RIT
Dining Services

Frequently Asked Questions

RIT meal plans, meal options, debit, and Tiger Bucks are placed on your RIT ID card. Sign-up for or change an RIT dining plan at mydining.rit.edu!

What if I forget my RIT ID card?
What if I lose my RIT ID card?
When is my meal plan available for use?
What if I don't use all my meals in a week?
What if I miss meals because of work and/or class conflicts?
Can I bring a friend?
How do I select/add or change my meal plan?
How can I put more money into my debit account?
What if I don't use all the money in my debit account?
Do you give refunds for unused meals/debit?
How do meal plans work during Fall Orientation?
What do I do for meals if I am on campus during a break week or arriving early?
What if I have a food allergy or special dietary restriction/need due to religious, health, etc. reasons?

What if I forget my RIT ID card?

We're sorry, but you will need to retrieve your RIT ID card in order to use your meal plan. You may also use cash to purchase meals. RIT ID cards are consistently checked by RIT employees preventing unauthorized use.

What if I lose my RIT ID card?

Report it lost immediately to Dining Services at (585) 475-2071 or in-person at the Dining Services Office located in the Student Alumni Union (SAU), room A410 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. RIT Public Safety may also be notified 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (585) 475-2853. Once reported, your card will be deactivated preventing unauthorized use. You can obtain a new RIT ID card at the Registrar's Office. You are responsible for any usage on the card up until the time you report it lost/stolen.

When is my meal plan available for use?

For the 2011-2012 year, your meal plan is available for use as outlined below:

Fall Term

Meal plan service begins with dinner on Friday, September 2, 2011 and ends with dinner on Saturday, November 19, 2011.

Winter Term

Meal plan service begins with brunch on Sunday, November 27, 2011 and ends with dinner on Saturday, March 3, 2012.

Please note: during break only your debit will be available for use from Sunday, December 18, 2011 through Saturday, January 7, 2012. Your meals will end with dinner Saturday, December 17, 2011 and resume with brunch on Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Spring Term

Meal plan service begins with brunch on Sunday, March 11, 2012 and ends with dinner on Friday, May 25, 2012.

Summer Term

Meal plan service begins with breakfast on Monday, June 4, 2012 and ends with dinner on Friday, August 17, 2012.

What if I don't use all my meals in a week?

Meals must be consumed within a given week (a week begins with breakfast on Monday and ends at midnight on Sunday), and cannot be accumulated, transferred, or refunded.

What if I miss meals because of work and/or class conflicts?

If meals are being missed due to work, classes, or schedule conflicts, please contact Dining Services at (585) 475-2071 or dining@rit.edu. You will be asked to provide your class/work schedule.

For students who are on a residential meal plan, take-out meals are available at Gracie's. Just ask the cashier for a take-out container. Please note that you can either take-out OR eat-in, not both.

Can I bring a friend?

Yes, treat you friend, family, co-worker, boss, adviser, or better yet - your professor! - to a meal at Gracie's or any Dining Services location. Just ask the cashier to deduct your guest's meal from your debit balance. Also, you'll receive a 15% discount in Gracie's when using debit accounts!

Additionally, students on Gracie's meal plans may use up to FIVE of his/her meals, per quarter, as a guest meal! When a guest meal is used, a meal is taken away from that week's remaining meals. Students may use any number of these guest meals to pay for 1-5 guests at Gracie's as long as the student themselves are eating with their guest(s).

How do I select/add or change my meal plan?

You can select/add or change a meal plan online at mydining.rit.edu/ or in person at RIT Dining Services (SAU, A410), Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

When you may select your dining plan for 2012 – 2013:

  1. Optional Meal Plans (fall, winter, spring, and/or summer terms) – available to select beginning July 1, 2012
  2. Required Resident Meal Plans – available to select once your RIT housing assignment has been finalized.
    1. a. Returning Students – available to select now
    2. b. Entering Students (freshmen, transfer, graduates) – available to select in June 2012

When you may change your dining plan:

Changes to dining plans may only be made during the first week of each academic quarter (fall, winter, spring, and summer) until 4:30 p.m. the Friday of that week.

TIP: Track your meal plan usage online at eservices.rit.edu!

How can I put more money into my debit account?

Visa and Mastercard deposits may be made anytime online at eservices.rit.edu. Cash, debit, check, and Visa/Mastercard deposits may be made in-person at Student Financial Services, located in the University Services Center, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Students may verify an account balance anytime online at eservices.rit.edu or with RIT Dining Services, a cashier at any dining location, the RIT Inn, and Student Financial Services.

Manage Your Dining Account Online

In addition to viewing your account balance and adding funds, you can also view your Dining Services account transaction history online. Log on to eservices.rit.edu to:

What if I don't use all the money in my debit account?

