Please review the available meal plans and the policies below before making a purchase.
Fall and Spring Meal Periods
Dining halls are open throughout the day for continuous access, with hot meals served during designated meal periods including Breakfast, Lunch or Brunch, and Dinner, as listed below.
Students and guests are encouraged to review the operations schedule to make the most of their meal plan. Full hours of operation are available on Dine on Campus.
| Meal | Weekdays | Weekends | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 7am - 10am | N/A | $13.90 |
| Continental Breakfast | 10am - 11am | 7am - 10:30am | $13.90 |
| Brunch | N/A | 10:30am - 2pm | $15.40 |
| Continental Brunch | N/A | 2pm - 4:30pm | $15.40 |
| Lunch | 11am - 2pm | N/A | $15.40 |
| Continental Lunch | 2pm - 4:30pm | N/A | $15.40 |
| Dinner | 4:30pm - 8pm | 4:30pm - 8pm | $17.50 |
| Late Night | 8pm - close | 8pm - close | $15.40 |
Fall & Spring Meal Plans
This page references two types of meal plans: residential and voluntary.
- Residential meal plans are for students living in Bailey, Centennial, Comstock, Frontier, Middlebrook, Pioneer, Sanford, Territorial, and 17th Avenue residence halls.
- Voluntary meal plans are available to all other students, as well as faculty and staff.
Available Fall and Spring Meal Plans
Meal swipes can be used at Bailey, Middlebrook, Pioneer, Sanford, and 17th Ave dining halls. Access to the Comstock Hall dining hall is limited to residents of Comstock Hall and Yudof Hall.
R = Residential, V = Voluntary
Eligibility
| Audience | (R or V) Unlimited | (R or V) Unlimited Plus | Unlimited 5-Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students living in residence halls | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Students living in university apartments | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Off-campus/commuter students | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Faculty/Staff | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Includes
| Feature | (R) Unlimted | (R) Unlimited Plus | (V) Unlimited | (V) Unlimited Plus | (V) Unlimited 5-Day | Build Your Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meals* | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited, Weekdays only | 150 / 80 / 50 / 25 |
| Dining Dollars** | $150 | $300 | $150 | $300 | $300 | Your Choice |
| Dining Dollar reload | Can be reloaded at any time in $25 increments | - | ||||
| Guest meals* | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Purchase | With housing application | With housing application | ||||
| Cost | $3,190 | $3,340 | $3,190 | $3,340 | $2,930 | Variable |
* = Expire at the end of every semester.
** = Rollover, but expire each May.
Allergies & Special Diets
M Food Co. offers a variety of options designed to meet a wide range of dietary needs. You can learn more about available Health and Wellness offerings on this page.
Our campus dietitian is available to talk through your needs and help you decide if campus dining is a good fit. If you need more flexibility, living in an on-campus apartment may be a better option.
Policies
Meal plans are for the personal use of the account holder and are non-transferable. University of Minnesota Dining Services funds and plans may not be used as a gift card or gift certificate. With the exception of guest meals, all meals must be used by the account holder.
Unless otherwise stated, all Dining Services funds and plans are non-refundable and expire on the last day of the current semester or earlier if enrollment or employment ends.
A valid U Card is required to access dining services. If your card is lost, you must obtain a replacement through the U Card Office and pay any applicable fee. Meals will not be provided without a valid U Card.
University email is the official method of communication for meal plan information. All account-related communication must be sent from an @umn.edu email address. Students are responsible for monitoring their University email for updates.
Meal Plan Hall Access
Meal plan holders are granted access to residential dining hall buildings. Please allow up to 4 business days for access to be activated.
If you are unable to access a dining hall after this time, contact [email protected].
*Access to Comstock Hall is limited to residents of Comstock and Yudof Halls.
Dining Dollars
Dining Dollars are non-transferable and are automatically available on your U Card. You do not need to enroll in a meal plan to add or use Dining Dollars.
Funds must be available at the time of purchase. Accounts cannot be overdrawn or carry a negative balance. Individual transactions are limited to $1,000, and account balances may not exceed $1,200.
Unused Dining Dollars
Dining Dollars carry over between semesters within the same academic year until the balance is used.
Each May, any remaining balance will be removed from individual accounts and retained by the University.
Conferences & Events
Dining Dollars purchased or provided as part of a conference or campus event expire at the end of the event for which they were issued.
Dates & Deadlines
2025-2026
| Date | Description | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2026 | Spring meal plans end | All meal plan holders |
| May 13, 2026 | All Dining Dollars expire | All dining dollar holders |
2026-2027
Residence Hall students who move in on Monday and Tuesday, Aug 31-Sep 1, will be provided meals. Students participating in Welcome Week will have meals provided as part of that program Wednesday through Friday, September 2-4. Academic year meal plans will begin on Saturday, September 5.
| Date | Description | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2026 | Fall meal plans begin | All meal plan holders |
| December 31, 2026 | Deadline to change spring meal plans | Residential meal plan holders |
| December 23, 2026 | Fall meal plans end | All meal plan holders |
| January 16, 2027 | Spring meal plans begin | All meal plan holders |
| May 12, 2027 | Spring meal plans end | All meal plan holders |
| May 12, 2027 | All Dining Dollars expire | All dining dollar holders |
Changing a Meal Plan
Residential Meal Plans
Refer to the above table for applicable deadlines. Charges and credits for changing plans are prorated based on the type of plan, the date of the change request, and Dining Dollars usage. There are no fees assessed for changing plans. This refers to students living in Bailey, Centennial, Comstock, Frontier, Middlebrook, Pioneer, Sanford, Territorial, and 17th Avenue. Students living in the on-campus apartments should refer to the "Voluntary Meal Plans” topic below.
Voluntary Meal Plans
Refer to the above table for applicable deadlines. Plans purchased after the beginning of Fall or Spring semester may be changed within 10 business days of purchase. For plans purchased prior to the semester, the deadline is 10 business days from the first day of the semester. When applicable, refunds will be processed to the original form of payment or may be converted to Dining Dollars.
Additional meals and Dining Dollars may be added to your plan at any time.
To request a change, please email M Food Co. at [email protected]. Please provide your name, University ID number and the specifics of your request. Once your request has been processed you will receive an email notification.
Canceling a Meal Plan
Residential Meal Plans
All students living in a traditional residence hall are required to be on a meal plan. Residential meal plans may not be terminated while on a University residence hall contract. For additional information about housing contracts, email [email protected].
Voluntary Meal Plans
Apartment, Commuter, and Faculty & Staff meal plans may be canceled within 5 business days of initial purchase. If the plan is purchased before the beginning of the semester, the first day of meal service for the semester will be used as the purchase date. Refunds will be prorated based on the type of plan, the date of the cancellation request and Dining Dollars usage. There are no fees assessed for canceling meal plans.
To cancel, email [email protected].