papa Johns. Visit our locations page for more information, including menus and hours of operation.
Guest Meals
All-Access Meal Plans come with 10 guest-specific meals per semester. Block Meal Plan holders may use swipes for guests.Meal Plan Benefits
With your Meal Plan, you receive many benefits and perks, including:
- Quality food made fresh by our culinary team, with a variety of menu options personalized the way you like
- Healthy choices available all across Grounds
- Special events with themed meals and exclusive offers for Meal Plan members
- Casual atmosphere with Wi-Fi, TVs, music, and lounge-style seating – perfect for studying or hanging out with friends
All residential dining halls have a dedicated allergen-friendly station called the Copper Hood. Find out more about food allergy management at Cooper Hood online.
To-go meals: simply request a to-go box when you swipe in at any of our dining halls – learn more about to-go meals online!
Incoming First-Year Information
Every First-Year student is required to have an All-Access Meal Plan for both semesters. This Meal Plan allows them to swipe into all-you-care-to-eat dining halls as many times as they would like daily, either 2 or 3 Meal Exchanges/To-Go per day, and 10 guest meals per semester. Students are then able to choose the amount of Flex Dollars that they would like to add to their plan.
Meal plans will be available for purchase on the Meal Plans page beginning April 3rd. First years should sign up for a meal plan by July 7th or they will be defaulted into the All-Access plan with $150 Flex (the minimum amount available for the plan). While you do sign up for your plan through UVA Dine, you will be billed in SIS with all other UVA charges at a later date.
Managing Your Plan
There are three ways you can check your Meal Swipes and Flex Dollars balance:
- Visit the Cavalier Advantage website to view your balances
- On your receipt after a purchase at any dining location
- Visit the Meal Plan office on the first floor of O’Hill, open Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Key Dates
Summer Dates 2023
- July 7 - First Year Deadline - If you do not choose a plan by July 7th, you will be defaulted into the All Access with $150 Flex Dollars. However, you may upgrade to any other All Access plan at any time by submitting our Dining Plan Change Request Form.
- There is no deadline or default for Upperclassmen unless they live in a residence hall that requires a Meal Plan.
Fall Dates
- August 17 - Meal Plans begin for the Fall semester
- August 30 - Last day to change the Fall semester Meal Plan
Spring Dates
- January 14 - Meal Plans begin for the Spring semester
- January 24 - Last day to change the Spring semester Meal Plan
Reminder: Meal Plans are annual contracts, billed each semester. Therefore when you sign up for a Meal Plan in the Fall, it continues in the Spring - no need to sign up again!