When a meal plan is purchased, Dining Services will roll-over the unused balance until the end of the academic year as follows:

Any-Plus and All Debit Plans:
For the 2011-2012 academic year, up to $57.56 of the debit plan balance and 100% of debit voluntarily deposited will be rolled over at the end of fall and winter quarter. Any unused balance at the end of spring quarter is forfeited.

For the 2012-2013 academic year, up to $59.88 of the debit plan balance and 100% of debit voluntarily deposited will be rolled over at the end of fall and winter quarter. Any unused balance at the end of spring quarter is forfeited.

Optional Debit Plans 1, 2, and 3:
100% of the unused portion of the debit plan balance and 100% of debit voluntarily deposited will be rolled over at the end of fall and winter quarter. Any unused balance at the end of spring quarter is forfeited.

Debit balances cannot be transferred to a Tiger Bucks account.

Do you give refunds for unused meals/debit?

Please refer to the following guidelines regarding a refund of unused meals/debit:

Mandatory meal plans - A refund of unused meals/debit cannot be refunded unless a student is officially released from the residence halls or the RIT Inn either through 1) withdrawal from the university (graduation does not constitute withdrawal) or 2) academic or disciplinary dismissal. When released from the residence halls or the RIT Inn, the account holder may receive a partial refund on his/her dining plan in accordance with the refund schedule (see below).

Debit plans – If released by RIT, or deciding to opt-out of a dining plan, the account holder may receive a partial refund on his/her dining plan in accordance with the refund schedule (see below).

Debit voluntarily deposited - A refund of unused debit voluntarily deposited into the account is only available if the account holder 1) withdraws from the university (graduation does not constitute withdrawal); or 2) incurs an academic or disciplinary dismissal. A five percent processing charge will be deducted from the refund.

Refund Schedule:

Weeks 1–4: 75% of the unused meal/debit charges are refunded.

Weeks 5–9: 50% of the unused meal/debit charges are refunded.

Weeks 10–11: There will be no refund.

Any unused balance at the end of the spring quarter is forfeited. Eight percent sales tax will be assessed to the used portion of the account holder’s plan. Refunds will be applied to the account at Student Financial Services.

How do meal plans work during Fall Orientation?

Your complimentary Orientation meal plan begins with dinner on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. The number of meals allotted to you from Wednesday, August 31 dinner until Friday, September 2 lunch is equivalent to the meal plan you selected for the fall. All-you-care-to-eat meals can only be eaten in Gracie’s (located in Grace Watson Hall) and two meals during this time can be used in any Dining Services facility for a meal credit of $6.90. Students must have their University ID Card in order to access their dining accounts. Families and students are encouraged to dine on campus during the Family Orientation program. Family meals are not included in the Orientation fee, but are available on a cash basis, at reasonable prices in open Dining Services facilities. Visit the website for a list of on-campus dining locations. Be sure to pick up your University ID Card at the Orientation Welcome Center and Resource Fair on Wednesday, August 31, 2011.

During Fall Orientation, your debit account will be available beginning on the first day of Orientation until the start of the fall meal plan period.

Fall quarter meal plans and meal options begin with dinner on Friday, September 2, 2011. Meal options can be used in any Dining Services facility for a meal credit of $6.90. Students will have two meal options available for use during the first weekend (Friday, September 2 dinner – Sunday, February 4 dinner). Meal plans and meal options (5 options per week) will be replenished each Monday beginning September 5, 2011.

First-year commuter students and Transfer students will be able to use their University ID card to receive complimentary meals during Orientation.

What do I do for meals if I am on campus during a break week or arriving early?

If you are on campus during a break week or arriving early, please contact Dining Services in advance via email at dining@rit.edu, phone at (585) 475-2071, or in person at the main Dining office located in the Student Alumni Union (SAU), room A410 so that your debit account can be made available. Please note that dining location hours are limited during break weeks. Please refer to the Hours link on the left hand side of the page.

What if I have a food allergy or special dietary restriction/need due to religious, health, etc. reasons?

Students with any dietary needs due to medical reasons, religious reasons, family medical history, and/or food allergies should contact the RIT Student Health Center at (585) 475-2255. It is also important to contact RIT Dining Services’ registered dietitian, Mary Anne McQuay, at mamfsa@rit.edu to provide the special diet and food allergy information necessary to accommodate your dietary requirements. Mary Anne will contact you personally to discuss the right food options available to you in the RIT dining locations.

To promote healthy eating and to accommodate various dietary restrictions/needs, such as food allergies, Celiac disease, and religious restrictions, RIT Dining Services offers a number of services and resources through our Smart Nutrition program including: