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Dining Plan FAQ
Please note that the 2010/11 Academic Year Dining Plans are proposed and subject to Executive Board approval. Information on this website may vary.
Dining Plan Basics
- What are dining plans?
- Who can buy dining plans?
- How do I choose which plan works best for me?
- What is a Dining Credit and how much is it worth?
- When does the week run for using Dining Credits?
- What are Plu$ Dollars and where can I use them?
- Do you offer dining plans in the summer?
- Are there dining plans for students and faculty living off campus?
- Are dining plans mandatory for freshman living on campus?
- Are dining plans mandatory for non-freshman living on campus?
- What if I have special dietary needs?
- Will the dining plan cover all of my food needs for the academic year?
Payment Info
- How do I sign up for a dining plan?
- How much does the State subsidize Campus Dining food services?
- Who do I talk to with questions about Financial Aid, Housing and/or dining plan payments?
Menu Offerings
Other Questions
- How can I change or cancel my dining plan?
- If I don't use the allotted Dining Credits by the end of the week, do I get that money back?
- Do I have to use all my Plu$ Dollars and Dining Dollars by the end of the quarter?
- If I run out of Plu$ Dollars or Dining Dollars, what else can I use to buy food on campus?
- Where can I use my Dining Dollars?
- What should I do if my PolyCard malfunctions or is lost or stolen?
- How do I get a vending refund?
- Can I bring a mini refrigerator?
Dining Plan Basics
- What are dining plans?
- Campus Dining offers a variety of dining plan options to students, faculty, and staff at Cal Poly. They are designed to properly nourish people conveniently and affordably. The dining plans differ in the number of Dining Credits and amount of Plu$ Dollars. The Dining Credit component is allocated weekly and can be used at four campus restaurants: Einstein Bros. Bagels, VG Cafe, Sandwich Factory and 19 Metro station. Plu$ Dollars can be used to purchase food at any campus restaurant or market. Plu$ Dollars are allocated quarterly and can be used at any time during the contractual period.
- Who can buy dining plans?
-
Just about anyone on campus can have a dining plan! We have designed unique
programs for the following groups:
- Students living in the Residence Halls
- Freshman living in Cerro Vista (CV) Apartments
- Returning & transfer students living in Poly Canyon Village (PCV) & Cerro Vista Apartments
- Students, Faculty and Staff living off campus
- How do I choose which plan works best for me?
-
Choose from one of the following links to find out which plan works best for you. There is detailed information about each dining plan including costs, payment due dates, and much more.
- Dining Plans (for students living in the Residence Halls or freshman living in CV)
- Dining Dollars (for returning and transfer students living in PCV and CV)
- Campus Express or Apt Life Quarterly Plan (for students living off campus, faculty, and staff)
- What is a Dining Credit and how much is it worth?
-
The Dining Credit component of the dining plan is allocated weekly, which provides the security of having meals available throughout the academic year. Dining
Credits can be used to purchase food at different times during the day at
Einstein Bros. Bagels, VG Cafe, Sandwich Factory and 19 Metro station. Listed below are the cash equivalency amounts at different meal periods:
Breakfast $7.90
Lunch $8.75
Dinner $10.75
Late Nite: $8.75 - When does the week run for using Dining Credits?
- The week begins with breakfast on Saturday. Customers begin the week with 8, 10 or 12 Dining Credits, depending on the plan that was chosen. Dining Credits not used after late nite on Friday do not carry over to the next week. Therefore it's a good idea to be aware of how many are left on Thursday and make plans to use them by the end of the week.
- What are Plu$ Dollars and where can I use them?
- Plu$ Dollars are part of the dining plans and can be used at any time during the contract period. Plu$ Dollars are a dollar-for-dollar declining balance that may be used for purchasing food on campus. Depending on which dining plan you sign up for, there are different Plu$ Dollar allotments. They can be used at all restaurants on campus like BackStage Pizza, Chick-fil-A, Tacos To-Go, Lucy's Juice, Dexter Subs & More, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Jamba Juice, Sage Restaurant and Village Market. Plu$ Dollars carry over from quarter to quarter however there is no rollover of funds from year to year.
- Do you offer dining plans in the summer?
- There are no dining plans offered during the summer. The wise alternative is Campus Express Club. You can add value to your PolyCard at www.calpolycorporation.org/express or through the Money Matters tab at the Cal Poly portal.
- Are there dining plans for students and faculty living off-campus?
- Students living off campus are welcome to purchase the Apartment Life Quarterly Plan or any one of the other dining plans available. You can sign up at any time at the Customer Service Office (Building 19).
- Are dining plans mandatory for freshman living on campus?
- Freshman dining plans are a mandatory provision of your Housing License. University policy requires all freshman to maintain a dining plan when living in the Residence Halls or apartments. Sorry, no exceptions to this provision.
- Are dining plans mandatory for non-freshman living on campus?
- All returning students living on campus do not have to purchase a dining plan. These students are welcome to purchase Dining Dollars if they are returning or transfer students living on campus. Another great option is to add value to your Campus Express account.
- What if I have special dietary needs?
