Dining FAQs

Check out the hours of operation for all dining locations, as they vary between location and time of the year.

Fall 2025:
START OF THE SEMESTER: Fall meal plans will be active starting Wednesday, August 20.
END OF THE SEMESTER: All dining locations will close after lunch on Friday, December 12.

Spring 2026:
START OF THE SEMESTER: Spring meal plans will be active starting Saturday, January 10.
END OF THE SEMESTER: All dining locations will close after lunch on Friday, May 8.

Let’s be honest—residence hall kitchens are great for making popcorn or baking cookies with friends, but they’re not set up for cooking daily, well-balanced meals. That’s where your meal plan comes in.

Having meals prepared for you means:

• Less stress about what’s for dinner
• More time to focus on your classes, friends, and campus life
• Easy access to nutritious and delicious food every day

Meal Plan Requirement
If you’re a first-year student living on campus, a meal plan is required.

Upperclass Exemptions
Sophomores and above living in Lawrenson Hall, Arlington Park Apartments, or UNC-owned houses aren’t required to have a meal plan—but we still recommend grabbing a Bear Plan or adding Dining Dollars. It’s a convenient way to stay fueled without the hassle of cooking and cleanup.

Learn More About Meal Plans

Absolutely! We have On Campus Meal Plans, Bear Plans, and Dining Dollars for students living off campus or in Lawrenson Hall, the Arlington Park Apartments or the University-owned houses.

It’s easy! Just log in to the Dining Portal to check your balance, manage your plan, or add more when you’re running low.

You can also ask any cashier at a dining location to run a quick balance inquiry for you on the spot.

You can use your meal swipes in several different locations:

• Holmes Dining Hall
  • Includes Bear On The Run
• Tobey-Kendel Dining
• Bowlful (Meal Exchange – up to 5 swipes per week)
• Burger & Co. (Meal Exchange – up to 5 swipes per week)
• Crisol Latin Kitchen (Meal Exchange – up to 5 swipes per week)
• Empire State Pizza (Meal Exchange – up to 5 swipes per week)

You can use your Dining Dollars at any campus retail dining location:

• Bears Coffee Shop (Michener Library)
• Bowlful (University Center)
• Burger & Co. (University Center)
• Crisol Latin Kitchen (University Center)
• Einstein Bros® Bagels (University Center)
• Empire State Pizza (University Center)
• Hissho Sushi (University Center)
• Munchy Mart™ (University Center)
•  Subway® (University Center)
•  Starbucks® (Holmes Hall)
•  Tobey-Kendel Dining – Just Baked Vending Machine
•  Tobey-Kendel Dining – 24 hours mini market area
•  Vending machines across campus
•  Concessions at athletics games

Meal Plans and Dining Dollars are charged to your student account at the beginning of each semester. You’ll usually see these charges show up on your Ursa bill 2–3 weeks before the semester starts.

If you make changes—like adding more meals or Dining Dollars—those updates typically appear on your student account within 24–48 hours.

Want to double-check if you have a plan?

• Log in to the Dining Portal to see your current plan OR
• Check your Ursa bill for a meal plan charge

Still unsure? We’re happy to help! Call us at 970-351-2652 or email us at diningservices@unco.edu.

Absolutely—you’re welcome to bring guests!

Meal plans are meant just for you, but since it’s your plan, you can choose to use a swipe to cover a friend or family member if you’d like.

If you’d rather not use a meal swipe, guests can always pay the door rate to enter the dining hall (even if they’re just keeping you company).

Bonus tip: You can use Dining Dollars to pay guest prices at Holmes Dining Hall—super convenient if you’re out of swipes or just want to treat someone!

Yes, you can!

If you need to adjust your meal plan, just make sure you submit your request by the Drop Deadline (the 10th day of classes each semester). Only the student (that’s you!) can request changes to their meal contract.

Here’s how:

• Log in to the Dining Portal
• Select the changes you want to make
• Submit your request

Once your change is processed, any updated charges or credits will usually appear on your Ursa bill within 24–48 hours.

If it’s been a couple of days and you don’t see the update, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help!

