FAQ

If you’re living in a residence hall: The Blue Plan is included in your housing contract, and includes a combination of meal swipes and flex dollars. You can upgrade your meal plan anytime to the Gold Plan or Ultimate Plan, based on what works best for you. If you’re an undergraduate student living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments: You can choose from three meal plans to best fit your needs: Standard Plan, Premium Plan, and Platinum Plan. Meal plans include flex dollars and work on a declining balance, with half the flex dollars available each semester. If you’re a graduate/extension student: You can purchase the Graduate/Extension Plan, which includes 300 flex dollars and works on a declining balance.

All student meal plans begin on the Sunday prior to the start of the fall semester instruction, and are valid during the academic year. See important dates

All student meal plans expire at the end of the academic year.

For students living in residence halls, meal plans include a combination of meal swipes and flex dollars. Meal swipes are stored on your Cal 1 Card, and are deducted each time you visit the dining commons, or when you use a “meal equivalency” swipe at The Golden Bear Café or Brown’s (Temporarily closed for 2020–⁠2021). Based on your meal plan, each week you have a specific number of meal swipes available for you to use. Any unused meal swipes expire on Saturday at midnight each week, and reset for the upcoming week. Meal swipes expire at the end of the academic year.

Flex dollars are stored on your Cal 1 Card, and are deducted each time you visit a Cal Dining location. Flex dollars function like cash dollars—1 flex dollar has the purchasing power of $1. Use your flex dollars in the dining commons, campus restaurants, convenience stores, concession stands, and for guest meals in the dining commons. For students living in residence halls, meal plans include meal swipes and flex dollars, which can also be used in the dining commons if you run out of meal swipes for the week. Get more for your money when you purchase add-on flex dollars— 110 flex dollars for $100 or 55 flex dollars for $50.

If you’re a student living in a residence hall, you can upgrade to the Ultimate Plan to get unlimited meal swipes. For all student meal plans, you can purchase add-on flex dollars to supplement your plan anytime. Get more for your money when you purchase add-on flex dollars— 110 flex dollars for $100 or 55 flex dollars for $50.

If you’re a student living in a residence hall, and have run out of meal swipes for the week, you can use your flex dollars in the dining commons. If you need more meal swipes in your plan, consider upgrading to the Ultimate Plan to get unlimited meal swipes. For all student meal plans, you can purchase add-on flex dollars at anytime. Get more for your money when you purchase add-on flex dollars— 110 flex dollars for $100 or 55 flex dollars for $50. To purchase add-on flex dollars, go online to caldining.berkeley.edu or visit the cashier's office located at 2610 Channing Way, 2nd floor.

No, you must have a student meal plan to take advantage of flex dollars.

Yes, for all student meal plans, you can use your flex dollars to pay for guests at a discounted rate in the dining commons.

Undergraduate students living in the residence halls:

• May change their meal plan at the beginning of the fall semester through September 9, 2020, or from November 29, 2020, to January 22, 2021, for the spring semester. Changes to meal plans must be made by contacting the Cal Housing office via email at reshall@berkeley.edu. No other meal plan change requests will be approved outside of the official change period.
• May upgrade their meal plan from the Blue Plan to the Gold Plan for the additional cost of $175 per semester, from the Blue Plan to the Ultimate Plan for $475 per semester, or from the Gold Plan to the Ultimate Plan for $300 per semester. Upgrades to meal plans must be made by contacting the Cal Housing office via email at reshall@berkeley.edu. Please note that the upgrade fee cannot be prorated.

Undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments:

• May change their meal plan at the beginning of the fall semester through September 9, 2020, or from November 29, 2020, to January 22, 2021, for the spring semester. Changes to meal plans must be made by filling out this form. No other meal plan change requests will be approved outside of the official change period.
• May upgrade their meal plan from the Standard Plan to the Premium Plan for the additional cost of $200 per semester, from Standard Plan to the Platinum Plan for $550 per semester, or from the Premium Plan to the Platinum Plan for $350 per semester. Upgrades to meal plans must be made by filling out this form. Please note that the upgrade fee cannot be prorated.

Graduate/extension students: ​​Cannot be changed. There are no refunds or transfers on the Graduate/Extension meal plan. All flex dollars expire at the end of the academic year the meal plan was purchased in, or at withdrawal from classes, whichever shall come first.

These three meal plans are designed for undergraduate students who live in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments. If you’re a graduate or extension student living off-campus, please refer to our Graduate/Extension Plan.

No, these three meal plans are designed for students who live in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments. If you’re a student living in residence halls, the Blue Plan is included with your housing contract. You can choose to upgrade to the Gold Plan or the Ultimate Plan anytime.

If you’re an undergraduate student living in off-campus housing or university-owned/ affiliated apartments, you can purchase one of these meal plans anytime by going online or at the cashier's office located at 2610 Channing Way, 2nd floor.

These meal plans are available for undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments. Flex dollars are stored on your Cal 1 Card, and are deducted each time you visit a Cal Dining location. Flex dollars function like cash dollars—1 flex dollar has the purchasing power of $1. Based on your meal plan, each semester you have a specific number of flex dollars available. Use your flex dollars at all Cal Dining locations, including the dining commons, campus restaurants, convenience stores, late night, concession stands, and to pay for guest meals in the dining commons.

If you’re an undergraduate student living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments, you’re eligible to purchase one of three meal plans: Standard Plan, Premium Plan, or Platinum Plan.

If you’re a student living in residence halls, your meal plan swipes and flex dollars are all accessible by using your Cal 1 Card. For all other student meal plans, your flex dollars are accessible by using your Cal 1 Card. The Cal 1 Card debit account is an added feature. Yes, the register systems in all Cal Dining locations automatically deduct from your meal plan account first. If you’re a student living in residence halls, deductions start with meal swipes first, and if you run out of meal swipes, then the register will automatically deduct flex dollars from your Cal 1 Card. (You may pay for meals with cash or credit/debit cards if you have run out of swipes and haven't added more flex dollars.)

