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Meal Plan Options

UNC students living on campus are required to carry an On Campus Meal Plan throughout the academic year (per your Housing and Dining contract).

First-year students living in the residence halls are required to carry one of three On Campus Meal Plans. If you are considered a sophomore or above in standing (20 years old or 20 earned credit hours), you can choose from two additional On Campus Meal Plans. Students who are a sophomore or above in standing who live in Lawrenson Hall, the Arlington Park Apartments or one of the UNC-owned houses are exempt from the mandatory meal plan requirement, so they can choose any meal plan (or none).

Students living off campus can also choose to carry any dining contract offered. Choose what meal plan works best for you.

Summer 2023 meal plans and Dining Dollars will be active the morning of Tuesday, 5/30/23.

Dining Contract Portal

Registered students: Use our NEW portal to manage your dining contract during these times:

Summer 2023: open 5/19/23 @ 10am
Fall 2023: open 7/24/23 @ 10am
Spring 2024: open 11/27/23 @ 2pm

MANAGE YOUR DINING CONTRACT


All dining contract change/cancellation requests must be completed by 5pm on these dates:

Fall 2023: Friday, 9/1/23
Spring 2024: 1/22/24

Summer 2023 Dining Options

Summer meal plans and dining dollars are good May 30 - August 10 only. Please remember all balances will expire on August 10, and there are no refunds for unused meals/dining dollars.

  • During the summer months, there are select dining locations that are open. Summer meals can be used at Holmes Dining Hall only. (The Meal Exchange option is only available during the academic year.)
    • Use your meal plan here:
      • Holmes Dining Hall
    • Use your Dining Dollars here:
      • Starbucks® (located in Holmes Hall)
      • Munchy Mart (located in the University Center)
      • Burger & Co. (located in the University Center).
  • Summer hours of operation are different from the academic year hours, so you'll want to check to see what locations are open and when.
  • Summer Closure Dates:
    • During the summer, Holmes will be serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the week -- but please know there are some weekends when Holmes will be closed. These dates may change depending on customer counts, but we will update this list if that happens. (dates approved as of 5/11/23)
      • Saturday, June 3: closed all meals
      • Sunday, June 4: closed breakfast only
      • Saturday, June 10: closed lunch and dinner only
      • Sunday, June 11: closed all meals
      • Saturday, June 17: closed all meals
      • Sunday, June 18: closed all meals
      • Saturday, June 24: closed dinner only
      • Sunday, June 25: closed all meals
      • Tuesday, July 4: closed lunch and dinner only
      • Sunday, July 9: closed breakfast and lunch only
      • Saturday, July 15: closed all meals
      • Sunday, July 16: closed all meals
      • Saturday, July 22: closed dinner only
      • Sunday, July 23: closed lunch and dinner only
  • Summer 2023 Meal Plan Options

    Students who are registered for summer classes are eligible to choose from three meal plans and/or summer Dining Dollars.

    Bear Plans are simply a "bucket" of meals for you to use throughout the summer (May 30 - August 10). Dining Dollars can be purchased during the summer as well, but they are good only during the summer. Just like summer meals, they will be available starting May 30 and will expire on August 10.

    Summer Bear Plans

    • 75 Bear Plan: $1,050
    • 50 Bear Plan: $725
    • 25 Bear Plan: $369

    Prices were approved as of 3/28/23

    COMING SOON: Early Arrival meal plans (for Fall 2023) will be available starting Friday, August 11 through Tuesday, August 15 (more information is coming soon).

Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 Meal Plan Options*

*2023-2024 prices are subject to change until they are officially approved by the Board of Trustees in June 2023.

Meal plans contain both meals and Dining Dollars. Dining Dollars can be used to purchase food and beverage items in any of our Retail Dining locations across campus (including our mini food carts and vending machines). Use your meals in Holmes Dining Hall, Tobey-Kendel Dining, and Bears Simply To Go. Meal plan holders can also use up to five meal swipes per week at Bowlful, Crisol Latin Kitchen, Empire State Pizza, and Burger & Co.

Students living on campus are required to carry an On Campus Meal Plan throughout the academic year (per the Housing and Dining contract). Meals are only valid for the semester the plan is purchased; they don’t carry forward from fall to spring, and there is no monetary refund for uneaten meals.

