Washington University Dining Services succeeds when each student picks the meal plan that best fits their own unique wellness and nutritional needs. A plan should neither leave a student with too many points at the end of the year—nor not enough to keep them energized, restful, and mentally healthy.
Undergraduate meal plans operate on an “all points” or “declining balance” basis. This offers students greater flexibility and spending options in our a la carte cafes.
Meal points may be used at all Dining Services locations on the Danforth, North and West Campuses, including Paws & Go and Millbrook Markets. NOTE: Undergraduate Meal Plan points are not accepted at the Business School Cafe in Bauer/Knight Hall or the School of Medicine.
Meal points are allocated per semester to assist students in budgeting their meal plan points. Students can see their point balance and spending history in WebSTAC. Points not used during the fall semester carry over to the spring semester, except for those students who graduate in December or study abroad in the Spring semester, in which case points expire at the end of the Fall Semester. Points not used by the end of the academic year are forfeited.
All undergraduate students living in University housing and/or enrolled in 12 hours or more are required to have a meal plan. There is no meal plan waiver offered for the 2023-2024 academic year.
| Fall 2023 & Spring 2024 Meal Plans | POINTS | PRICE* |
|---|---|---|
Platinum PlanThe Platinum Plan offers students the greatest meal point value for their investment and allows them to maximize their use of the highly ranked WashU Dining experience. While all students’ dining habits are unique, Dining Services data shows that the Platinum Plan can provide three meals, or the equivalent of three meals, per day. This plan will provide for the student that shops and dines regularly on-campus and seeks to easily sample all the Dining Services locations that are available. The platinum plan also comes with a free unlimited coffee club card as well as a free celebration cake from Bear Necessities. The coffee club card provides free drip coffee or tea at any Dining Services coffee shop location on campus. From local classics at Bites of St. Louis, to specials at the D.U.C.; from food trucks on the South 40, to fine dining for that special occasion at Ibby’s Bar & Restaurant—the Platinum Plan is a great choice. | 2,960 points | $3,795 |
Gold PlanIf you’re looking for flexibility when dining on the Danforth Campus, but with fewer points than the Platinum Plan, the Gold Plan allows students to build a well-rounded, impactful plate for breakfast, lunch, and occasional dinners at a lower cost than the Platinum Plan. All of the Dining Services locations are available to Gold Plan holders, including the hand-rolled sushi and poke bowls from Stanley’s Sushi & Tea, as well as a variety of specials, paninis, and Ted Drewes from the award-winning Parkside Café & Grill in Tisch Park. | 2,650 points | $3,485 |
Silver PlanSilver is the minimally required meal plan for first-year students. Silver provides fewer points than Gold, at a lower price point. Silver plan holders enjoy good food, socialize, and build lasting friendships on the Danforth Campus while having the same access to all Dining Services locations as the other plans provide. Silver can be a good fit for students who plan to eat lunches and dinners across our Big Three locations: Bear’s Den on the South 40, Tisch Commons at the D.U.C., and Seigle Commons in the Village, for example; but then want to occasionally venture off campus to check out the STL food scene. | 2,167 points | $3,002 |
Bronze PlanBronze is the minimally required meal plan for all non-first-year students living on the South 40 and the entire Northside, including fraternities. It provides fewer points, a lower price, and the same access to all Dining Services locations. If your plans do not include daily meals on campus, Bronze might be a good option to consider. | 1,674 points | $2,509 |
Apartment PlanThe minimally required plan for those students living in Millbrook Apartments or Village East, the Apartment Plan is intended for students who prepare most meals for themselves. Students use their points for on-campus café drinks, refreshers from locations like Bytes Café, snacks for late night study sessions, or to buy ingredients for their meals through our Paws & Go or Millbrook Markets. Apartment plan holders have access to all Dining Services locations. | 767 points | $1,130 |
Off-Campus PlanThe Off-Campus plan is intended for students who eat most daily meals off-campus, or pack their own food for the day. The minimally required plan for undergraduate students living off-campus who are registered for 12 hours or more, the Off-Campus Plan can fit for the student looking to purchase a beverage or light snacks throughout the day, or an occasional on-campus meal with a friend. | 453 points | $702 |
No matter what plan you choose, all of our dining locations are open to each and every student.
Choosing Your Plan
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 allow you to purchase meals as well as some of the many other great options we have available on campus. Pick up a specialty latte from Peet’s Coffee or your favorite smoothie from Jamba Juice in between classes. Grab some sushi and a boba tea for a great snack or stock up your dorm room for movie night with treats from our on-campus convenience stores. If you will be eating off-campus more often or are a light eater you can select the Gold or Silver meal plan which provide fewer meal points to be used on campus.
Meal Plans at WashU are different than most universities. Our meal plans are 100% declining balance meal points. All of our dining centers on campus are al-a-carte so you are only paying for the food you eat. All of our dining centers display the price for each item so you know exactly how much you will be paying for each meal.
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 in the first 2 weeks of each semester will be effective at the end of the 2 week period.
Students with a housing contract may visit the WashU Housing Portal via WebSTAC to complete the meal plan change form. Students living off-campus, not in university housing, may request a change in their meal plan by contacting Washington University Dining Services at diningservices@wustl.edu.
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, you receive a certain amount of meal points at the beginning of the semester to spend. The number of meals this will get you depends on your specific eating habits and the type of food you like to eat. Larger meal plans will provide you with more meal points to start the semester. Our Silver Meal Plan is our most common plan and is designed to provide the average student with up to 10 meals per week on campus. Many students purchase a larger plan to provide more meals and snacks.
| Semester | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2022 | August 18, 2022 | December 22, 2022 |
| Spring 2023 | January 13, 2023 | May 11, 2023 |
Students on campus during non-service dates may purchase food or beverages using their optional Bear Bucks account. Student purchases of on-campus food and beverage remain tax-exempt. Out of Contract dates include Pre-Orientation, Winter Break and Summer Break. Summer Meal Plans are available for enrolled students living on campus.
You can check your meal point balance at any time by logging into WebSTAC. You can also request a receipt any time you make a purchase and your balance will be displayed on your receipt.
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, you 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. During the semester you will have opportunities to purchase bulk items, or transfer meal points to other students or to the food security fund.
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. Many local businesses have an agreement with WashU to accept Bear Bucks as a method of payment.
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.
Other FAQ
The Food Security Fund request form will be available starting on November 1. 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 at the end of the Fall and Spring Semester. 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.
Points can be transferred between or among students only one time per academic semester with a 100-point minimum and 500-point maximum. A 7.5-point transaction fee will be assessed PER STUDENT for the transfer. Both students will need to sign the transfer form, and both students involved in the transfer need to visit the Dining Services offices located in the Zetcher House (just past Paws & Go Market), open Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.. Students with a Platinum Plan, Gold Plan, Silver Plan, Bronze Plan or Apartment Plan are eligible for transfer. Off campus meal plan members are not eligible to transfer points. Students may purchase food or beverage items for friends with their own meal card as well.
Students who purchase a platinum meal plan will receive a free coffee club card (over a $50 value) for each semester. The coffee club card allows you to receive free hot coffee, iced coffee, hot tea, or iced tea at any Dining Services locations on campus, including Bytes Cafe Starbucks and Cafe Bergson Peet’s Coffee. In order to remain eligible for the free coffee card, you must purchase platinum plan and maintain that plan throughout the entire semester. The coffee card excludes specialty coffees, espresso drinks, and cold brew. Coffee cards will be picked up from the Dining Services office and students will receive an invitation to pick up.
Questions?
For additional information or feedback, contact our Dining Services Team.