Dining Services
Dining Frequently Asked Questions
How will the resident dining plans work?
As one facet of participating in campus life, students living in traditional on-campus housing have Resident Dining Plans. These dining plans provide students with the food they need and want throughout the semester – from the first day, they arrive on campus until the last day of finals.
Anytime Dining means that resident students have unlimited access to three campus dining halls. Come in any time of day, any number of times, and enjoy anything we’re serving. If all you want is a snack, please enjoy just that and come back anytime you’re ready for more. If come in when you’re hungry, come back up for seconds! Or thirds!
We offer four Resident Dining Plans: Basic, Plus, Preferred, and Premium. All four plans include unlimited access from move in day until the end of finals. The upgraded three plans include Dining Dollars to use at cafes and shops around campus.
What are "Dining Dollars"?
- Dining Dollars are additional funds added to your UMD ID card spending account.
- While we serve great food all day long in the dining halls, you might want a change of pace. Dining Dollars are accepted at:
- Cafés that serve Starbucks coffee beverages
- Food courts that include brand-name favorites: Chick fil-A, Qdoba, Subway and Taco Bell.
- The Maryland Dairy which serves its famous ice cream in the Stamp.
- And C-Shops that have room snacks, school and cleaning supplies, health and beauty aids.
Can my student change their dining plan?
Students can purchase or upgrade their dining plan starting August 15 and until September 15. If students have requested campus housing, they have already selected and purchased a dining plan.
- Students can purchase Dining Dollars starting August 15 until early November. This gives them enough time to use their Dining Dollars before the end of the semester.
Is there a dining plan for students who live off-campus?
Of course! Students can have a 7-Day plan, a 5-Day plan (unlimited access Mon – Fri) or purchase blocks of meals to use throughout the semester. Find information at dining.umd.edu/connector Links to an external site.. Purchase using Online Services.
How does Dining support students with Dietary restrictions?
- I have an allergy - what do I need to do?
Look for stations called the Purple Zone – serving food free from the most common eight allergens. Cooks wearing purple chef jackets have extra training in providing for students with allergies and the purple fridge is stocked with allergen-free food for self-service.
Recipes, ingredients and allergens for menu items served as part of the resident dining program are detailed on nutrition.umd.edu. Menu boards and counter cards display with icons showing which allergens are contained in that item. You can eat safely without additional help at the Purple Stations and by following the counter cards. We encourage you to ask the Purple Team for advice whenever you are unsure.
For people with multiple or complex allergies, we provide additional accommodations on an individual, case-by-case basis and we are prepared to help you to the extent that you would like assistance. To find out more about our nutrition programming, go to dining.umd.edu/nutrition.
- I eat vegan - what do I need to do?
Each of the three dining halls offers students a variety of nutritious vegetarian foods and each features a dedicated vegan station. All of our cafes offer vegetarian and vegan items and the convenience shops carry vegetarian and vegan groceries. Look for the vegan or vegetarian icon on flyers, menus, and on our menu and nutrition page: nutrition.umd.edu.
- I keep kosher - what do I need to do?
Students living in traditional, on-campus housing must select one of the four Maryland Dining Plans when they request housing. If you prefer to keep kosher, sign up for a Platinum Kosher Plan through the Maryland Hillel. After the Hillel sends us a list of Platinum Kosher Plan students, we cancel the contracts and credit the accounts of those students.
- I have a different dietary special need – what do I need to do?
Contact our nutrition team (nutrition@umd.edu) with your specific question. We are happy to hear from you!
What is Online Services?
Access Online Services through the “University of MD” mobile app. Use online services to:
- Verify your spending account balances and dining plan
- View details of recent transactions
- Buy blocks of Dining Dollars
- Purchase a Connector Dining Plan
- Upgrade your dining plan or make changes to your plan
(Links to an external site.)