Dietary Restrictions

UW Food Services accommodates most priority food allergens and common dietary restrictions. If you are thinking of living in campus housing and have a food allergy or celiac disease, please complete the accessible housing application.

Our Commitment to All Students

We make every effort to minimize risk for students with identified dietary restrictions and food allergies and have safely served many guests with restrictions in our residence dining facilities. All our staff receive food-safe handling training and know the importance of food safety and preventing cross-contamination. If you have an allergy or diet restriction, please let our staff know before ordering.

Please contact us if you have additional questions or concerns about how we can support your dietary accommodations on campus.

Look for our vegetarian, vegan, halal, made without dairy, and made without gluten dietary icons on menus across campus!

Food Allergy and Accessible Dietary Needs

Food Services at the University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility. If you are a student living in Campus Housing and you have a disability or medical condition (e.g., food allergy) that may require food-related accommodations, please complete the Accessible Housing form to let us know your needs. We will work with Campus Housing and any other applicable campus partners (e.g., Campus Wellness, AccessAbility Services) to support accessibility and accessible food needs.

Note: First-year students must register by June 1 to be a part of the Residence Guarantee application. Waterloo Residences or the University College Residences will use this information to find a room assignment that meets your needs. Please be sure to check off that you are registered with AccessAbility Services when you fill out your Residence Community Ranking Form

Once you have completed this, we encourage you to get in touch with Food Services by emailing us at foodserv@uwaterloo.ca. We can set up a meeting with our residence chef and registered dietitian to review available options and make sure you feel comfortable dining at Waterloo.

Food Allergy Disclaimer

The University of Waterloo does not have allergen-free food service facilities.

We cannot guarantee that food prepared on-site has not come into contact with allergens, and do not assume any liability for adverse reactions. The common allergens identified on our labels are based on ingredients listed in the recipe, and supplier product information.

While we make every attempt to identify ingredients that may cause reactions in people with food allergies, and inform our staff on the severity of food allergies, there is always a risk of contamination.

There is also the possibility that manufacturers may change product ingredients at any time and without notice. Customers concerned with food allergies need to be aware of this risk.

We encourage anyone who may need to use an auto-injector or other medication to carry that with them at all times while on campus.