Dining on Campus

Saint Mary's has partnered with Notre Dame's Campus Dining Services to provide the best nutrition and expanded options within the tri-campus community. Belles now have the option to eat at any dining hall on all three campuses at no additional cost. Flex Points are replacing Munch Money and can be used at all Saint Mary's and Notre Dame retail dining locations including Au Bon Pain, Hagerty Family Cafe, Starbucks, Smashburger, and many more. And our new, expanded service, includes nutritionists and a culinary team that can handle a wider variety of needs including allergies and food sensitivities like never before.

The cost to the student is $2,560 each semester for a total of $5,120 per academic year. Returning students receive 15 meal swipes per week plus $250 in Flex Points each semester. This plan ensures sufficient meals for all students with the built-in options, increasing the number of Flex Points that were previously offered under the Sodexo plans. New and incoming students have a choice of two plans and can opt to receive 19 meal swipes weekly plus $100 in Flex Points each semester OR 15 meal swipes per week plus $250 in Flex Points each semester. Additional Flex Points can also be purchased by all students as needed.

Better Than Ever

Saint Mary's is committed to providing the best dining experience to students, faculty, and staff. Starting in fall 2020, we're excited to be partnering with the University of Notre Dame's Campus Dining Team as our new dining service providers. We believe this update will give all students an enhanced and expanded level of service across all three campuses.

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FAQs

+How much more will I pay for the new plan?

There is no change in cost. The full mean plan will be the same cost as the former Sodexo plans.

+Do I still need a Coex ticket to eat at ND?

No. All Saint Mary’s students with meal plans will now be able to use their meal swipes to eat at the University of Notre Dame dining halls, free of additional charge. Saint Mary’s students with meal plans will also be able to use their meal swipes at Holy Cross College’s dining hall.

+Will I still have Munch Money or do we now get Domer Dollars? Where can I use them?

The Munch Money program has been replaced by a Flex Points program, administered by the University of Notre Dame. Flex Points may be used at the 1844 Grill as well as at all Notre Dame retail dining locations (e.g., Au Bon Pain, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Hagerty Family Cafe, Modern Market, Star Ginger, Starbucks, Subway, Smashburger, Taco Bell, De Grasta, Charron Family Commons, Decio, and Cafe Commons, among others). As an added bonus, Saint Mary’s students may also use Flex Points for mobile ordering and pickup from Notre Dame retail dining locations via GrubHub.

+I have food allergies or dietary restrictions for personal or religious reasons. Who can I contact about this?

Our new dining program is better able to accommodate students with allergies and other dietary restrictions. A full-time nutritionist ensures that all students’ needs are met. If you find the new options are not meeting your needs, students should submit an email request to studentaffairs@saintmarys.edu to initiate a meeting with the Meal Plan Review Committee.

+I live off campus, will there be a plan for me?

To meet the needs of students residing off campus, Saint Mary’s will be offering a variety of flexible options. These options will be announced to students living off campus and to all graduate students as soon as details are finalized, later this month.

+What happened to the Belle’s Blue option?

The Belle’s Blue plan has been discontinued. It will be replaced by a variety of options for students residing off campus and for graduate students. Out of our commitment to our community’s health and safety in a COVID-19 environment, all undergraduate students living on campus for the 2020–21 academic year will be required to maintain a full meal plan.

+I was planning on getting a Belle’s Blue plan. Can I get more financial aid to cover the increase in cost?

When we calculate your financial aid award, we do not know what meal plan you will sign up for. To maximize the amount of aid that the College provides, we assume all undergraduate students living on campus will incur expenses for a full meal plan. Because of this, financial aid packages already accommodate this change and no additional financial aid can be awarded. 

+I am a senior who had planned to live on campus but, because of this change, no longer want to do so. What steps should I take?

Seniors are allowed the option of living off campus and may still do so. Because your bill from the College will not include the cost for a residence hall room, it is possible that your financial aid award will need to be adjusted. Please contact financial aid by emailing finaid@saintamarys.edu or by calling (574) 284-4557 to ensure a full understanding of how moving off campus will impact your financial aid package.

+I am a Senior who had planned to live in Opus but, because of this change, I would like to move to a room somewhere else on campus. What steps should I take?

We would be happy to accommodate this. Please contact the Office of Residence Life at ResLife@saintmarys.edu so they can walk you through the process. 

+I’m an athlete and have struggled with the Noble Family Dining Hall’s hours. Will the dining hall be open late enough for me to eat?

Our new dining program will feature additional healthy options for all students who require late-night meals. These options will be available at the 1844 Grill after the Noble Family Dining Hall closes, payable via meal swipe. Students participating in teams, clubs, and other programs on the University of Notre Dame campus will also have late-night options available to them on Notre Dame’s campus, including Notre Dame dining hall access until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. At the Saint Mary’s campus, late night meals will be provided through the use of a meal swipe at the 1844 Grill in exchange for a dining hall meal.

+The Sodexo plan had unlimited dining but the Notre Dame plan limits me to 15 meals per week. Shouldn’t I be paying less?

The most popular Sodexo plan was a block meal plan that offered 160 meals per semester, equating to just over 10 meals per week. This new plan offers more meals weekly and more Flex Points than this previous block plan but for the same price. This is undoubtedly a better deal for our students!

Regarding the previous plan’s claim to unlimited dining, options were severely limited at many hours of the day due to low traffic. This elicited frustration and complaints from our student community. The new program ensures a high quality, richly varied dining experience for all students as well as the assurance of decreased food insecurity across campus.

+Will the 1844 Grill, Spes Unica Cafe, and Murphy’s Cafe be open in the fall?

To ensure the safest and most virus-free environment for our students, the Saint Mary’s campus dining program will feature a number of changes for the 2020–21 academic year. One change is the reduction in dining venues that remain operational on campus. Accordingly, the 1844 Grill and Noble Family Dining Hall will be the only dining venues that remain fully operational this year. We look forward to a post-COVID environment and the opportunity to reopen our other venues.