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Meal Plan Options

We are committed to offering students a wide variety of food options and a variety of meal plans to meet their dining needs.

Meal Plan Requirements

Dartmouth policy requires all students residing in campus-owned properties to be on a meal plan. This is to ensure you don't go hungry while you focus on your academics. First-year students are required to be on our Ivy Unlimited Plan for the entire year, while in subsequent years, the meal plan options are based on the location where you reside. Depending on the location, you can choose from options ranging from your minimum requirement to the Ivy Unlimited. The minimum requirement by location is listed below.

Property Name Meal Plan Minimum Required
On-Campus Residence Hall 80 Block Plus, 115 Block Plus, Ivy Unlimited
Chinese Language House Off-Campus Meal Plan
Foley House Off-Campus Meal Plan
Sustainable Living Center Off-Campus Meal Plan
Organic Farm Off-Campus Meal Plan
Channing Cox Apartment Meal Plan
Ledyard Apts (19 EW) Apartment Meal Plan
Maxwell Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (07 Ivy Lane) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (09 Ivy Lane) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (08 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (10 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (16 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (18 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (20 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (22 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
North Park Apts (24 N PK St) Apartment Meal Plan
Summit on Juniper Meal plan optional
All other off-campus properties Meal plan optional

Dining wants you to love our program and offerings. Should you need to discuss a medical reason why you can't be on our meal plans, please contact the Student Accessibility Office (SAS) at Student.Accessibility.Services@Dartmouth.edu or 603-646-9900 for assistance. Should you have a religious consideration that you want to discuss related to our meal plans, please contact Rev. Dr. Nancy A.G. Vogele, '85, the Chaplain and Director of the Tucker Center for Spiritual and Ethical Living at nancy.a.vogele@dartmouth.edu or 603-646-3772.

Meal Plan Dates And Deadlines

  • Winter term meal plans end on March 27th.
  • Spring term meal plans begin on March 28th.
  • The deadline for changing spring term meal plans is April 1st at 4:00 p.m.

Meal Plan Highlights

Meal Plan Details Dining Dollars Cost per Term
Ivy Unlimited Plan Unlimited access to '53 Commons + meal equivalencies + to-go meals + 3 guest passes
Required for all first-year students		 $325 $2,697
115 Block Plus Plan 115 swipes per term
Regular dining hall access with retail flexibility		 $425 $2,375
80 Block Plus Plan 80 swipes per term
Maximum flexibility for busy schedules		 $785 $2,375
Apartment Plan 45 swipes per term
For designated on-campus apartments		 $975 $1,890
Off-Campus Plan 25 swipes per term
Optional for off-campus students		 $425 $900

Important Meal Plan Details

  • Off-term and off-campus students can purchase any meal plan
  • Meal equivalencies: $6.25 (breakfast), $8.50 (lunch), $10.00 (dinner), $6.25 (late night)
  • Block plans allow a single entry per meal period; Unlimited plans are unrestricted
  • Meal plans remain active during winter break, spring break, and the summer-to-fall transition
  • All Dining Dollar balances roll over until Commencement each year 
  • Additional funds can be added to a student's Discretionary ID card account for use at Dining locations

Meal Equivalency Locations

Location Type Where Accepted
Cafés Collis Café, Courtyard Café, Novack Café, ramekin, The Fern Coffee & Tea Bar, and Café@Baker
Other Options GET Food online orders
Special Meals Combo Meals at Collis Café and Courtyard Café
Sports Events Concession stands at football, basketball, and hockey games

Dining Dollars Accepted At...

  • Novack Café
  • Collis Café
  • Courtyard Café
  • ramekin
  • The Fern Coffee & Tea Bar
  • Café @ Baker
  • All Fresh Zone locations
  • '53 Commons

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to have an UNLIMITED plan?

The Ivy Unlimited plan is like having a ski season pass or a gym membership. With it, you can dine in and eat at '53 Commons from morning 'til night, and you don't need to worry about counting swipes or visits. Stop by as many times per meal period as you would like! As with any membership, you get additional benefits, which only add to its great value; to-go meals from '53 Commons and the ability to use the plan at our other dining facilities when you like.

What is a meal period, and how do they work with an unlimited meal plan?

Our day is made up of three meal periods: breakfast (7:00 a.m. - 10:59 a.m.), lunch (11:00 a.m. - 3:59 p.m.), and dinner (4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.). Each meal period offers the ability to have unlimited dine-in at '53 Commons (7:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.) or make another selection; meal to-go from '53 Commons or meal equivalency at our participating cafés. A choice is made each meal period when you use your meal plan.

If I use a meal equivalency at 8:30 a.m. at the Collis Café, can I then use a meal swipe at 10:30 a.m. at '53 Commons with the Ivy Unlimited plan?

You would not be able to do that with the Ivy Unlimited plan, as you had already chosen for that breakfast meal period by using the meal equivalency at the Collis Café. At the beginning of each meal period, you essentially must choose between three options: dining at '53 Commons and swiping in as many times as you like, getting one to-go meal from '53 Commons, or using one meal equivalency at one of our cafés. However, you can continue to use Dining Dollars and other forms of payment to supplement your meals at our other facilities.

Will Dining Dollar balances at the end of any term roll over to the next term?

Yes, all remaining Dining Dollars balances will roll over from one term to the next until they expire at the end of Commencement each year.

Do meal swipes roll over from term to term if I have a 115 Block Plus or 80 Block Plus plan?

No, leftover meals from the previous term are not added to the new term's balance. Swipes expire once the new term's meals activate.

What if I have a food allergy?

We can satisfy your food allergy concerns. Our Dietitian and Chef are here for you. You can reach them by email at dartmouth.dining@dartmouth.edu or by phone at 603-646-9701.

How do I change my meal plan?

Request to change your meal plan online through the DartCard Services office from the time the current term's tuition bill is released up until 4:00 p.m. on the third day of class.

What is Dining Charging, and how does it work?

Dining Charging resides on your student ID, and it functions like a credit card. The balance on your Dining Charging account will be charged to the student account at the end of each month. No action is needed to "activate" the Dining Charging account, as it is already enabled for every undergraduate student. It serves two purposes:

  1. If you use up your Dining Dollars, dining transactions are covered by Dining Charging.
  2. It can be used at Collis Market for purchases.