Notes: Averages listed below are based on a 16-week semester, so those numbers may change depending on how you use your meal plan. Prices listed are for one semester.

  • Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 = On Campus Meal Plan: First-Year Student

    First-year students living on campus can choose from either of the meal plans listed below.


    First-Year Students

    Meals + Dining Dollars

    Meal Averages Per Week

    Cost Per Semester

    300 Meal Plan

    300 meals + 300 dining dollars

    19

    $3,595

    250 Meal Plan

    250 meals + 400 dining dollars

    15-16

    $3,284

  • Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 = On Campus Meal Plan: Sophomore or Above

    As a sophomore or above in standing (at least 20 years old or who have at least 20 earned credits by the university-published drop deadline), you are eligible to choose from any On Campus Meal Plan listed below.

    Sophomore or Above

    Meals + Dining Dollars

    Meal Averages Per Week

    Cost Per Semester

    300 Meal Plan

    300 meals + 300 dining dollars

    19

    $3,595

    250 Meal Plan

    250 meals + 400 dining dollars

    15-16

    $3,284

    150 Meal Plan

    150 meals + 450 dining dollars

    9

    $2,682

    125 Meal Plan

    125 meals + 350 dining dollars

    7-8

    $2,205

  • Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 = Off Campus Bear Plans

    Students living off campus are eligible to choose any meal plan offered. For those students choosing to live on campus, Bear Plans are only available to upperclassmen (sophomore and above) who live in Lawrenson Hall, at the Arlington Park Apartments or in one of the UNC-owned Houses.

    Off Campus Bear Plans

    Meals + Dining Dollars

    Meal Averages Per Week

    Cost Per Semester

    75 Bear Plan

    75 meals + 400 dining dollars

    4-5

    $1,450

    50 Bear Plan

    50 meals + 500 dining dollars

    3

    $1,225

    25 Bear Plan

    25 meals + 600 dining dollars

    1-2

    $969

Dining Dollars

Use Dining Dollars to purchase food and beverage items at campus retail dining locations -- no tax added! Many meal plans include Dining Dollars automatically, but you can add them at any time during the year by logging into the online dining portal.

Use your Dining Dollars across campus:

  • At the University Center:
    • Bowlful
    • Burger & Co.
    • Crisol Latin Kitchen
    • Einstein Bros® Bagels
    • Empire State Pizza
    • Hissho Sushi
    • Munchy Mart™ 
    • Subway®
  • Across Campus:
    • Bears Coffee Shop (Michener Library)
    • Bears Simply To Go (Campus Commons)
    • Starbucks® (Holmes Hall)
    • Vending machines (beverage and snack)

Parents and Support People: With our new dining portal, your student can grant you guest access so you can add Dining Dollars to their account!

Dining Dollars are convenient and easy to use.

  • UNC Card: Dining Dollars are loaded on your student ID (just like a meal plan), so you can use your card to pay for your retail dining and vending purchases.
  • Convenience: No need to carry cash when your UNC card is loaded with Dining Dollars. Purchase most food and beverage items with no sales tax added when using Dining Dollars.
  • Carry Forward: All Dining Dollars expire at the end of Finals Week in spring. Summer Dining Dollars are available during summer session only. No refunds are given for unused Dining Dollars, so be sure to use them.
  • Bear On The Run: You can purchase your Bear On The Run reusable container with Dining Dollars at Holmes or Tobey-Kendel (cost is $5 to participate in the program).
  • Safety: If you lose your UNC Card, the Dining Dollars account can be immediately de-activated by contacting the Dining Services Office at 970-351-2652. Once you get a new card, we can re-activate your account.

Dining Room Cash Prices

Guests and visitors are welcome to join us in Holmes Dining Hall and can pay using cash or credit for meals. All prices include tax. Children 3 years old and younger are complimentary. Prices good through June 30, 2023.

Adults

(13 years old and above)

  • Breakfast: $9.50
  • Brunch/Lunch: $13.50
  • Dinner: $14.00

Children

(4 years old - 12 years old)

  • Breakfast: $6.50 
  • Brunch/Lunch: $9.25
  • Dinner: $9.50