Meal Plan Information

Residential Meal Plan Options for Students Living On-Campus

Meal plan assessments are processed based on your room type and default meal plan.  You can upgrade or switch your meal plan during the 1st week of classes.

***FOR FALL 2021 IT IS THE EXPECTATION THAT MEAL PLANS WILL REVERT TO THEIR PRE-COVID STRUCTURE, WHICH WILL INCLUDE GUEST SWIPES AND REMOVE THE ADDITIONAL MAROON DOLLARS.*** 

***** ALL MAROON DOLLARS EXPIRE ON JUNE 12, 2021, THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS THIS YEAR.  MAROON DOLLARS ARE FOR THE STUDENTS USE AND CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED.****

Unlimited Meal Plan

  • $2,196 per quarter
  • Unlimited meals+ in the dining commons
  • 3 meal exchanges
  • 200 Maroon Dollars*

Apartment Meal Plan

  • $1,616 per quarter
  • 90 meals+ in the dining commons
  • 8 meal exchanges
  • 300 Maroon Dollars*

Phoenix Meal Plan

  • optional, 2nd-4th-year students only
  • $2,160 per quarter
  • 150 meals+ in the dining commons
  • 15 meal exchanges
  • 250 Maroon Dollars*

+ To alleviate lines in the dining commons, pre-ordered Lunch Meal Replacements will be offered to meal plan holders at designated locations on campus Monday – Friday.

* During Spring Quarter 2021, students on a meal plan will be provided an additional 100 Maroon Dollars in lieu of 5 guest meals, amounts reflected above.

Students Living Off-Campus

 To purchase one of these plans below visit: https://get.cbord.com/uchicago

Select add funds, payment method, either Bill Me or Credit Card then select Account: Maroon Dollars and finally, select the amount to deposit, $400, $600, $800 or $1000. Bonus funds will be deposited within 10 minutes after your transaction is completed. 

Maroon 430

  • $400
  • 7.5% Maroon Dollar Bonus
  • 430 Maroon Dollars

Maroon 660

  • $600
  • 10% Maroon Dollar Bonus
  • 660 Maroon Dollars

Maroon 900

  • $800
  • 12.5% Maroon Dollar Bonus
  • 900 Maroon Dollars

Maroon 1150

  • $1000
  • 15% Maroon Dollar Bonus
  • 1150 Maroon Dollars

$10 Lunch Value Meal Deals will be available at UChicago Dining Cafés and Markets. A complete list of locations and hours will be posted on our website; continue to check back for updates.

What are the meal plan requirements for on-campus residents?

  • Residential dining is a cornerstone of Housing & Residence Life. All students in residence are required to have a meal plan and are assessed charges based on your room assignment.
  • First-year students are assigned to the Unlimited Meal Plan, regardless of the type of room or location they are assigned. They must remain on the Unlimited Meal Plan for the entire first year.
  • Upper-class students who live in a single or double room are assigned to the Unlimited Meal Plan, but may change to the Phoenix Meal Plan during meal plan change periods: the week prior to and through Friday of the first week of classes at 4:30 p.m.
  • Upper-class students who live on campus in an apartment are assigned to the Apartment Meal Plan, but may change to the Phoenix or the Unlimited Meal Plan during meal plan change periods.
  • Meal plan changes can be made online. Meal plan downgrades are not permitted mid-quarter. Students may upgrade their meal plans or purchase additional Maroon Dollars at any time during the year.
  • Changing from the Phoenix Meal Plan to the Unlimited Meal Plan does not constitute an upgrade.
  • Meal plans expire at the end of each quarter.  Any unused meals will not roll over into the next quarter.
  • Graduate students are not required to have a meal plan.

When does my meal plan begin?

Meal plans begin each academic year with lunch on the Friday prior to when classes begin. SPRING QUARTER MEAL PLANS BEGIN FRIDAY, MARCH 26TH.

What is a Lunch Meal Replacement?

Lunch Meal Replacement is the convenient option to pick-up one lunch meal daily at Maroon Market, Midway Market,  Tiffin Cafe, and Logan Cafe.  In response to COVID-19, we have provided this as part of your meal plan, and these swipes are separate from your Meal Exchanges.  Lunch Meal Replacements are available from 11 am – 4 pm only Monday through Friday. 

If I live off-campus can I purchase a meal plan?

  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, current guidelines for cafeterias and dining halls issued by the City of Chicago have led us to limit access to the dining commons to students who will be living in residence halls.
  • The leadership and executive chefs of UChicago Dining are working very hard to make sure that we have appealing and affordable alternatives available in our academic cafes.
  • Four distinct Maroon Dollar meal plans for off-campus students will be available that include bonuses ranging from 7.5% to 15% (depending on the plan).
  • These bonuses will help make meal purchasing less costly for off-campus students.

What are Maroon Dollars?

Maroon Dollars allow students, faculty, and staff to use their University ID’s like a debit card at cafés and markets on-campus. Each time you make a purchase with Maroon Dollars, money will be subtracted from your personal account. One Maroon Dollar is equivalent to $1. More information can be found here. MAROON DOLLARS WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 12, 2021. NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

What are Meal Exchanges?

The meal exchange program allows you to use a select number of your meal swipes on a combo meal at the campus cafés, campus markets or Hutchinson Commons.  The meal will be deducted from your total number of meals, rather than from your Maroon Dollar balance, based on how many meal exchanges come with your plan. (For instance, there are 15 meal exchanges included on the Phoenix meal plan, meaning that 15 of the plan’s total 150 meals may be redeemed as meal exchanges). Meal exchanges may be used only once per meal period, and expire at the end of each quarter.

What is my default meal plan?

Based on your year in college and your room assignment, you will be assigned automatically a meal plan, as follows:

  • ALL 1st years regardless of room type will be assigned an Unlimited Meal Plan
  • All those with a room type of an Apartment will be assigned an Apartment Meal Plan
  • ALL others will be assigned an Unlimited Meal Plan.

2nd-4th years are eligible to select the Phoenix Meal plan, and must submit this request each quarter.