Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) WHAT ARE THE MEAL PLAN OPTIONS – HOW DO THEY WORK? The University of Texas at Dallas’ NEW Dining Hall opened last year giving our students, faculty and staff more opportunities to mingle, relax and dine on campus. To make this easy we developed five traditional Meal Plans for use in the Dining Hall in which a “swipe” with your Comet Card deducts one meal off your Meal Plan. The Meal Plan options are divided into meals‐per‐week or meals‐per‐semester and include an allotment of Meal Money which acts as “cash value” and can be used in the dining hall or in the retail locations. Two (2) guest passes are also included with all traditional plans. Meal swipes may only be used in the Dining Hall and Meal Money can both be used in the Dining Hall and in the retail locations. All first‐year students living in the residence hall are required to carry Plan A, B or C. *First‐year students living in the apartments may choose from any of the five plans listed below . TRADITIONAL MEAL PLANS Plan A Unlimited Meals‐per‐semester with $150 Meal Money for $1,585 + sales tax = $1,715.76 Plan B 14 Meals‐per‐week with $100 Meal Money for $1,414 + sales tax = $1,530.65 Plan C 153 Meals‐per‐semester with $100 Meal Money for $1,414 + sales tax = $1,530.65 Plan D* 7 Meals‐per‐week with $100 Meal Money for $955 + sales tax =$1,033.78 Plan E* 99 Meals‐per‐semester with $100 Meal Money for $955 + sales tax =$1,033.78 These plans are also available to all other students, faculty or staff at UT Dallas, but we also offer a separate type of package to Upperclass/Graduates, Commuters, and Faculty/Staff, which are called Dining Dollar Plans (see voluntary plans below). I live on campus. Am I required to have a Meal Plan? All first‐year students living on campus are required to carry one of the Traditional meal plan (Plans A‐C for first‐year students in the residence hall; Plans A‐E for first‐year students in the apartments). Carrying a meal plan is optional for all other students who live on campus. What voluntary meal plans are offered for upperclass or graduate residential students, commuters, faculty, or staff? In addition to the traditional meal plans listed for first‐year students in residence, we offer commuters, upperclass/graduate residential students, and faculty or staff members the option of purchasing one of the Dining Dollar plans listed below. DINING DOLLAR PLANS $50 Plan $50 in Dining Dollars (plus $5 extra Dining Dollars) $100 Plan $100 in Dining Dollars (plus $15 extra Dining Dollars) $200 Plan $200 in Dining Dollars (plus $40 extra Dining Dollars) $400 Plan $400 in Dining Dollars (plus $80 extra Dining Dollars) The Dining Dollars operate like a debit account with a declining balance so each time you use your Comet Card in the Dining Hall or at the Comet Café, The PUB, or Coffee Corner the Dining Dollars are deducted from your account. In addition the Dollars roll over from one academic year to the next. Should you choose to sign up we will offer extra bonus Dining Dollars as a special promotion this year! You may also use UT Dollars, cash or credit card in any dining location Who is the Dining Hall open to? Anyone! As tender, the Dining Hall accepts both Traditional and Dining Dollar Plans, UTD Dollars, cash or credit card to enter. When do meal plans start and stop each semester? For the fall and spring semester Meal Plans are activated the first day of move‐in for the residence halls and are deactivated after breakfast service on the Saturday following final exams. For the fall semester meal plans begin with dinner service on August 11, 2010 and end with breakfast service on December 18, 2010. For the spring semester meal plans begin with dinner service on January 7, 2011 and end with breakfast service on May 14, 2011. Do meals carry over from semester to semester? The traditional meal plans along with their Meal Money and guest passes expire at the end of each semester. The Dining Dollar Plans do not expire, unless the user is separated from the University. What are the summer meal plans? At this time we do not offer Summer Meal Plan options. This will be reviewed on a yearly basis. What happens if I run out of meals on my meal plan before the semester ends? On the Traditional Meal Plans the weekly Meal Plans reset each week while the semester Meal Plans have a designated number of meals that are redeemable during any meal period through the semester. Although rare, it is possible to run out of the semester‐plan meals if one does not budget their usage throughout the term. In this instance you may opt to use the Meal Money connected to this plan if you still have an available balance. Another option