Dining FAQ

Meal plans

Do I need a meal plan?

New students in the traditional residence halls must carry Forge 14 or higher. Students in the suites, apartments and Cooperative Hall, and all commuters, may buy any plan or none (dining plans).

What plans are there?

Forge 19 (19 swipes a week + $150 Campus Cash), Forge 14 (14 + $250), Forge 10 (10 + $400), and Anytime (unlimited entry to The Forge + $100). Commuters can buy the Commuter 50 block: 50 swipes a semester with no weekly reset.

How much does a plan cost?

The standard meal plan in the 2026–27 cost of attendance is $4,240 for the year, or $2,120 a semester, billed to your student account. Current rates for every plan are in the housing portal (cost of attendance).

Do unused swipes roll over?

No. Swipes reset every week. “14” means 14 entries to spend however you like, including three in one day during finals.

What is Campus Cash?

A declining balance on your Porter Card that works like money at Ironworks, the cafés, North Market, concessions and vending, and it is tax-free on food. It rolls over from fall to spring and is refunded when you graduate or move off campus (the card).

Can I change my plan?

Move up at any time; the difference is prorated. Move down or cancel only during the first two weeks of a semester, through the housing portal in MyPorter (changing your meal plan).

Where to eat

Where is the dining hall?

The Forge in Founders Commons is the all-you-care-to-eat hall: one swipe gets you in. It runs continuous service from breakfast through dinner on weekdays and brunch and dinner on weekends during the academic year.

What else is on campus?

Ironworks Food Hall in Founders Union (pizza, bowls, burgers, a salad and wrap line and rotating stalls), North Market on North Campus, the Library Café in Halvorsen Library, Engineering Express in Founders Hall and Health Sciences Coffee.

Can I use a meal swipe outside The Forge?

Yes, at Ironworks and North Market, as a fixed swipe-equivalency combo during set hours. The Library Café, Engineering Express and Health Sciences Coffee take Campus Cash, a card or your phone, but not swipes.

Where can I eat late?

Ironworks keeps a limited menu going until midnight on weeknights and later on weekends, and North Market is the latest-closing spot on campus. Vending in every hall takes Campus Cash.

When is The Forge least crowded?

Avoid 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 5:30–6:30 p.m. Sunday brunch is the one meal that regularly has a line at the door.

Where do I find hours and menus?

The dining app shows live hours for every location (they shift around exam weeks and breaks), menus posted a week ahead, and mobile ordering for Ironworks and the cafés (where to eat).

Allergies and special diets

I have a food allergy. What should I do?

Meet the campus dietitian — free and confidential — before you rely on any one location. You get a tour of safe stations, access to the allergen-free pantry station with its own prep area and equipment, and made-to-order meals when the line cannot cover you (dietary accommodations).

Are there vegan and vegetarian options?

Yes. The Forge guarantees a vegan or vegetarian entrée at every meal, not just a side.

Is there halal or kosher food?

Halal and kosher-style options are labeled daily. The dietitian can help you plan around religious requirements across locations.

Where is nutrition information?

In the dining app: per-serving calories, macros and the big-nine allergens for every recipe, with diet filters. Every station also posts allergen and ingredient information (menus & nutrition).

Can I be released from the meal plan for a medical diet?

Rarely. The default is to make dining work, which it usually can; where a need genuinely cannot be met, the plan can be reduced or released with the dietitian’s and a treating provider’s sign-off.

Guests, breaks, money and jobs

Can I bring a guest?

Yes. Most plans include a set number of guest swipes a term: swipe your card, then choose “guest” on the reader. Out of guest swipes, pay the walk-in rate at the door (guest meal swipes).

What is open over breaks?

Over Thanksgiving and spring break, one location runs a limited schedule. Over winter break all campus dining closes; students approved for break housing get a grocery stipend or a nearby open option (dining during breaks).

I am out of swipes and Campus Cash. What now?

Ask the Dean of Students Office for donated meal credits — no documentation of need — and use the food pantry for groceries. If money is tight, talk to Dining before you cancel a plan.

Can my family add Campus Cash?

Yes. A parent with a guest login can load Campus Cash by card from anywhere, and every balance and transaction is in MyPorter and the card app.

I lost my Porter Card. Can someone use my meal plan?

Freeze the card in the app or MyPorter right away — it stops spending instantly and is reversible. Then get a replacement at the Porter Card Office, Founders Union 112, (715) 555–0126 (the Porter Card).

Can I work in dining?

Yes — University Dining is the largest student employer on campus and hires continuously with no experience needed. Most students work 8–12 hours a week, get a free or discounted meal on qualifying shifts and earn a food-handler certification paid for by the university (dining jobs).

How does my student organization order food?

University Catering is the required caterer for most events in campus spaces. Student organizations order through their adviser with activity-fund billing.

Who runs Dining Services?

Wade Holt is Director of Dining Services. Questions about plans, billing or accommodations go to the dining office in Founders Commons at (715) 555–0242.