Student Meal Plans

Student Meal Plans (2025 - 2026)

Campus meal plans are mandatory for students living in traditional residences and optional for students living in East & West residences and East Village Townhouses. Campus meal plans are accepted at all Hospitality Services locations and the Gryph N' Grille & Snack Shack Food Trucks.

Students living in Residence (including East Residence, West Residence, and the East Village Townhouses) may change the size of their on-campus meal plan until Tuesday, September 30th, 2025.

Across campus, all food items are priced à la carte, just like at a restaurant. You only pay for what you choose to take.

For additional convenience and savings, Hospitality Services offers a textbook plan, which can be added to your U of G meal plan. Adding this textbook plan rewards you with bonus food dollars every time you purchase at the University Bookstore.

You will receive the whole portion of your textbook dollars at the beginning of September 2025.

 

Attention First-Year, Off-Campus Students! 

Are you a first-year student living off-campus? You are eligible to purchase a Campus Meal Plan. 

Off-campus students can now purchase an on-campus meal plan! Enjoy the convenience of dining at any Hospitality Services location and change the size of your plan size until September 30th, 2025. Plus, you can add a textbook plan to your meal plan for extra savings and bonus food dollars.

Ultra Meal Plans are still an available option for students living off-campus or in non-traditional residences (including East Residence, West Residence, and the East Village Townhouses).

 

Your UofG Student ID Card is your Meal Plan Card

Your campus card is your official University of Guelph identification card. You will retain this campus card (student ID card) for the duration of your studies at the University of Guelph.

The campus card confirms your affiliation with the University of Guelph and provides access to your Meal Plan. It is also linked to various academic and wellness services, including the library, athletics facilities, your residence building e-access, and the student bus pass.

Your campus card is your payment method for all dining purchases on and off-campus and shopping at the University Bookstore if you choose to add a textbook plan to your meal plan.

Without the additional textbook plan, you will need to use another form of payment, such as debit or credit. 

You cannot transfer a cash purchase to your meal plan, and you cannot obtain a cash refund from your meal plan.

NOTE: The University of Guelph is a cashless campus.

 

Meal Plans

Campus meal plans are composed of two plans, BASIC and FLEX dollars.

The BASIC PLAN is used for on-campus food purchases at all Hospitality Services dining locations.

The BASIC PLAN is eligible for discounts at on-campus dining locations only.  Franchises on-campus are excluded from Hospitality Services discounts.

These purchases are tax-exempt (HST).

The FLEX Plan is taxable (HST) for the following types of purchases and at these locations:

  • Campus vending machines
  • The Bullring and Brass Taps
  • Eastside Café & Grocery ~ East Residence
  • Convenience grocery items (frozen foods, boxes of cereal, granola bars, and health & beauty products)
  • Dining at our off-campus restaurant partners
  • Delivery orders at our off-campus restaurant partners
  • Red Top Taxi service

Note: Alcohol cannot be purchased on any meal plan, either on or off-campus.

Tipping using your BASIC Plan is permitted on-campus at Craft Kitchen & Ale House, up to 15%. You may also tip at our off-campus restaurants and Red Top Taxi using your FLEX Plan, up to 15%.

 

Campus Meal Plan Sizes

We offer five sizes of meal plans to suit every need, and the cost covers BOTH the Fall and Winter semesters.

Students receive half of their food dollars at the beginning of September and the other half in mid-December.

If you add the textbook option, you will receive the whole portion of your textbook dollars at the beginning of September 2024. 

Note: Once you select your meal plan, you enter into a contract with the University of Guelph. Therefore, it is essential to review all the meal plan information carefully. The student and Hospitality Services will be held accountable for the terms and conditions outlined within the agreement.

The amount of time you spend on campus and the types of foods you regularly consume are essential criteria in choosing the right sized plan. 

The below meal plans are general guidelines for appetites and may not apply to all students:

  • Minimum: Sufficient for students not on-campus most weekends and those with lighter appetites
  • Light: Suitable for students occasionally on-campus on weekends and those with lighter appetites
  • Full: This is our most popular plan. It is designed for students who are on-campus on alternate weekends & those with average appetites.
  • Plus: Appropriate for students on-campus alternate weekends and those with larger appetites
  • Varsity: Designed for students on-campus most weekends, athletes, and those with larger appetites

Note: Payments are made in two (2) installments.

