Your venture into the great unknowns of college will begin with understanding how you will eat for the next eight months. While signing up for your housing assignments, you should have chosen a meal plan in order to complete the form. There are a variety of meal plans depending on your year status, where you live and your preference. This short guide will show you what you can do with your meal plan and what options are available to you. More detailed information can be found on the RIT Dining Services Website at www.rit.edu/fa/diningservices.

Meal Plan System

As a freshman student, you may choose between three types of plans: 

20 Plus Plan = 20 meals a week, 7 of which can be meal options anywhere and $250 debit for the semester

14 Plus Plan = 14 meals a week, 5 of which can be meal options anywhere and $350 debit for the semester

10 Plus Plan = 10 meals a week, 5 of which can be meal options anywhere and $650 debit for the semester

Your plan is split into meals and debit. Your meals can be used for a single, all-you-can- eat session at the Grace Watson dining hall or converted into a meal option that is worth $7.50 in food debit at other dining spots on campus. Debit and meal options can also be spent at on-campus convenience stores (only for food items) and debit can be spent in vending machines as well. You can change your meal plan at mydining. rit.edu, under dining plans. But do it soon — after 4:30 p.m. on Friday of the first week of classes, you cannot change your plan until next semester.

Tips and Suggestions

Take some time during your first week of classes to see where the majority of your time will be spent. Some students can benefit more from the 14 or 20 if they will be near Gracie’s (or willing to make the trip across campus) during lunch or dinner. The top student pick is the 10 plus plan, since it provides the largest amount of flexibility with its $650 of debit and you’ll be less obligated to dine at Gracie’s. Managing your debit is important so you don’t run out before the semester ends. Focus on eating big meals using meal plans and small snacks throughout the day with food debit. If you skip meals throughout the week and have leftover meal options on Sunday, spending them at the Corner Store under Nathaniel Rochester Hall is an efficient way of using options. If you have taken college credit courses before attending RIT, you may be eligible for upperclassman status, which gives you the option of the highly coveted all debit meal plan. This plan gives you $2,405 to spend over a semester, but no meals. Just about every upperclassman recommends this plan if you can get it.

Common Misconceptions

Nathan’s Soup and Salad and Java Wally’s are not under RIT Dining Services so they have some particular rules. Java Wally’s will accept Tiger Bucks and Nathan’s will accept RIT debit and Tiger Bucks, but neither place will accept meal options. Meal options are included in your total meal count and are not separate. For example, if you use five meals on various places on campus that is not Gracie’s, you have five Gracie’s meals left for the week.