FAQ

• On-campus meal plans: If you’re living in a residence hall, the Blue Plan is included in your housing contract, and includes a combination of meal swipes and flex dollars. You can upgrade or change your meal plan by filling out the On-Campus Meal Plan Change Form during the official change period. For questions, contact the Berkeley Housing office via email at reshall@berkeley.edu. Meal plans are valid for the academic year.
• Off-campus meal plans available by semester: If you’re an undergraduate student living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, or if you’re a graduate/extension student, you can purchase off-campus meal plans for the semester. Choose from meal plans with only flex dollars or meal plans with a combination of meal swipes and flex dollars. The Standard Plan, Premium Plan, and Platinum Plan include flex dollars and work on a declining balance. The Advantage Plan, Blue Plan, Gold Plan, and Ultimate Plan include a combination of meal swipes and flex dollars. You can purchase add-on flex dollars with any plan at any time.

View important service dates and deadlines

• On-campus meal plans expire at the end of the academic year.
• Off-campus meal plans expire at the end of the semester.

Meal swipes are stored on your Cal 1 Card and are deducted each time you visit the dining commons, or when you use a “meal equivalency” swipe at participating locations. Based on your meal plan, each week you have a specific number of meal swipes available for you to use. Any unused meal swipes expire on Saturday at midnight each week and reset for the upcoming week.

Flex dollars are stored on your Cal 1 Card, and are deducted each time you visit a Berkeley Dining location. Flex dollars function like cash dollars—1 flex dollar has the purchasing power of $1. Use your flex dollars in the dining commons, campus restaurants, convenience stores, and for guest meals. You can also purchase add-on flex dollars—110 flex dollars for $100 or 55 flex dollars for $50.

• If you’re a student living in a residence hall, and have run out of meal swipes for the week, you can use your flex dollars in the dining commons. If you need more meal swipes in your plan, upgrade your meal plan by filling out the On-Campus Meal Plan Change Form during the official change period. For questions, contact the Berkeley Housing office via email at reshall@berkeley.edu. 
• For all student meal plans, you can purchase add-on flex dollars at any time—110 flex dollars for $100 or 55 flex dollars for $50. To purchase add-on flex dollars, go online to dining.berkeley.edu or visit the cashier's office located at 2610 Channing Way, 2nd floor.
• If you’re an undergraduate student living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, or a graduate/extension student, if you have the Advantage Plan, Blue Plan, or Gold Plan and have run out of meal swipes for the week, you can use your flex dollars in the dining commons.

No, you must have a meal plan to use flex dollars.

• If you have an on-campus meal plan, yes, your flex dollars will roll over from the fall semester to the spring semester. Flex dollars do not roll over into the summer session, or from academic year to academic year. Any flex dollars not used by the last day of the spring semester will be forfeited.
• If you have an off-campus meal plan, no, unless you purchase a spring semester meal plan. Your unused fall flex dollars will only roll over if you purchase a spring semester meal plan. Flex dollars do not roll over into the summer session, or from academic year to academic year. Any flex dollars not used by the last day of the spring semester will be forfeited. 

Yes, for all student meal plans, you can use your flex dollars to pay for guests.

• Undergraduate students living in the residence halls:
  • Upgrades and changes to meal plans must be made by filling out the On-Campus Meal Plan Change Form during the official change period. For questions, contact the Berkeley Housing office via email at reshall@berkeley.edu. No other meal plan change requests will be approved outside of the official change period.
  • Upgrade from the Blue Plan to the Gold Plan for the additional cost of $175 per semester ($350 for the academic year); from the Blue Plan to the Ultimate Plan for $475 per semester ($950 for the academic year); and from the Gold Plan to the Ultimate Plan for $300 per semester ($600 for the academic year). Note the upgrade fee cannot be prorated.
• Undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, and graduate/extension students:
  • Changes and cancellations to meal plans must be made by filling out the Off-campus meal plan change form during the official change period. No other meal plan change requests will be approved outside of the official change period. Meal plan holders will forfeit all unused flex dollars up to the cancellation date. Approved cancellations will be assessed a $75.00 cancellation fee and the refund will be prorated.