2025/2025 Semesterly Meal Plans
Meal
Plan
Size
Total Cost
per year
Basic + Flex =
Total Semesterly Cost
Less Capital
Fund Component *
Less Fixed
Overhead Costs *
Basic Food
Dollars
Flex Food
Dollars
Minimum
$5,500
 $2,100+ $650 = $2,750
$150
$780
$1,368
$452
Light
$6,100
 $2,100 + $950= $3,050 $150
$870
 $1,368
$662
Full
$6,800
 $2,100 + $1300 = $3,400 $150
$975
 $1,368
$907
Plus
$7,200
 $2,100 + $1,500 = $3,600 $150
$1,035
 $1,368
$1,047
Varsity
$7,600
 $2,100 + $1,700 = $3,800 $150
$1,095
 $1,368
$1,187


The price of meal plans includes a $150 capital fund component (per semester) approved by the University of Guelph for improvements to the dining hall and is deducted from your meal plan. A fixed overhead cost for operating the dining facilities, including heat, hydro, and rent, is also deducted. When you spend your basic food dollars on-campus, you contribute directly to the fixed overhead cost of maintaining our award-winning student eateries. Your food purchases are discounted at the point of sale by twenty-five percent, and these purchases are also tax-exempt (HST).
If you run out of food dollars, you can add money to your meal plan. Please note that a fixed overhead cost will apply to any added funds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
 

You will receive a notification indicating your remaining balance if your balance drops to $100 basic plan food dollars during the school year. There are three ways to transfer flex dollars to your basic dollars or vice versa, and these include: 1) Online through our Online Services 2) Emailing us at mealplan@uoguelph.ca 3) Visiting us at the Campus Card Office – Level 0, Room 008, University Centre. You can also purchase additional basic and/or flex plan food dollars via Hospitality Services Online Services with Visa or MasterCard or at the Campus Card Office with debit, VISA, MasterCard or cheques payable to the University of Guelph. Remember: If you run out of flex plan food dollars, you cannot use your basic plan food dollars at campus locations that use flex dollars exclusively. Locations/services that use flex plan dollars: The Bullring Brass Taps Vending machines Convenience grocery store items Off-campus restaurant food (delivery on dine-in) Taxi services
At the end of the Winter Semester, any remaining balance in your meal plan will be transferred into the carryover plan. This plan allows you to continue spending your remaining money when you return to school, whether you live on or off-campus. The carryover food plan is accepted at all on-campus locations, including vending machines, off-campus restaurants, and food deliveries from our off-campus restaurant partners. However, the HST will apply to all purchases, and you will not receive a discount. The carryover plan is non-refundable, and money cannot be added to it.
If you've lost your campus card, you can immediately report it as missing/lost to a cashier at any of our on-campus dining halls, where they will be able to deactivate your card for you. You can also deactivate your card using Hospitality Services' online services page or the GET Mobile app. To get a replacement campus card, visit the Campus Card Office in the University Centre, Level 0, Room # 008.
A meal plan may be cancelled, and a refund requested if a student elects to move out of a residence or withdraws from the University of Guelph. They must provide an authorized student withdrawal form from the University, as specified in its undergraduate calendar. Meal plan refunds will only be processed if the student withdraws before the end of the semester. If the semester is complete, refunds will not be issued. Refunds issued in the Winter semester will not include any amounts from the Fall semester. The meal plan refund will be subject to a pro-rated charge when the student lived in Residence. There are no refunds or carryover privileges for students who are required to withdraw from the University of Guelph. Students who are granted a transfer to the East Residence, West Residence, or East Village Townhouses will be permitted a refund on the food portion of the meal contract plus a pro-rated refund on the fixed costs portion of the meal contract.
You can contact the Campus Card Office via phone, email or in-person at their office located in Room 008 in Level 0 of the University Centre.
Phone: 519-824-4120 ext. 52822
Email: mealplan@uoguelph.ca

Student Plans

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