is for you to add UT Dollars to your account to pay for meals in the dining hall or in the retail locations. Again, the Meal Plans have been designed strategically so this likely will not occur. Do unlimited meals really mean unlimited meals? Yes. Students who have unlimited meals may eat in the Dining Hall as many times as they desire throughout the semester. However the unlimited plan does not allow you to use a swipe to redeem a meal for a guest, as opposed to Plans C and E which do allow you to use a meal swipe for your guest’s meal. May I change my meal plan and what is the last day? You may request change your Meal Plan up until the 11th class day (Census Day), September 3, 2010 for the fall term and January 26, 2011 for the spring term. To request a change please email Dining Services at foodservice@utdallas.edu. What if I lose my ID card with my meals on it and someone uses my card? We strongly encourage you to immediately report a lost card to the Comet Card Office where they will encode your card as lost. Once we are notified that your card is lost, we will not allow any purchases with the card until a new one is issued and/or the situation is resolved. Our staff is also instructed to verify the picture on your ID. HOW DO I SIGN UP AND HOW DO I PAY? How do I sign up for a meal plan? First‐year students living on campus sign up for their meal plan ON THEIR HOUSING APPLICATION. The full charge for the meal plan is then posted to their student account and is due along with tuition and other University fees. Anyone else wishing to purchase a plan will fill out the on line application which is linked from Meal Plans tab on the Dining Services website www.utdallas.edu/dining What are Meal Money and Dining Dollars and how are they spent? Meal Money is an allotment of “money” associated with the traditional meal plans that is redeemable as cash value in the dining hall or the dining retail options (The Pub, Comet Café or Coffee Corner). They can be used only for food and expire at the end of each semester. The Dining Dollars is the food money associated with the Dining Dollar Plans which operate like a debit account however, they do not expire and will roll over from one academic year to the next. What if I want my parents or a friend to dine with me in the Dining Hall? The traditional Meal Plans include two guest passes programmed to your Comet Card so you may treat friends and family to an “all‐you‐care‐to eat‐meal” without impacting your meal plan balance. You may also use your Meal Money in which the walk‐in price will be deducted for your guest’s meal. Those with Dining Dollar plans are welcomed to use their dining dollars for their guests should they wish to share the wealth! What is the difference between UT Dollars and Dining Dollars? Will you accept these as tender? UT Dollars are cash value one may add to their Comet Card account at any time. These are redeemable as cash value in any location on campus where cash or credit cards are accepted. Where they differ is that they may be redeemed for general merchandise, books, photo copies, etc. in the bookstore and library. Meal Money and Dining Dollars may be spent only in the food service locations. Is there tax on the Meal Money and Dining Dollars? The Dining Dollars and Meal Plans and their Meal Money are taxed the standard 8.25% sales tax as they are being used for food items. The walk‐in prices‐per‐meal are also taxed. May I purchase additional meals? You may purchase UT Dollars to supplement your Meal Plan, but additional meals, Meal Money or Dining Dollars may not be purchased. May I purchase more guest meal passes? Guest passes and Meal Money on the traditional meal plans cannot be added to your account during a semester. However, you may add UT Dollars at any time. To do this please follow the instructions on the Comet Card site http://www.utdallas.edu/cometcard/addmoney How much does an individual meal cost in the Dining Hall? $6.50 Breakfast $7.50 Lunch $8.50 Dinner $8.50 Sunday Brunch (plus tax) Do you offer a “meal” swipe in the retail locations, i.e. one dining meal will get you a Hamburger, fries and drink at the pub? This year we will be launching a “Meal Plan Equivalency” in The Pub Mondays through Fridays from 9:00PM‐11:00PM after the Dining Hall closes those evenings. The specific menu of options for the meal plan equivalency will be posted in the Pub when classes begin this fall. Don’t forget that you always have your Meal Money for use in the retail locations as well! How do I check my balance of meals, Meal Money or Dining Dollars? You may access this information via the cashiers in any food service location or you may check with the Comet Center. WHERE CAN I EAT AND WHAT ARE THE HOURS? Where can I eat with my meal plan (unlimited, meals‐per‐semester, or meals‐per‐week)? The traditional Meal Plans designed primarily in mind for those living in residence, may only be used in the Dining Hall. However, the Meal Money which is connected to the meal plans and the Dining Dollar plans may be used at any food service location. What are the hours of operation for the new Dining Hall? Dining Hall Monday‐Friday 7:30 a.m.