Frequently Asked Questions

College students lead active lifestyles, and our meal plans are designed to fit around your busy schedules. The Platinum Meal Plan is designed to provide the best value and allows students the greatest flexibility to purchase meals on campus. We encourage every student to analyze their typical diet and meal pattern to determine which meal plan is best for them. Read more about our meal plans here.

Meal Plans at WashU are different than most universities. Our meal plans are 100% declining balance meal points. Our dining locations on campus are a-la-carte, allowing you to only pay for the food you want, when you want.

Students may change their meal plan within the first two weeks of the fall semester or within the first two weeks of the spring semester. All changes submitted must be made by the end of the second week of each semester and are effective for the entire semester.

Students may visit the WashU Housing Portal via WebSTAC to complete the meal plan change form. How to access the portal and form:

1. Go to your WashU WebSTAC account and login with your WUSTL Key.
2. In the top navigation, select hover over Housing.
3. Click WashU Housing Portal. This will take you to the housing portal.
4. In the top navigation, select Request Forms.
5. On the Form Select Page, use the dropdown to select Meal Plan Change Request, then Save & Continue.
6. On the Meal Plan home page, select Save & Continue.
7. On the Fall Meal Plan Change Form page, select your new desired meal plan and click submit request.

You can use your meal points at any location on campus operated by WashU Dining Services. There is no restriction on when, where, and how many points you can use at one time!

A declining balance meal plan does not provide a set number of meals per week. Instead, students receive a certain amount of meal points at the beginning of the semester to spend. The number of meals your meal plan will provide depends on your specific eating habits and the type of foods you like to eat.

Larger meal plans, like our Platinum Plan, will provide you with more meal points to start the semester. Many students purchase a larger plan to purchase more meals, snacks, and occasional groceries on campus.

Students on campus during non-service dates may purchase food or beverages tax-exempt using their optional Bear Bucks account.

Non-service dates include Pre-Orientation, Winter Break, and Summer Break.

Summer Meal Plans are available for enrolled students living on campus.

We know that mapping out your approach to how you will use your meal points is an important task. To help you gauge where you should be throughout the semester, view the “Suggested Balance” (PDF) that outlines the suggested balance on a weekly basis through the end of the fall semester.

If a student depletes a meal plan, food and beverages may be purchased tax-exempt with the optional Bear Bucks Account. Students will automatically be rolled over to the Bear Bucks Account if a meal plan is depleted.

Unused meal points will roll over from fall semester to spring semester, however, students are still required to purchase a new meal plan for the spring.

At the end of the spring semester, any unused meal points are forfeited.

Meal plans are only valid at Dining Services campus locations.

No. Meal points are designed to be only used on campus in locations operated by WashU Dining Services.

Students can use their optional Bear Bucks account to purchase food on Grubhub with participating restaurants.

Your meal plan is loaded onto your student ID.  You only need to carry one card with you on campus.  This card will give you access to buildings, your meal plan, as well as your Bear Bucks account!

Yes, students can transfer meal points to another student with a meal plan only one time per academic semester during these periods: November 1 – December 19 and April 1 – May 8. To transfer points, both students must complete and sign the transfer form in-person at the Dining Services office next to Paws & Go in Zetcher House (Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm). Students with an off-campus plan are not eligible for transfer. Students that transfer points to another student are ineligible to receive funds from the Food Security Fund for that semester.

An administrative charge of 10 points PER PERSON is assessed for each transaction. These points will be deducted from your balance. The minimum amount that can be transferred is 100 points. The maximum amount that can be transferred is 500 points.

Yes! All students have access to free consultations with a campus dietitian. Consults may be for healthcare purposes, food allergies/dining concerns, or sports and performance nutrition. In-person and virtual consults are available, email nutrition@wustl.edu to learn more and book your appointment.

Simple Servings, our food allergy friendly station, is available in our residential dining halls: The Bear’s Den, The DUC, and The Village. All foods served at this station are prepared exclusively with ingredients which do not contain the following food allergens:

Milk | Eggs | Wheat | Soy | Shellfish | Fin Fish | Sesame | Peanuts |Treenuts | Gluten

Menu items prepared for our Simple Servings stations use separate equipment to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Additionally, Simple Servings staff receive additional food allergy training for safer food handling and storage.

We recommend setting up a consultation with one of our dietitians to learn more about how we can accommodate you on campus! Email nutrition@wustl.edu.

Our Nutrition Team can help! We have additional programs in place specifically for students with these types of dining needs. To get started, and learn more, email nutrition@wustl.edu!

Nutritional information and ingredients can be found online at washudining.sodexomyway.com or on the Everyday App.

At the end of the fall semester, any unused meal points are forfeited and students have opportunities to purchase items in bulk or transfer meal points to other student or to the Food Security Fund. Please view minimum requirements in the questions below to transfer meal points to students or to the Food Security Fund.

Additional options for unused meal points are by Giving Back! You can give back by transferring meal points to the Food Security Fund, purchasing a meal package from Paws & Go to support Operation Food Search, or Gifting a Meal by taking a picture in Café Bergson. Or you can do all three!

The Food Security Fund request form will be available starting on November 1 – December 19 and April 1 – May 8. The Food Security Fund is only for undergraduate students. You can request assistance from the food security fund here.

Students who are interested in transferring meal points to the Food Security Fund can do so November 1 – December 19 and April 1 – May 8. You can transfer 25 or 50 meals points. To transfer points please fill out the form here. If you would like to be considered to transfer a larger number of points please email diningservices@wustl.edu.

Students with our Coffee Club Card receive complimentary hot drip coffee, iced drip coffee, iced tea, and hot tea at Cafe Bergson in the DUC, Cherry Tree in The Bear’s Den, and Coffee Connection in The Village. Students who purchase a platinum meal plan will automatically eligible to receive a complimentary Coffee Club Card for each semester!

The coffee card excludes specialty coffees, espresso drinks, and cold brew.

Coffee Club cards are available for pick up for Platinum Meal Plan holders in the Dining Services Office, Eliot B, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. If you do not have the Platinum Meal Plan, students can purchase a Coffee Club Card separately at Cafe Bergson, Cherry Tree, or Coffee Connection registers for $149.99 for the semester.

The Coffee Club program will be made available two weeks after the first day of classes of the Fall and Spring semesters. This allows students time to change their meal plan as desired before picking up their card.

Fall: Monday, September 9, 2024

Spring: Monday, January 27, 2025

Yes! Students can purchase a Coffee Club Card separately if they do not have the Platinum Meal Plan at Cafe Bergson register for $149.99 for the semester.