Food Services

University Food Services, tel. 545-2472; www.aux.umass.edu/diningservices, offers menus with a wide selection of food, including vegetarian and vegan meals. These menus, designed by a task force of students, managers, chefs, and a dietitian, are based on sound nutritional patterns, surveys of student food preferences, and comments from students and staff members.

Five dining facilities, serving students with all-you-can-eat options, are located in residential areas: Hampshire, Berkshire, and Hampden Dining Commons in Southwest; Worcester Dining Commons in Northeast; and Franklin Dining Commons in Central. Meals are continuously available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekends. Hampden serves dinner for all University sports teams, on weekdays only, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The UCard (the University student ID card) serves as a meal ticket, and is required for entrance to all facilities for meal plan participants.

Residential meal plans are mandatory for all undergraduates who are required to live in University residence halls and have fewer than 54 completed credits. Exemptions will be approved for extenuating circumstances only. Applications can be obtained by contacting Food Services. Refunds are pro-rated on a weekly basis and will be subject to an administrative fee if the application is received after the semester begins. Students who are not required to purchase a meal plan but who wish to eat in the dining commons have several options: purchase a residential meal plan or the Your Campus Meal Plan for the semester; a single meal on a cash basis; or five-day strip tickets.

Residential Meal Plans

All the meal plans are "Block Plans," offering a specific number of meals for the whole semester with no weekly limit. The deluxe plan provides unlimited access to all of the dining commons. The value plan offers 224 meals per semester, an average of two meals per day. The basic plan offers a total of 163 meals per semester, an average of 10 meals per week. All three plans offer guest passes and also meal exchanges, which allow students to eat in retail facilities during the semester. Meals on these plans can be eaten any day of the week, including weekends, at any of the dining commons.

Optional Plans

Your Campus Meal Plan (YCMP) takes several forms. The economy plan offers 163 meals per semester, the commuter express plan offers 80 meals per semester, and the light plan offers 35 meals per semester. YCMP is available to residential students with 54 or more completed credits, commuters, and graduate students, Monday through Sunday, at any dining commons and at many cash operations on campus. All three YCMP plans offer guest passes.

The Kosher meal plan is offered at a fee additional to any of the meal plans and includes dinner Monday to Friday only and for high holidays. It is served at the Hillel House, next to campus.

Retail Operations

Food Services operates three convenience stores located in Worcester, Franklin, and Hampden Dining Commons. Each stocks a variety of groceries, frozen foods, and sundries and is open daily. Food Services also offers snack bar services daily in Hampden and weekdays in Whitmore and the Physical Plant.

Various eateries, food courts, and food carts are located in the Campus Center/Student Union complex. Menu selections range from multicultural items to fast foods, gourmet coffees, fresh fruit smoothies, and cooked-to-order daily specials. The Coffee Shop offers a variety of grilled breakfast and lunch items. The Bluewall CafÈ provides gourmet coffee and fresh baked pastries. The Campus Center concourse offers a coffee cart for those in a hurry. Subscribers to Your Campus Meal Plan can use Campus Center cafÈs and the snack bars. Full catering is available for student, staff, and faculty events.

The University Club, tel. 545-2551, is open to students and their families during commencement and for catered events throughout the year.