No, the parent CalNet delegate credentials do not work for the purposes of purchasing meal plans or add-on flex dollars.

No, all student meal plans are active for the full academic year, not on a term-by-term basis. If you are planning to graduate, withdraw, or study abroad, you will be exempt from your obligation to pay for the spring portion of your meal plan.

Undergraduate students living in the residence halls: Are required to have a meal plan and may not cancel their meal plan for any reason. UC Berkeley has a combined room and board program and does not separate the cost of the meal plan from room fees. Undergraduate students living in off-campus housing or university-owned/affiliated apartments: May cancel their meal plan for the fall semester through September 9, 2020, or from November 29, 2020, through January 22, 2021, for the spring semester. No credit or refund will be given for any unused flex dollars from the fall semester. Add-on flex dollars will not be refunded or transferred. Meal plan holders will forfeit all unused flex dollars up to the cancellation date. Cancellation fees apply. Graduate/extension students: There are no refunds, transfers or cancellations on the Graduate/Extension Meal Plan. There is no cancellation deadline or fee. All flex dollars expire at the end of the academic year.

Yes, you’re more than welcome to grab a piece of fruit, dessert or other small item to-go after eating at one of our facilities.

Cal Dining offers a wide variety of options. Our menus are created by a team of chefs and a registered dietitian to ensure the balance of flavor and nutrition, while also highlighting vegan and vegetarian selections. While our menus are diverse, it’s up to our customers to choose wisely. For ultimate nutritional value, Cal Dining sources a multitude of items that are environmentally friendly, as well as health promoting. If you’d like advice from our registered dietitian, please email: dietitian@berkeley.edu.

Your dietary or nutritional questions are best addressed by our registered dietitian in advance by emailing dietitian@berkeley.edu Our dietitian will meet with you individually to learn your dietary needs, and connect you with the chef in charge of the preparation of your meals if needed. You may also download, complete, and return the Food Allergy and Special Diet Notification Form (doc) to our dietitian. If you’re prescribed medications or epinephrine injectors for food allergies, please carry them with you at all times. If you’re on site and have questions, our general managers and chefs in each location can assist you. In addition, residential students have the opportunity to meet with Tang Center student health workers conveniently located in each residence hall. All students may also visit the campus Tang Center for health and wellness information.

Students with food allergies are encouraged to reach out to our registered dietitian in advance by emailing dietitian@berkeley.edu. You will get one-on-one support from our dietitian, who can connect you with the chef in charge of the preparation of your meals if needed. You may also download, complete, and return the Food Allergy and Special Diet Notification Form (doc) to our registered dietitian. If you’re prescribed medications or epinephrine injectors for food allergies, please carry them with you at all times. Read more about how to manage your food allergies while on a meal plan at Cal on our resources page.

Cal Dining makes every effort to identify ingredients that may trigger allergic or other adverse reactions for individuals with food allergies or intolerances. Our staff is trained and educated on food allergies and gluten-free diets on an ongoing basis, and they ensure items marked gluten friendly are made without gluten-containing ingredients. However, due to the volume of meals served and items used each day, along with food product changes from our vendors, we cannot guarantee that every allergen or gluten source in the food served will be identified and labeled. There is a small possibility that, without notice to us, manufacturers of the commercial foods we use can change the formulation at any time. Cross-contact may also occur despite our best efforts to prevent it. Customers concerned with food allergens and gluten must be aware of these risks. Cal Dining cannot assume any liability for adverse reactions to food consumed, or items one may come in contact with while eating at any Cal Dining facility or catered event. Customers with life-threatening food allergies who may need to use an EpiPen should be carrying their own at all times. Cal Dining staff is not trained to administer EpiPens and cannot provide or administer them. Cal Dining strives to provide a variety of meal options, including vegetarian and vegan selections. Although not guaranteed, special diets can generally be accommodated within our regular offerings. Residents are encouraged to meet with our registered dietitian to discuss any special dietary concerns or food allergies by emailing dietitian@berkeley.edu. Our dietitian will meet with you individually to learn your dietary needs, and connect you with the chef in charge of the preparation of your meals if needed.

Cal Dining offers a variety of daily selections to meet your vegetarian and vegan selections at all of our locations. Please review the menu signage to find the highlighted vegan (VG) and vegetarian (V) selections. Please ask a Cal Dining staff member for help, if you have additional questions or requests. The Bear Fit Station at Crossroads offers a nutritionally balanced, allergen and gluten friendly menu daily for lunch/brunch and dinner. All menu items at Bear Fit are prepared without the top allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, eggs, milk, wheat, sesame) and without gluten, pork, and alcohol. In addition to being allergen and gluten friendly, Bear Fit also strives for deliciousness by using fresh and minimally processed ingredients, including menu options such as Halal chicken and beef; plant proteins such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas; as well as salads and cooked vegetables. Find more about this station here.

Kosher and halal options are available in all the dining commons upon request. Packaged kosher sandwiches are sold in our convenience stores across campus. If your religious or cultural customs require close attention to diet, please review the menu signage carefully and ask for help from Cal Dining staff, if you have additional questions or requests. The Bear Fit Station at Crossroads offers a nutritionally balanced, allergen and gluten friendly menu daily for lunch/brunch and dinner. In addition to being allergen and gluten friendly, Bear Fit also strives for deliciousness by using fresh and minimally processed ingredients, including menu options such as Halal chicken and beef; plant proteins such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas; as well as salads and cooked vegetables. Find more about this station.