Meal Plan 101

As a student, you are responsible for understanding your meal plan. This includes making sure you know what meal plan you have received and how it works. You are also responsible for ensuring you have been charged correctly and have settled your account with the Bursar’s Office.

Click here to visit the U of L Dining Services website for more information.   

Meal plans are convenient, flexible, and loaded with options. Your meal plan can be used at dining locations all across campus with a range of menus and offerings. 

Resident:

Students living in on-campus housing will be automatically billed a meal plan each Fall and Spring semester.

 Traditional meal plans – Community Park, Kurz Hall, Louisville Hall, Unitas Tower. Billy Minardi and Belknap Residence Hall, Belknap Residence Hall 2

 Apartment meal plans – University Tower Apartments, Bettie Johnson Hall, University Pointe and Denny Crum Hall

 Click here to view meal plan options available.

 Commuters:

All commuter students enrolled after Fall 2022 and taking at least 6 credit hours on Belknap Campus will automatically be assigned a $300 commuter flex meal plan.  All full-time commuter students enrolled prior to Fall 2022 and taking 12 or more credit hours with at least 9 credit hours on the Belknap Campus, will automatically be assigned a $300 commuter meal plan.

 Commuter students – All students not living in UofL Traditional or Apartment Housing. Cardinal Towne is currently consider off-campus.

 Click here to view all of the meal plan options available.

Types of Accounts:

Meal Swipes - Meal swipes are accepted at all Belknap Campus dining locations except Starbucks, and the POD convenience store locations. Meal swipes expire at the end of each semester. 

Ville Grill – all you care to eat (one swipe = one entry)

Participating retail locations (one swipe = one combo meal) Meal plan combos can be viewed here.

Retail Exchanges - (All Access Meal Plans) 7 resetting meal swipes per week to use at any retail dining location except for the POD convenience store locations and Starbucks. 

Guest Meals - Guest meals can be used to swipe in a guest with you to the Ville Grill.

Meal Plan "Flex" Points - Flex points are a dollar for dollar declining balance-type account that is accepted at any campus dining location. Visit U of L Dining Services for accepted locations.  Points earn an automatic 6% discount with each purchase, including the Ville Grill. Flex points can be added at any time throughout the semester here.

        Students: Flex points expire after spring finals

Employees: Flex points never expire

Thornton Dining Dollars - Thornton Dining Dollars are a dollar for dollar declining balance-type account that is accepted at the Thorntons Academic Center of Excellence. Thornton Dining Dollars expire at the end of each semester. 

Bonus Points – Any student or employee who deposits $100 or more in flex points will receive bonus points.  Bonus points are used once the remaining balance of flex points reaches a zero balance.

Deposit $100-$199, receive 10% of that amount in bonus points

Deposit $200-$299, receive 20% of that amount in bonus points

Deposit $300-$399, receive 25% of that amount in bonus points

Cardinal Cash - Cardinal Cash is a declining balance account that can be used for purchases at various locations both on-campus and off-campus. Cardinal Cash will carry over from semester to semester, does not expire, and can be added here. Visit our website for accepted locations.

Do you want to change your meal plan?

Students may change their meal plan during the current semester. The deadline is the following Thursday after the last day to drop/add each semester. Your student account will be assessed the appropriate fees accordingly. Meal plan changes are accepted only during the following periods: 

Fall Semester:  July - August                      Spring Semester: November - January

You can access the meal plan upgrade form here.

 Meal Plan Waiver

For more information on filing a meal plan waiver, please visit the following website.