Click here to sign-up for a Dining Plan online now!

Dining Plans - Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about ordering a dining plan online, please visit our Online Ordering FAQs.

Your Dining Plan

General FAQs

• Do I need a Dining Plan?
• What does each Dining Plan Contract include and how does it work?
• How can I add Additional Plus Dollars?
• How can I find out the balance of my Plus Dollars or Additional Plus Dollars?
• I bought a meal plan last semester.  Do I need to buy one for the new semester?
• Can I make changes to my Dining Plan?
• Can I treat a friend by using my dining membership?
• To whom should the Dining Plan payment be made?
• How do the ID cards work?
• What is your casual meal rate?
• A Few More Morsels

Your Dining Plan

• You can check on the current number of meals available on your dining plan by asking the cashier when you present your card or by going to the Cavalier Advantage page at www.virginia.edu/cavalieradvantage/.
• There is no deadline; you may sign up for a new dining plan at any time.

Making Changes
A UVA Dining Plan is an annual contract billed over two semesters by the Student Financial Services office. You can always upgrade your current dining plan to have more meals available. There is also a period at the beginning of each semester where you can change to a dining plan with fewer meals, or cancel your dining plan. All change requests must be made in writing. Change forms are available at UVA Dining's main office at O'Hill or you can complete an online Dining Plan Change Request Form; both are acceptable means of submitting your change request to UVA Dining in writing. Fall 2013 semester changes must be submitted by September 4, 2013, and spring 2014 semester changes must be submitted between December 4, 2013 and January 20, 2014. First year students, residential college students, and full Grant-in-Aid athletes living on Grounds may not cancel the second semester of their dining plan. They may, however, change to a different dining plan for the second semester by completing a Dining Plan Change Request Form. Please remember: All change notifications must be made in writing to the UVA Dining Administrative Office. Not paying your second semester bill does not constitute dining program cancellation. Sending the $50 cancellation fee to the Student Financial Services Office does not cancel your dining program. If you don't tell Dining first, you may be liable for late fees levied by the Student Financial Services Office, or registration blocks by the Registrar.

Dining Plans and Plus dollar funds are non-refundable. 

Unused Dining plan swipes and Plus dollar balances expire on the earliest of: the last day of enrollment in UVA, the last day of the spring semester or the last day of enrollment in the dining plan.  Additional Plus dollars added to your account are refundable with written request to dining@virginia.edu by May 9^th, 2013.

Return to Top

• First Year Students: All First Year students are required by the University to participate in a dining plan. Depending upon needs, First Years who are not varsity student-athletes or are not planning to live in a Residential College must choose either the Ultimate Access or All Access 7 dining plans. First Year Residential College students must choose either the Residential Ultimate Access or All Access 7 dining plans. First Year Varsity Student-Athletes must choose the All Access 7.

• Residential College Students: Students who reside in Brown College, Hereford College (Norris and Whyburn dorms), and the Language Houses (French, Spanish, and Shea) are required to participate in a Residential dining plan. Residential College students dine together during the week and attend frequent banquets and events with Faculty Fellows of the Colleges. First Year Residential College students must choose either the Residential Ultimate Access or All Access 7 dining plan. Upperclass residential college students must select from the available Residential dining plans. 

• Varsity Student-Athletes: Student-athletes on NCAA competing sports teams are eligible to participate in an Athletic dining plan. With an Athletic Dining plan, Varsity student-athletes enjoy dinners at the state-of-the-art dining facility in the John Paul Jones Arena.  Upperclass Varsity student-athletes on a full scholarship who choose to participate in a dining plan must select one of the available Athletic dining plans. First Year Student-Athletes must choose either the Athletic All Access 7 dining plan.   

• Upperclass Students: You need a dining plan if you want to make your life simpler. Enrolling in a dining plan entitles you to:
      • Guaranteed all-you-care-to-eat meals and the flexibility of a la carte purchasing
      • No worries about carrying cash
      • Minutes from great food and comfortable locations
      • No sales tax on your meals purchase

Return to Top

What does each Dining Plan Contract include and how does it work?
Each dining plan comes with meal swipes, Plus Dollars, Meal Exchange, and guest meals.  A dining plan is for one full year and includes the Fall and Spring semesters. Any remaining balance of Plus Dollars at the end of the Fall semester rolls over to Spring semester, but not to the next academic year.

Meal Swipes:  Meal swipes are mainly used at our residential dining rooms (Observatory Hill, Newcomb, and Runk).  You use one swipe to enter the dining room, and the service is All-You-Care-To-Eat. 

The number of meal swipes you have depends on the dining plan that you chose.  Weekly plans, such as the Ultimate Access and All Access 7, provide unlimited meal swipes in the main dining halls 7 days a week.  The All Access 5 provides unlimited meal swipes in the main dining halls Monday through Friday only.  Semester block plans, such as the semester 100, have a certain number of meal swipes loaded on for the entire semester.

Plus Dollars:  Plus Dollars are included in your dining plan and are available for use in all dining locations on Grounds. Each dining plan includes a pre-set number of non-taxable dollars for you to spend like cash.