Off-campus meal plans available by the semester are designed for undergraduate students who live in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, and graduate/extension students.

No, off-campus meal plans are not available to students who are living in residence halls. The Blue Plan is included with your housing contract. You can change or upgrade to the Gold Plan or the Ultimate Plan by filling out this form during the official change period.

You can purchase an off-campus meal plan at dining.berkeley.edu or at the cashier’s office located at 2610 Channing Way, 2nd floor. See the Important Dates for information on when meal plans are available for purchase in the fall and spring.

The Standard Plan, Premium Plan, and Platinum Plan include flex dollars. Flex dollars are stored on your Cal 1 Card, and are deducted each time you visit a Berkeley Dining location. Flex dollars function like cash dollars—1 flex dollar has the purchasing power of $1. Based on your meal plan, you have a specific number of flex dollars available for the semester. Use your flex dollars at all Berkeley Dining locations, including the dining commons, campus restaurants, convenience stores, and to pay for guests. The Advantage Plan, Blue Plan, Gold Plan, and Ultimate Plan include flex dollars and meal swipes for the semester. Meal swipes are for use in the dining commons or as a “meal equivalency” swipe at participating locations. Flex dollars may also be used in the dining commons if meal swipes have run out for the week. Each week meal swipes are available for use. Any unused meal swipes expire on Saturday at midnight each week and reset for the upcoming week.

You’re eligible to purchase these off-campus meal plans for the semester: Standard Plan, Premium Plan, Platinum Plan, Advantage Plan, Blue Plan, Gold Plan, or Ultimate Plan.

If you have meal plan swipes and/or flex dollars, and the Cal 1 Card debit account, the register systems in all Berkeley Dining locations automatically deduct from your meal plan account first. Deductions start with meal swipes first, and if you run out of meal swipes, then the register will automatically deduct flex dollars from your Cal 1 Card. (You may pay for meals with cash or credit/debit cards if you have run out of swipes and have not added more flex dollars.)

No, the parent CalNet delegate credentials do not work for the purpose of purchasing meal plans or add-on flex dollars.

Yes, off-campus meal plans are available by the semester to undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, as well as graduate/extension students.

• Undergraduate students living in the residence halls: Are required to have a meal plan and may not cancel their meal plan for any reason. UC Berkeley has a combined room and board program and does not separate the cost of the meal plan from room fees.
• Undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, and graduate/extension students: Cancellation or changes to meal plans must be made by filling out the Off-campus meal plan change form during the official change period. No other meal plan changes or cancellation requests will be approved outside of the official change period. Meal plan holders will forfeit all unused flex dollars up to the cancellation date. Approved cancellations will be assessed a $75.00 cancellation fee and the refund will be prorated.

Our dining commons including Crossroads, Cafe 3, Clark Kerr, and Foothill are all-you-can-eat locations where food is meant to be eaten on the premises. While you are welcome to grab a piece of fruit or a small dessert (like a cookie) to take with you, additional carry-out is not permitted.

Berkeley Dining offers a wide variety of options. Our menus are created by a team of chefs and a registered dietitian to ensure the balance of flavor and nutrition, while also highlighting vegan and vegetarian selections. Menus include nutrition facts, ingredients, and carbon footprint icons. While our menus are diverse, it is up to our customers to choose wisely. For ultimate nutritional value, Berkeley Dining sources a multitude of environmentally friendly items, as well as health-promoting. If you would like advice from our registered dietitian, please email dietitian@berkeley.edu.

• Your dietary or nutritional questions are best addressed by our registered dietitian in advance by emailing dietitian@berkeley.edu or joining one of her weekly open Zoom meetings on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• If you’re on-site and have questions, our general managers and chefs in each location can assist you. In addition, residential students have the opportunity to meet with Tang Center student health workers conveniently located in each residence hall. All students may also visit the Tang Center for health and wellness information.

