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Cornell University

Cornell Dining

Meal Plans & Rates

Enjoy the convenience of cash-free dining — and save money — with a Cornell Dining meal plan! With just a swipe of your Cornell ID card you can access Cornell Dining's dining rooms for a reduced price, and make tax-free food purchases at our cafés, food courts, coffee houses, and convenience stores. Choose from a variety of meal plans to find the option that best meets your needs and lifestyle. Our plans feature a combination of meal swipes for dining room meals, Big Red Bucks for tax-free food purchases, and bonus meals for guests.

A non-refundable $50 administrative fee is charged once each academic year upon enrollment in most meal plans.

Meal Plan Requirement:
  • All undergraduate students living in on-campus housing* are required to enroll in a meal plan. This requirement applies to all undergraduate students who entered Cornell in the 2021-2022 academic year and after. 
  • Students subject to the requirement will be automatically enrolled in the Unlimited plan or the House Meal Plan.
  • The Unlimited plan is required for first-year undergraduates. All students living in the West Campus House System (WCHS) are required to participate in the House Meal Plan.   
  • Except for those living in the WCHS, upper-level and transfer undergraduates may opt into the Bear Traditional plan or the South Campus Meal Plan, depending on residence.  The SFL Supplemental plan is another option for members of some Sorority & Fraternity Life (SFL) organizations.

* On-campus housing that is subject to the meal plan requirement includes: North and South Campus Residence Halls, the West Campus House System, Program Houses, McGraw Place Residences, and the Townhouse Apartments.

Students on a Cornell Dining meal plan can also take advantage of the sick tray service:

  • Sick trays are available to students who are ill and unable to come to a dining unit for a scheduled meal. Sick trays can be picked up at any residential dining room at breakfast, lunch, or dinner by emailing another student and copying dining@cornell.edu to request the sick tray. The email must include student name, card ID number and any allergies or food sensitivities. The student can either bring the paper email or show the email on their phone to pick up the sick tray.  One meal will then be deducted from the plan's weekly meal balance. The student will not be permitted to use another meal in the dining rooms for that meal period.

Dining room prices: 2024-2025

Everyone is welcome to eat at our dining rooms. Students who don't have meal swipes can pay with Big Red Bucks, staff can pay with MealChoice, and anyone can pay with a major credit card. Pricing may vary for unit specials or kosher holiday meals.

Big Red Bucks Price:

  • Breakfast: $9.95
  • Continental Breakfast at Houses: $7.15
  • Lunch M-Sa: $14.05
  • Dinner: $17.40
  • Sunday Brunch: $15.50

Door Price (tax included):

  • Breakfast: $10.95
  • Continental Breakfast at Houses: $7.90
  • Lunch M-Sa: $15.50
  • Dinner: $19.20
  • Sunday Brunch: $17.10

MealChoice (tax included):

  • Breakfast: $9.85
  • Continental Breakfast at Houses: $7.10
  • Lunch M-F: $7.50
  • Lunch Sat: $13.95
  • Dinner: $17.30
  • Sunday Brunch: $15.40

Children 7-12 (tax included):

  • Breakfast: $5.50
  • Continental Breakfast at Houses: $3.95
  • Lunch M-Sa: $7.75
  • Dinner: $9.60
  • Sunday Brunch: $8.55