Dining Dollars
D$ is the amount of money directly deposited into the student's meal plan account each semester to purchase food.
Overhead
The overhead payment contributes to the operational business costs of having multiple dining outlets open seven days a week and for three primary meal periods. These funds cover costs such as salaries (staff and student), utilities, supplies, repairs, and capital expenses. The overhead allows us to budget more effectively, thus passing higher savings on to the students.
Discounts
Because of the overhead payment, all students with a residential meal plan can purchase food made in The Diner at approximately the food items' wholesale cost. This also includes the cost of condiments.
Meal Plan Selection
Select your new meal plan carefully. Think about:
- your eating habits
- class schedule
- how often you will be on campus to eat
You can change the plan you selected during the first ten days of the semester, and you can add dining dollars to your plan any time after the first ten days of the semester. Meal plans are purchased by the semester. All meal plans can carry up to 25 dining dollars from fall to spring semester. At the end of the spring semester, all dining dollars remaining on the student's meal plan are forfeited and non-refundable. Again, changes must take place during the first ten days of the semester. Once that date passes, you are committed to the plan you have chosen for the remainder of the semester.
Use the meal plan selection worksheet to help you select the program that best matches your eating style and preferences.
The dollar amount placed on your Dining Account each semester is determined by the Meal Plan level you choose. The entire semester dollar amount is accessible at the beginning of each semester. You use your student ID card to access your dining funds and make purchases. Every time you make a purchase, the amount is deducted from your balance. You can always check your D$ balance via myPugetSound; this is a great way to track your D$ balance throughout the semester. Additionally, you can ask one of our cashiers to check your balance at the cash register.
We created a Dining Dollar Usage Chart to help you budget your D$ throughout the semester. It displays where your meal plan balance should be from week to week.
Dining Services Meal Plan Adjustment Procedures
Dining Services must maintain good financial health while serving the nutritional needs of students. Students who live in the residence halls (including Thomas Hall), Union Avenue housing, and Langlow House are required to purchase an on-campus plan, either A, B, C, D, or E each semester as stated by your Housing Agreement. A variety of meal plans have been developed with student habits in mind. Our dining staff makes every effort to educate students in examining their lifestyle to assist in making a proper meal plan selection. Students are encouraged to examine the available plans thoughtfully and to choose wisely.
Changing Meal Plans
Do you have a large balance on your meal plan? Do you keep running out of money on your card? If so, you may want to change your meal plan. If your meal plan is not the right one for you, please feel free to change it. To add or change a meal plan, visit myPugetSound. In "My Information", choose "Change My Meal Plan." Select an option within * Meal Plan, then select save meal plan. You may only change your meal plan once billing has been posted each semester through the 10th day. Please contact Student Financial Services if you are interested in adding a meal plan after the 10th day each semester.
Adding More Dining Dollars
A variety of meal plans were developed with student habits in mind. Our dining staff makes every effort to educate students in helping them make a proper meal plan selection. We also understand that mistakes happen. Some students find that they have chosen a plan incompatible with their eating habits or, for various reasons, students run low on dining dollars as the semester progresses. Students can add D$ through their MyPugetSound.edu ten days after the start of the term. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Student Financial Services.
Students may add straight D$ to plans A, B, C, D, and E. No overhead will be taken out of these deposits. A $25 deposit will be D$25.
Students with Off-Campus meal plans can also add D$ to their meal plan. For every $25 paid to augment your Off-Campus meal plan, you will receive D$6, the difference going to overhead costs.
Meal Plan Carry-Overs/Refunds
D$ are purchased by the semester. All meal plans can carry up to D$25.00 worth of D$ from fall to spring semester. Rollover D$ is in addition to the new spring semester’s D$. At the end of the spring semester, all D$ remaining on the student’s meal plan are forfeit and non-refundable. Additionally, D$ are not transferable from one student account to another. This is why it is essential to monitor your meal plan balance throughout the year.
Students permanently withdrawing from the university before the end of a term may be eligible for a refund of the remaining D$. Refunds will be determined based upon the unused portion of a student’s meal plan. Please contact Student Financial Services for more information.
Upon graduation, all D$ remaining on the student's meal plan are forfeit and non-refundable.
Your Meal Plan and its Balance
Dining Services provides a variety of quality menus and services to Puget Sound students. A balanced nutritional diet is emphasized for a healthy lifestyle and is the foundation of all Dining Services' menus. Dining on our campus is a unique, social, and educational experience. It is part of the campus culture and part of a healthy, overall student experience. We encourage our students to eat on campus because of the healthy, nutritional content of our meals.
Occasionally, students don’t use their pre-purchased plans fully throughout the term as expected. Sometimes students choose to go home on Friday and stay through Sunday evening, attend a dinner sponsored by a student organization, or do an off-campus dining experience. These practices can result in a high meal plan balance; we offer the opportunity to adjust a meal plan to a lower level during the first 10 days of the semester.
The best way to use your meal plan is to eat regularly at The Diner. Students and Dining Services commit to one another. Students are encouraged to monitor their food spending outside of their dining plan since you have already pre-purchased meals through your meal plan. Dining extensively off campus can create unnecessary additional overall food costs. Remember, balances left on your meal plan at the end of the year are non-refundable.
Students who have too many remaining D$ may purchase items at the Cellar Market, located next door to the Cellar. Additionally, bulk items will be available for purchase in The Diner near the end of each semester. Purchase of these pre-packaged items can help to reduce an excess dining balance.
We have created a Dining Dollar Usage Chart to help you budget your D$ throughout the semester. It displays where your meal plan balance should be from week to week.
Dining Services' total cost per semester includes preparing and serving food, cleaning the dining facility, mortgage payments, and utilities. Housing and Board are a prepaid commitment between a student and the university designed in our student community's best interests. Dining Services needs to pay all expenses throughout each term, including labor and food costs.
