Students posing around a dining table.

Meal Plans

Here for you!

On behalf of a very enthusiastic Yale Hospitality team, welcome to Yale! Our entire team is here to ensure your experiences at Yale are memorable – and delicious!

Students will have the opportunity to update their fall 2026 meal plan August 28 – September 18, 2026 via the Yale Hub.

At Yale, the (14) dining halls are at the heart of the residential college experience. They are the place where you meet with your friends and community to share meals, fostering a true sense of community, belonging, and home-away-from-home feeling. Yale Meal Plans also offer access to retail dining options across campus, including The Schwarzman Center (featuring Commons, Ivy, Elm, and The Bow Wow), Steep Café, and more.

For those with unique dietary needs, we have resources to help you eat safely and with peace of mind. Ask for what you need – we’ve got you covered!

To help guide you, please find the 2026-2027 academic year meal plan information below!

Quick comparison

Meal Plan Eligibility Cost (2026/2027) Meals Per Week Points Guest Swipes
Full Plan Undergraduate students of any year, living on or off campus; this plan is required for first-years $4,760 USD per semester Unlimited swipes at all 14 residential dining halls $300 total points per semester to be used in our retail locations 5 per semester for use at our residential dining halls only
Flex Plan Sophomore through senior year undergraduate students, living on or off campus $4,760 USD per semester 14 weekly meal swipes at all 14 residential dining halls, limit one meal swipe per meal period $600 total points per semester to be used in our retail locations 10 per semester for use at our residential dining halls only
Connect (Off-Campus) Plan Undergraduate students, living off campus only $1,935 USD per semester 5 weekly meal swipes at all 14 residential dining halls $375 total points per semester to be used in our retail locations N/A
Grad Plan Graduate and professional students only $385 USD per semester N/A $400 total points per semester to be used in our retail locations N/A

Yale Hospitality provides flexible food options throughout the (14) residential colleges and designated retail dining locations. Opportunities and important information for Meal Plan holders are as follows: 

  • Dine In at your choice of the (14) residential college dining halls (Full, Flex, Connect Meal Plans)
     
    • Full Meal Plan: Only one (1) meal per meal period can be redeemed by students at Slifka. Multiple swipes cannot be used in both Slifka and any of the (14) residential dining halls during the same meal period. Conversely, if you dine in a residential dining hall during a meal period, you will no longer be eligible to use a swipe at Slifka for that same meal period.
  • Pre-Order your choice of Smart Meals for lunch and/or dinner
     
    • Full Meal Plan: Only one (1) Smart Meals per meal period can be redeemed by students. Multiple swipes cannot be used for both a Smart Meal and a dine-in option during the same meal period. Conversely, if you dine in a residential dining hall or Slifka during a meal period, you will no longer be eligible to order a Smart Meal during that same meal period. 
  • Dietary Accommodations: These are managed through Yale Hospitality’s Registered Dietician. View helpful information and contact us
  • Religious Accommodations at Slifka: Contact us

  • Meal Plan swipes are not transferable to others — they can only be used by the meal plan holder.
  • Meal Plan swipes indicate one (1) swipe per meal period (Flex, Connect Meal Plans)
    • Unused swipes do not transfer to future weeks nor do they have refundable value.
    • The Full Meal Plan is the only plan offering multiple swipes per meal period.
  • Remaining points from Fall semester will roll over to the Spring semester, but all points will expire at the end of the academic year.
  • Specific “dining points pricing” will be available for lunch at Commons. 
  • Meal plans are only valid during the specified academic year term and cannot be redeemed. View the Hours & Locations page for more information.
  • Guest swipes are complimentary meals provided by Yale Hospitality for students to use for family and friends.
  • Refunds of meal plan payments are not permitted unless a student is leaving the University early in a semester or under other very extenuating circumstances.
  • This policy is governed by the University. View Yale College Undergraduate Regulations for more information.
  • Additional meal plan questions? Please contact us at yale.hospitality@yale.edu

Find the best plan for you. Watch an informational video about our meal plans.

My account & meal plan

Undergraduate meal plans

  • Full Plan

    Required for all first-year students. The full plan includes Unlimited Meals at all (14) residential dining halls, plus guest passes.

  • Flex Plan

    Offers the flexibility to upper-level students. You’ll have opportunities to eat in all (14) residential dining halls as well as use your points at retail locations.

  • Connect (Off-Campus) Plan

    The Connect Meal Plan offers a combination of meal swipes for residential dining halls and dining points for retail locations for students who chose to live off-campus.

Graduate meal plans

  • Grad Plan

    This plan gives graduate and professional students a bank of points to use across campus at our retail locations.