If you are approved for a release from your dining contract (through the Dining Services Registered Dietitian, the Housing and Dining Petition for Release, or the Disability Resource Center), your meal plan will be pro-rated based off the decision date for your petition. If you used your meal plan after that date, you will be charged through that date instead.

Moving to another residence hall?
No worries—your meal plan stays the same when you move between on-campus residence halls.

Moving into a meal plan-required hall?
If you move from a location that doesn’t require a meal plan—like Lawrenson, Arlington Park, or a UNC-owned house—into a hall that does, you’ll automatically be assigned the 300 Meal Plan.

• Charges and meal balances are pro-rated based on your official move-in/out date.
• You can choose a different On Campus Meal Plan within 10 days of your move, as long as you meet eligibility requirements.

Moving off campus from a meal plan-required hall?
Your meal plan stays active—even after you move.
If you’re eligible and want to cancel or reduce your plan, you must submit a request within 10 days of your move-out date. If approved, any meals or Dining Dollars already used will be deducted from your new balance.

Moving off campus from Lawrenson, Arlington Park, or a UNC house?
Your meal plan will also remain active. No changes can be made unless your move happens within the first 10 days of the semester.

If you have questions or need help navigating your options, we’re here to support you!

UNC’s withdrawal policy has recently changed, so please make sure you’ve read through all of the information.

You must be a registered student to carry a meal plan, so meal plans (including Dining Dollars) will be deactivated once you have withdrawn from the university.

Meal plans (both On Campus Meal Plans and Bear Plans) are only good for the semester you purchase them.

• Meals don’t carry over to the next semester
• There’s no refund for unused meals

Dining Dollars are a little different:

• They do carry over from fall to spring
• But they expire at the end of spring semester

Summer Dining Dollars and Bear Plans are only available during the summer session

Not sure what you have left? You can always log in to the Dining Portal to check your balance!

We want you to feel comfortable and confident when you eat on campus. While we can’t promise individualized meals for every student, we do our best to offer a variety of options that support different dietary needs.

Here’s how we can help:

• Our Registered Dietitian, Matthew Doyle, is available to talk through your specific needs and answer your questions.
• Holmes Dining Hall has a Simple Servings station, designed for students with allergies and dietary restrictions. The menu items are free from eight of the nine most common allergens—the only one we serve there is fish.
• We serve thousands of students each day, so individual meal requests can only be considered with documentation from a physician—but reach out. If we can help, we will.

Need support or have questions?
Please connect with Matthew at 970-351-1961 or Matthew.Doyle@unco.edu. We’re here to support your well-being.

For everyone’s safety, students need to show their UNC Card to enter any dining hall.

We know things happen—if you forget your card, you can still enter as long as you can verify your identity. The easiest way?
Just log in to the Dining Portal and use your virtual ID instead.

If your card is lost or isn’t working, the UNC Card Office can help you get a replacement. Don’t wait too long—your card is key to campus life!

Yes! Guests and visitors are always welcome to join you for a meal. They can pay with cash or credit at any of our dining locations—no UNC ID needed.

All prices include tax, so there are no surprises at checkout.

Want to know what it costs? View guest pricing at Holmes Dining Hall.

Absolutely! There’s no cost to reserve the space, but everyone in your group must be a paying customer in the dining hall.

Here’s how it works:

• Departments can cover meals for their guests or have guests pay on their own (cash, credit, or payroll deduction).
• Student clubs or organizations can use a department meal card, pay with cash, or swipe in using individual meal plans.

Ready to reserve?
Contact the Dining Services Office at 970-351-2652 or diningservices@unco.edu. We’d love to host your group!

Holmes Dining Hall Banquet Room:

• 12 tables x 4 seats = max capacity 48
• A screen is available, but you need to bring a laptop and projector.

You are welcome to move the tables to fit your needs, but please be sure to have at least two people pick them up and move them so it doesn’t damage the flooring. When you’re done, please move the tables back to where they were before you moved them.

We kindly ask that you don’t bring outside food or drinks into any of our dining rooms. To help keep these spaces clean and welcoming for everyone, we also ask that you don’t tape anything to the walls.

A good rule of thumb: leave the space as clean—or cleaner—than you found it.

Need food for an on-campus event?
Reach out to UNC Catering—they’d be happy to help!