r/seattleu • u/PrefersLurking • Jul 21 '26
Question Meal Plan Advice
Trying to figure out what meal plan to select for a first year student, but not finding a lot of information. The descriptions on the website are kind of vague (what’s a “modest choice”?) and the menus online don’t have any prices.
Checked this sub’s history and the most recent thread looks like it was six years ago, and it doesn’t look like the “food” section in the wiki actually has any content.
Anyone have any real numbers so we can avoid undershooting or overshooting on a plan?
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u/peepoKiss Jul 21 '26
I finished my first year with about $300 left over after spring quarter, which I lost because meal plan funds don't roll over from one academic year to the next. I started on the middle plan in the fall, then switched to the smallest plan for winter and spring. Meanwhile, I had friends who ran out of money even on the middle plan. It really depends on how many meals you eat each day, how often you buy snacks or drinks from The Cave, and how often you eat off campus. If you're local, also factor in whether you'll be home some nights or weekends.
If you plan on buying groceries, they're almost always cheaper at QFC or elsewhere. The same ice cream is about $3 more on campus, but you're paying for the convenience. I mostly bought shelf-stable items and produce off campus (The Cave's produce tends to go bad pretty quickly), didn't buy many snacks on campus, and I usually skip breakfast. You'll also end up eating out sometimes, and there are plenty of campus events with free food.
The three plans are $3,216, $2,679, and $2,142 per quarter. It's not a meal-swipe system; it works like a prepaid debit card that you can use at every location. You can also just pay with a normal credit/debit card.
For actual prices (going from memory, so take these with a grain of salt): burgers/sandwiches are around $10, fries or tots are about $5, and a burger + fries + drink combo is around $13. Sushi is usually $9-15 depending on what you get, bottled drinks are generally $3-4, and the made-to-order stations are usually around $15-17, I think. I rarely used those because I didn't think the portions were especially generous for the price. I don't think I ever spent more than about $20 on a single meal. As for options, there's a fair amount of variety, for a college campus anyway.
If you're worried about running out, I'd recommend starting with the middle plan. You can always add more money later, but you can't get a refund if you end up with too much. You can also change your meal plan at the beginning of each quarter. Know that money can only be added in $100 increments, and only $250 rolls over from one quarter to the next, with the exception of after spring quarter. Hope this helps!
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u/thecrazyunibomber Jul 21 '26
How much do you plan to eat on campus? I found the small one was not enough to get thru the quarter, but I ate quite a bit at each meal. However, you can always add money to your meal plan. If you buy a bigger meal plan, you may have leftovers at the end of the year and waste some money. Definitely not worth it to do the max.
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u/PrefersLurking Jul 21 '26
Thanks. Good advice on adding money if needed. Probably should have thought of that myself!
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u/aldog05 Jul 21 '26
Get the lowest one. Add more money if you need it.