Students with food allergies are encouraged to reach out to our registered dietitian in advance by emailing dietitian@berkeley.edu. You will get one-on-one support from our dietitian, who can connect you with the chef in charge of the preparation of your meals if needed. You may also download, complete, and return the Food Allergy and Special Diet Notification Form (doc) to our registered dietitian. If you’re prescribed medications or epinephrine injectors for food allergies, please carry them with you at all times. Read more about how to manage your food allergies while on a meal plan at Berkeley on our resources page. You can view the menu and nutritional information online, and filter by allergens, dietary preferences, and more.

Berkeley Dining makes every effort to identify ingredients that may trigger allergic or other adverse reactions for individuals with food allergies or intolerances. Our staff is trained and educated on food allergies and gluten-free diets on an ongoing basis, and they ensure items marked gluten friendly are made without gluten-containing ingredients. However, due to the volume of meals served and items used each day, along with food product changes from our vendors, we cannot guarantee that every allergen or gluten source in the food served will be identified and labeled. There is a small possibility that, without notice to us, manufacturers of the commercial foods we use can change the formulation at any time. Cross-contact may also occur despite our best efforts to prevent it. Customers concerned with food allergens and gluten must be aware of these risks. Berkeley Dining cannot assume any liability for adverse reactions to food consumed, or items one may come in contact with while eating at any Berkeley Dining facility or catered event. Customers with life-threatening food allergies who may need to use an EpiPen should be carrying their own at all times. Berkeley Dining staff is not trained to administer EpiPens and cannot provide or administer them. Berkeley Dining strives to provide a variety of meal options, including vegetarian and vegan selections. Although not guaranteed, special diets can generally be accommodated within our regular offerings. Residents are encouraged to meet with our registered dietitian to discuss any special dietary concerns or food allergies by emailing dietitian@berkeley.edu. Our dietitian will meet with you individually to learn your dietary needs, and connect you with the chef in charge of the preparation of your meals if needed.

• Berkeley Dining offers a variety of daily selections to meet your vegetarian and vegan selections at all of our locations. You can view the online menu and filter options for your dietary preferences. You can also review the menu signage to find the highlighted vegan (VG) and vegetarian (V) selections. Please ask a Berkeley Dining staff member for help if you have additional questions or requests.
• The Bear Fit Station at Crossroads offers a nutritionally balanced, allergen, and gluten-friendly menu daily for lunch/brunch and dinner. All menu items at Bear Fit are prepared without the top allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, eggs, milk, wheat, sesame), and without gluten, pork, and alcohol. In addition to being allergen and gluten-friendly, Bear Fit also strives for deliciousness by using fresh and minimally processed ingredients, including menu options such as Halal chicken and beef; plant proteins such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas; as well as salads and cooked vegetables. Similar allergen-friendly stations are now available in all four dining commons.

Kosher and halal options are available in all the dining commons upon request, and dedicated stations are available at Café 3. Packaged kosher sandwiches are sold in our convenience stores across campus. If your religious or cultural customs require close attention to diet, the online menu allows you to filter for kosher and halal options. Please review the menu signage carefully and ask for help from Berkeley Dining staff, if you have additional questions or requests.

Undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, and graduate/extension students: When students submit a financial aid application (either a FAFSA or CADAA), they will receive a financial aid package that includes funding to cover the cost of food expenses. So an off-campus meal plan could be paid for by funding received.

Students who have not yet been billed for their meal plan, but have already received their financial aid refund, would need to use their refund to pay for the meal plan.

If the cost of the meal plan exceeds what is included in a student’s estimated total cost of attendance to cover food expenses, the student can submit a Cost of Attendance Adjustment Request when the form becomes available in the first few weeks of the fall semester.