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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 contract).

First-year students living in the residence halls can choose from one of two 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 meal plan requirement, so they can choose to carry any meal plan available. They can also choose to carry just Dining Dollars or no meal plan at all.

Students living off campus can also choose to carry any dining contract available, including only Dining Dollars. Choose what meal plan works best for you.

The dining portal will be open for Spring 2024 starting on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Students registered for spring classes can log in to purchase a meal plan and/or Dining Dollars. Dining contract changes can be made through 5pm on Monday, January 22, 2024. Spring meal plans will be active starting Saturday, January 6th.

Dining Contract Portal


Registered students -- please use the dining portal to manage your dining contract starting on these dates:

Fall 2023: opens Monday, 7/24/23 @ 2pm
Spring 2024: opens Tuesday, 11/28/23 @ 2pm
Summer 2024: opens Tuesday, 5/14/24 @ 10am

Dining Portal:
MANAGE YOUR DINING CONTRACT


As a registered student, you can add a meal plan (and dining dollars) any time during the semester, but all dining contract changes and cancellations must be completed by 5pm on these dates:

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

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 mobile food carts and vending machines). Use your meals in Holmes Dining Hall and Tobey-Kendel Dining (the mobile food carts will be in the Tobey-Kendel courtyard during the year when it's warm enough). 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


Summer 2024 Dining Options

Summer meal plans and dining dollars are good June 1 - August 15 only. Please remember all balances will expire on August 15th, and there are no refunds for unused meals or dining dollars. 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 Hours of Operation

  • Summer 2024 = Meal Plans

    Students who are registered for summer classes are eligible to choose from three meal plans and/or summer dining dollars. How do these meal plans work? It's simple... Off Campus Bear Plans are a "bucket" of meals for you to use throughout the summer.

    Dining Dollars can be purchased during the summer as well, but they are only valid during the summer. Just like summer meals, they will be available starting June 1 and will expire on August 15.

    Summer Meal Plans = Off Campus Bear Plans
    • 75 Bear Plan: $1,050
    • 50 Bear Plan: $725
    • 25 Bear Plan: $369

    Typically these meal plans have Dining Dollars included, but summer is such a short time period, we offer these meal plans without Dining Dollars. You're welcome to add Summer Dining Dollars if you choose. Remember, both meals and dining dollars will expire on August 15.

    Summer Hours

  • Summer 2024 = Open Locations

    During the summer months, there are select dining locations 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

  • Summer 2024 = Weekend Hours/Dates

    Summer hours are different than in the academic year. Holmes Dining Hall will be open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner -- Monday through Friday. They will be open during some weekends, depending on what the summer conference calendar looks like. If we have summer groups scheduled, then Holmes will be open. You can find that schedule of dates below and posted at the dining room.

    Currently, we're planning on having at least one meal open on these days. These dates are subject to change. Please check back closer to summer to see the exact meals we'll be open.

    • Saturday, June 1st
    • Sunday, June 2nd
    • Saturday, June 8th
    • Sunday, June 9th
    • Sunday, June 16th
    • Saturday, June 22nd
    • Sunday, June 23rd
    • Sunday, June 30th
    • Sunday, July 7th
    • Saturday, July 13th
    • Sunday, July 14th
    • Saturday, July 20th
    • Sunday, July 21st
    • Saturday, July 27th
    • Sunday, July 28th
    • Saturday, August 3rd
    • Sunday, August 4th
    • Saturday, August 10th
    • Sunday, August 11th

    Summer Hours

  • Fall 2024 = Early Arrival Options

    COMING SOON: Early Arrival meal plans (for Fall 2024) will be available starting Friday, August 16 through Tuesday, August 20 (more information is coming soon).

Dining Dollars

Use Dining Dollars to purchase food and beverage items at campus retail dining locations -- no tax added! 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)
    • 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 Dining Hall (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: 2023-2024

Guests and visitors are welcome to dine with 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 August 15, 2024.

Adults

(13 years old and above)

  • Breakfast: $10.25
  • Brunch/Lunch: $14.50
  • Dinner: $15.00

Children

(4 years old - 12 years old)

  • Breakfast: $7.00
  • Brunch/Lunch: $10.00
  • Dinner: $10.25