- If you have dietary restrictions or needs please read through the Terms and Conditions carefully and contact Campus Dining Customer Service for assistance prior to signing the Housing License. Contact Campus Dining at (805) 756-5939 or email campusdining@calpoly.edu.
- Will my dining plan cover all of my food needs for the academic year?
- The dining plans are designed to provide the majority but not all of your meals during the academic year. If you would like to allocate more funds to food, we recommend adding money to your Campus Express account.
Payment Info
- How do I sign up for a dining plan?
- After students are accepted into campus housing, they can sign up for a dining plan by visiting the Cal Poly Portal and clicking on the "Housing" tab. Access to the dining plan contract is available only after registration and payment of campus housing has been received and processed by the university. You can make a dining plan payment by credit card (AmEx, MasterCard, or Discover) or by e-check through the student’s Cal Poly Portal Page.
- How much does the State subsidize Campus Dining food services?
- Nothing. Campus Dining is a division of Cal Poly Corporation, a non-profit auxiliary organization to Cal Poly. We provide self-supporting, innovative, and high-quality services to the university and assist the institution in achieving its educational mission.
- Who do I talk to with questions about Financial Aid, Housing and/or Dining Plan payments?
-
Contact one of the following entities if you have questions:
Financial Aid (805) 756-2927
Housing (805) 756-1226
Dining Plan Payments (805) 756-1192 or (805) 756-1125
Menu Offerings
- What type of restaurants are on campus?
- Campus Dining offers 18 restaurants and markets on campus with at least one food operation open daily. There is a wide variety of international cuisines and home town favorites to please all palates. Fresh foods are brought in from local and regional producers to create recipes that are colorful and healthy. To view a map of the restaurants and markets on campus click here.
- What kinds of vegetarian meals do you offer?
- There are several vegetarian and vegan food items available at our restaurants and markets throughout campus. Students who are avoiding meat, yet still consume dairy and egg products, can choose from many possibilities at each meal.
Other Questions
- How can I change or cancel my Dining Plan?
- Dining plans can be changed during specific periods throughout the academic year. To change your dining plan from one to another, please visit the Customer Service Office in Building 19 for details. The dining plan contract will be cancelled for a refund only if the student agreement with University Housing is cancelled by Housing. Contact Housing for the appropriate support documentation and processes.
- If I don't use the allotted Dining Credits by the end of the quarter, do I get that money back?
- Unused Dining Credits are gone at the end of the week (after dinner on Friday). Unused Plu$ Dollars roll over until the end of the Spring Quarter. We recommend that you utilize the funds as much as you can with purchases of such items as breakfast staples, snacks, or beverages with your Dining Credits. When purchasing a larger or more upscale meal than is covered by the cash equivalency amount, Plu$ Dollars are used to pay the additional amount.
- Do I have to use all my Plu$ Dollars and Dining Dollars by the end of the quarter?
- You have until the end of the contract period to use your Plu$ Dollars & Dining Dollars. The contract for the academic year runs through the end of spring quarter to use them.
- If I run out of Plu$ Dollars or Dining Dollars, what else can I use to buy food on campus?
- At any time, you can join the Campus Express Club. When you join Cal Poly as a faculty member, staff employee, or student, you are automatically set up as a member. From there you can add value to your PolyCard to purchase food, clothing, printing, supplies, and health services. Add value online or visit the Campus Dining Customer Service Office in Building 19.
- Where can I use my Dining Dollars?
- Dining Dollars can be used at all restaurants and markets on campus and many vending machines. You can use your Dining Dollars at the Campus Market, Tacos To-Go, Dexter Subs & More, The Park, Lucy's Juice, The Avenue, 19 Metro station, BackStage Pizza, Julian's Patisserie, VG Cafe, The Sandwich Factory, Sage Restaurant, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Jamba Juice, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Village Market. They are both not accepted at El Corral Bookstore, Pony Prints, Health Services or for printing at campus computer labs and cannot be used for gratuities, emblematic ware, or to purchase gift certificates or alcohol.
- What should I do if my PolyCard malfunctions or is lost or stolen?
-
If the magnetic stripe appears to have lost its encoding, please bring your PolyCard to Customer Service to be re-activated. It's important to keep your card away from magnetic fields such as those created by a TV, stereo, microwave, or magnetic clasps of wallets and purses. Heat, water and eelskin can also corrupt the magnetic stripe and render the card unreadable.
A minimum of $5 may be charged by University PolyCard office to replace a lost or stolen card. The PolyCard must be readable by Campus Dining's cash registers in order for a purchase to be transacted using Dining Credits, Plu$ Dollars, Dining Dollars or Campus Express Club. - How do I get a vending refund?
- Refunds are available by contacting Campus Dining Vending at (805) 756-5944 or visiting any Campus Dining cashier and reporting the machine, the time, and the amount lost.
- Can I bring a mini refrigerator?
- Students living in the residence halls may bring their own mini-fridge; however it must meet all the following criteria without exception:
- Cannot exceed 4.9 cubic feet
- Measures no more than 23"W x 23"D x 34"H
- Is energy efficient or has the preferred "Energy Star" rating