You can also purchase Additional Plus Dollars whenever you need them. They may be purchased at the Dining Services Office, by completing a green "Add Plus Dollars" form at any location, or online by clicking on the "Sign Up Now!" link in the upper left side of this webpage and choosing the "Plus Dollar" option. Although all charges will be billed by the Student Financial Services Office, your new funds are available within 24 business hours. Keep track of your Plus Dollars account simply by asking the cashier when you present your ID card at any meal or by visiting the Cavalier Advantage website at www.virginia.edu/cavalieradvantage/. 

Your unused Plus Dollars transfer from the fall to the spring semester. Be sure to use them by the end of the spring semester, however, because at the end of spring semester, any unused dollars are not refundable and cannot be transferred to the new academic year.  

There are only two restrictions on Plus Dollars: They can be used for food purchases only, and they are available only to students on a UVA dining plan.

Meal Exchange:  We also offer a Meal Exchange Program where students can use one meal swipe in exchange for a combo meal at certain retail locations.  For more information, check out the Meal Exchange Program page.

New Meal Exchange/To-Go Meal Policy

With our new All Access Meal Plans, we are offering you open access to the residential dining locations – O’Hill, Fresh Food Company and Runk. We are excited to share our locations with you, and provide you with a place for nourishment, fellowship and forming connections. Our policies on Meal Exchange and To-Go meals at UVA Dining are changing as a result of the new meal plan structure. A To-Go meal will now count as a “Meal Exchange” swipe, and will be deducted from your account in the same manner.  With the Ultimate Access Meal Plan, you will have three swipes per day to use for either Meal Exchange or To-Go meals. With the All Access 7, All Access 5, Semester 100 and Semester 50 Meal Plans, you will have two swipes per day to use for Meal Exchange or To-Go Meals. The hourly limitation remains the same, you will be allowed one swipe per hour whether you use a Meal Exchange or To-Go swipe. We want you to join us for your meals in our locations and share in the experience of dining at The University of Virginia.
 
Guest Meals:  If you have a weekly plan, you have ten guest meals per semester (15 with the Ultimate Access plan), and you cannot swipe in a friend with your card unless you use a guest meal. If you have a block plan, you may use any of your swipes for a guest at any time. You can also pay for your friends with Plus Dollars. Encourage them to sign up for a meal plan and they can join you everyday!

If you have additional questions about meal plans, call (434) 982-5141.

Return to Top

How can I find out the balance of my Plus Dollars or Additional Plus Dollars?
To find out how many Plus Dollars or Additional Plus Dollars you have left, you can ask a cashier at any dining location on Grounds.  You can also visit the Dining Administration Office on the first floor of O'Hill Dining Room or call (434) 982-5141, and we will pull up your account.  You can also visit the Cavalier Advantage website at www.virginia.edu/cavalieradvantage/ to view your balances.

Return to Top

Return to Top

To whom should the Dining Plan payment be made? 
The Student Financial Services Office will bill you for your meal plan and any Additional Plus Dollars you add.  All payments, including cancellation fees, are made to the UVA Student Financial Services Office. All refunds are issued from the Student Financial Services Office.

Return to Top

How do the ID Cards work?
ID cards are issued by the Card Office on the first floor of Observatory Hill, (434) 924-4508. Please call the ID office immediately if your card is lost or stolen, so that your account can be protected. The Card Office is directly across the hall from the Dining Services Admin Office.

To enter a dining room, you must present your ID. If you have lost your ID, you must replace it (see above). For a limited time you may "vouch" for your meal at the cashier's stand. Please note: Vouching is not an alternative method of getting into a dining room - your vouches will soon run out, and you will be denied access, even though you have meals left on your plan.

If the magnetic strip on your card becomes demagnetized, it can be re-coded at the ID Card Office.

Return to Top

Return to Top

A Few More Morsels

Nutrition

Nutrition concerns? Need dietary modifications? Want your dietary intake analyzed? All of these services are available free of charge to dining plan participants through our on-staff nutritionist. Our nutritionist is actively involved in the planning of the menus to ensure a healthy variety of options. Nutrition information is available for each menu item at the residential dining rooms and through our online menus. This information is posted so that you can make healthy decisions.

Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free

Gluten-free and Lactose-free mainstays are available in all three main dining halls.  If you cannot find what you need, speak with a dining manager or service staff.

Vegetarian

For our vegtarian and vegan guests, meatless entrees are available at all residential dining rooms during each meal period.

Online
Weekly menus, nutrition infomation, dining plan information, hours of operation and general dining information are posted and available right here on our website.

Schedule Conflicts

If your schedule conflicts with our dining room service hours, we offer a "To Go" program at all of the residential dining rooms. In addition, several of our food courts are open until 2 a.m. If you are ill and cannot make it to a residential dining room for a meal, send your ID and brief, written authorization with a friend a meal will be prepared for you.

Cavalier Advantage vs. Plus Dollars
A Cavalier Advantage account can be used just about anywhere on Grounds - from vending machines, copy machines and parking to the U.Va Bookstore and all dining locations. Plus Dollars are part of your dining plan and are only available for use in dining locations on Grounds. When you use Plus Dollars, you get guaranteed value, and Plus Dollars can be used anytime.  Plus dollar food purchases are not charged sales tax.

I have a suggestion, I have a problem...
Got a question? Check out our web pages. If you can't find an answer there, or if you have some special needs, check the list of locations, managers, and phone numbers. The managers are a great resource for help, information, and answers. You can always phone us at (434) 982-5141, or email us. We also have an "open door" policy - stop by and see us with your suggestions any time.

Return to Top