‐9:00 p.m. – continuous dining Saturday 9:00 a.m. ‐ 7:00 p.m. – continuous dining Sunday 11:00 a.m. ‐ 7:00 p.m. – continuous dining, but only serving brunch and dinner on Sundays What are the hours of the Comet Café, Coffee Corner and Pub? Comet Café Monday‐Thursday 8:00 a.m.‐ 8:00 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m.‐ 3:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. ‐ 2:00 p.m. Coffee Corner Monday‐Thursday 8:00 a.m. ‐ 9:00 p.m. The Pub Monday – Thursday 8:00 a.m. ‐ 11:00 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. ‐ 7:00 p.m. NOW THE GOOD PART ……. WHAT ABOUT THE FOOD? What kind of food will be served in the new Dining Hall? The Dining Hall’s servery contains the following 7 stations: The Kitchen & Fresh Grill – serving grilled‐to‐order hamburgers, steaks, chicken/pork, vegetables, seafood, fries and a huge variety of ethnic foods. The highlight is the stir‐fry station – don’t miss it! Fresh Market – serves fresh salads, breads, meats, pasta salads and soups Baker’s Crust – serves fresh baked breads, specialty sandwiches, and pastries – also home of La Posada, which serves delicious TexMex featuring hand‐made tortillas Terra Ve – A vegetarian and vegan’s delight, serving meatless eating and healthy options Trattoria – Serves fresh pizza cooked in our own brick‐oven, right in front of you! This section also serves Stromboli, calzones, pasta, and salad My Pantry – will offer a cook‐you‐own waffle griddle, cereals, smoothies and desserts This dining experience has been created to enable you to be involved in your meal selection from seeing your food actually being prepared while you are walking around enjoying the excitement, smells, and taste! You are able to eat WHAT you want, WHEN you want! This is called “Pulse on Dining”. What is available in the Comet Café food court? The following dining concepts are available in the Comet Café: Subway, Coyote Jack’s Grill, Outtakes Grab‐n‐Go, Chick‐
fil‐A and Chef’s Table. The Comet Café accepts UT Dollars, Dining Dollars and cash. Can I take a meal to‐go meal from the Dining Hall? No. Among many different reasons, but in particular due to reasons of food safety you may not take food from the Dining Hall. All meals must be consumed IN THE DINING HALL. Please feel free to take a frozen yogurt cone, a cookie or a piece of fruit to eat in class or refill your coffee mug before exiting the Dining Hall. I work off campus and will miss dinner or my class lets out after the Dining Hall closes. How can I get food from the Dining Hall? We have designed a “boxed meal‐to‐go” for you to order and pick up ahead of time. There are four boxed meal types: wrap, sandwich, salad, OR the "Feel Better Meal" box which includes microwave soup, ramen noodles and crackers (and a kiss from mom ☺). The boxed salad meals and the "Feel Better Meal" are standard and pre‐packaged, but you may select your dressing, beverage, whole fruit and a treat. The wrap and sandwich meals are based on your selection on the on‐line order form http://www.dineoncampus.com/utdallasdining/?cmd=boxedMealForm What if I am sick and can't make it to eat dinner? Just as described above, please call ahead or place your order on line with your boxed meal order and with the name of the designee who will be picking up your meal should you be physically unable to pop by. What if I have special dietary needs? We are strongly committed to providing healthy, balanced choices for our diners. Should you have a specific dietary need we encourage you to meet with the manager (Keith Foreman) or assistant manager (Brandon Barnes) to discuss your needs so we may work to accommodate them to the best of our ability. It is particularly important that students with special allergies reach out to us so that we can ensure that they have something safe to eat. All documented medical conditions will be accommodated to the best of our ability and resources. I KNOW I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION BUT I JUST CAN’T THINK OF IT RIGHT NOW! What if I have other questions that are not answered here? Please contact the UT Dallas Dining Services at 972‐ 883‐4310, email foodservice@utdallas.edu or stop by to see us in 2.902 in the Student Union Gotta go! I’m hungry!