Campus Dining
Residential Meal Plans
Students living on campus are required to have a residential meal plan, per their Room and Board Contract. On-campus residential meal plans are only available to students living in residence halls and in on-campus apartments. Dining Dollars can be used at all dining locations on campus. (Dining Dollars can only be used at dining locations and cannot be used at the Wildcat Shop.) Meal Plans are billed to your student account, just like tuition - and just like tuition, they can be paid for with scholarships or financial aid.
Meal Plan Options 2024-2025
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Meal Plan A
Fall
- Dining Dollars: $995
- Overhead Cost: $2,415
- Quarterly: $3,410
Winter
- Dining Dollars: $995
- Overhead Cost: $1,819
- Quarterly: $2,813
Spring
- Dining Dollars: $995
- Overhead Cost: $1,307
- Quarterly: $2,302
Annual Total - $8,524
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Meal Plan B
Fall
- Dining Dollars: $855
- Overhead Cost: $2,077
- Quarterly: $2,932
Winter
- Dining Dollars: $855
- Overhead Cost: $1,564
- Quarterly: $2,419
Spring
- Dining Dollars: $855
- Overhead Cost: $1,124
- Quarterly: $1,979
Annual Total - $7,331
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Meal Plan C
Fall
- Dining Dollars: $729
- Overhead Cost: $1,769
- Quarterly: $2,498
Winter
- Dining Dollars: $729
- Overhead Cost: $1,332
- Quarterly: $2,061
Spring
- Dining Dollars: $729
- Overhead Cost: $958
- Quarterly: $1,686
Annual Total - $6,245
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Meal Plan D
Fall
- Dining Dollars: $628
- Overhead Cost: $1,526
- Quarterly: $2,155
Winter
- Dining Dollars: $628
- Overhead Cost: $1,149
- Quarterly: $1,778
Spring
- Dining Dollars: $628
- Overhead Cost: $826
- Quarterly: $1,454
Annual Total - $5,387
How do Meal Plans Work?
CWU's Residential Meal Plans are a high value, highly flexible option for students to self-manage their diet and nutrition on campus. Dining Services provides a huge variety of fresh, delicious options available year round. On a meal plan, students are empowered to take care of themselves, to design the university experience most suited to them.
The meal plans operate in two phases. First, at the start of every quarter, Dining Services collects the Overhead Costs portion of your Meal Plan. Think of this money as an investment - by collecting it upfront Dining Services is able to ensure that all students are supported and provided with everything they need to succeed for the duration of the quarter. This investment opens access to economies of scale, allowing Dining Services to provide:
- Extended hours at dining locations
- Higher quality ingredients
- Lower food costs to students
Second, the remaining balance of your meal plan is added to your Connection Card account as Dining Dollars. Dining Dollars are spent at dining locations, and as the Overhead Costs have already been accounted for, students on a meal plan paying with Dining Dollars only pay for the cost of the ingredients. This means a 65% reduction in the list price at dining locations, and a 25% reduction at the campus café and market locations.
Important Meal Plan Information
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Meal Plan Changes
Meal plans can only be changed at the beginning of each quarter during the add/drop period. Modifications to meal plans can be made online through myCWU or in person at the Connection Card Office. (Changes cannot be made over the phone.)
- Visit the Connection Card Office website
- Complete and submit the webform with required information and meal plan selection
- After your submission has been processed, the meal plan will be added to your account and ready for use
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Apartment Meal Plans
Students living in a CWU-owned apartment may also elect to participate in a meal plan. Meal plan options for the Apartment Plan are Plan A, B, C, or D. These plans are optional. The same rates and discounts apply.
Students on the Apartment Plan must select their plan each quarter and will not be automatically enrolled in the plan.
Leftover Dining Dollars will roll over to the following quarter (Fall to Winter, Winter to Spring), even if the student does not enroll in a meal plan the following quarter. At the end of each Spring quarter, all remaining Dining Dollars are null and void and will not roll over to Summer or Fall quarters.
To sign up for an apartment meal plan:
- Visit the Connection Card Office website
- Complete and submit the webform with required information and meal plan selection
- After your submission has been processed, the meal plan will be added to your account and ready for use
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Running Out of Dining Dollars
Students on plans C or D who run out of Dining Dollars before the end of a quarter can add Wildcat Bucks to their Connection Card. Use Wildcat Bucks at any Dining Services location on campus by swiping your Connection Card, and receive 10% off of your purchase. Download the GET Mobile app to add Wildcat Bucks directly to your card. Simply log in with your CWU credentials, and add a credit card to your account.
If meal plan funds run out before the end of a quarter, only students on plans A or B may add Dining Dollars to their account without incurring additional overhead costs. Students on plans C or D cannot add additional Dining Dollars to their plan, but can add Wildcat Bucks.
Dining Dollars will be used before Wildcat Bucks wherever applicable.
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