Dining
Western Illinois University Dining Services recently went through a dining contract update. Returning students will notice some changes to the new meal plan and we have highlighted the most frequently asked questions below. Keep in mind our new meal plan is designed for students to eat in the residence halls.
What has changed?
We've moved from retail pricing to residential pricing.
What does that mean?
This means it is substantially cheaper to eat in the residence halls. Prices in the residence halls have been significantly reduced to provide a more inclusive meal plan. Retail pricing at Einsteins and Chick-fil-A in the Union Food Court, Dividends in Stipes Hall, and the C-Store in the University Union remains the same.
How does this affect me?
Your meal plan costs are now built in with your housing costs as "Room and Meal Plan". You will no longer notice a separate line on your bill for your meal plan.
You will also notice your meal plan has a smaller beginning balance than in the past. This is because fixed costs in the residence halls have been taken off the top and removed from the price at the register. This means food prices in the residence halls has dropped siginificantly.
As mentioned above, retail pricing at Einsteins and Chick-fil-A in the Union Food Court, Dividends in Stipes Hall, and the C-Store in University Union remains the same. If you choose to primarily eat at these locations, you will exhaust your meal plan at a much quicker rate. Check out the balance card below to see how much you should be spending each week.
| Fall Semester Week Beginning |
Account Balance |
Spring Semester Week Beginning |
|---|---|---|
| AUG 21 | $864 | JAN 15 |
| AUG 28 | $810 | JAN 22 |
| SEPT 4 | $756 | JAN 29 |
| SEPT 11 | $702 | FEB 5 |
| SEPT 18 | $648 | FEB 12 |
| SEPT 25 | $594 | FEB 19 |
| OCT 2 | $540 | FEB 26 |
| OCT 09 | $486 | MAR 4 |
| OCT 16 | $480 | MAR 11 |
| OCT 23 | $432 | MAR 18 |
| OCT 30 | $378 | MAR 25 |
| NOV 6 | $324 | APR 1 |
| NOV 13 | $270 | APR 8 |
| NOV 20 | $216 | APR 15 |
| NOV 27 | $162 | APR 22 |
| DEC 4 | $108 | APR 29 |
| DEC 11 | $54 | MAY 6 |
| DEC 18 | $0 | MAY 13 |
| To stay on budget, the balance should be approximately the above each Monday morning. | ||
Download Fall 2023 & Spring 2024 Balance Card PDF
Can I still add more money to my meal plan if I need to?
Yes! You may add additional dollars to your meal plan at any time by visiting STARS. Any extra money you add will be dollar-for-dollar.
Still have questions?
Email us at Sodexo@wiu.edu
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