Traditional Residence Meal Plans | UW Food Services

Chef serving a plate with a chicken burger and a side of housemade fries

Students eating together in the cafeteria

Students grabbing a bite to eat at their residence dining hall in Claudette Millar Hall (CMH)

As a student living in V1, REV or CMH, you must choose a traditional residence meal plan for each four-month term. You can use your meal plan at all UW Food Services eateries and franchises, which makes eating at Waterloo easy to fit in with your busy schedule!

What's in it for me?

You can head down from your room for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a quick snack – the eateries are open for long hours and the food choices are endless! Since the meal plans can be used at any of our 24 UW Food Services locations, you are getting tons of choice and convenience.

Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 Fees

**Residence Meal Plan Allowance per term**
Meal Plan Name	What do you pay?	Meal Plan Portion	Flex Dollar Portion	Overhead Deduction	Capital Improvement Allotment
Hearty	$3,615	$1,510	$500	$1,510	$95
Average	$3,365	$1,510	$250	$1,510	$95
Lite	$3,115	$1,510	$0	$1,510	$95

Note: Meal plan savings are only applicable during the term which the meal plan was purchased.

Lite

This is a great plan for students who enjoy eating out or going home on weekends or are light eaters!

Average

This plan offers the convenience of eating most meals on campus, with a couple meals a week eaten off campus!

Hearty

Choose this option if you plan to eat on campus seven days a week or can't get enough of our amazing food!

Note: Students are automatically enrolled in the Lite meal plan if they do not select an option. To change your meal plan, please visit the WatCard Frequently Asked Questions page for details and deadlines. Please note that Flex Dollars are not tax-exempt.

What does each column mean?

Meal Plan Portion: This portion is reserved for meal plans. It is tax-exempt and can only be used in UW Food Services locations. Every time you purchase food using your meal plan, you will get 50% off the set price.

Flex Dollar Portion: Flex dollars can be used at non-Food Services locations such as the book store, laundry, photocopying and the W Store. They can also be used at various off-campus partner restaurants and stores.

Overhead Deduction: The Residence Overhead Deduction is a crucial upfront payment that helps cover fixed costs at the start of the term. This deposit is gradually reduced each time you make a purchase at any of our Food Service locations, through a 50% price reduction applied at checkout.

Capital Improvement: This is a non-refundable amount used for capital expenditures that directly enhance residence dining environments, facilities and equipment. It is deducted from the meal plan cost and cannot be used to make food purchases.

What are Watcard Dollars?

Watcard dollars are used for additional on-campus services such as vending, laundry, buying textbooks, goods from the WStore, and even for buying food at participating off–campus restaurants also known as our Flex Partners. Check out our FAQ to find answers to common meal plan questions or contact us for more information!

I have a dietary restriction, will my meal plan provide enough options?

Food services can accommodate most common dietary needs and priority food allergens including vegan, vegetarian, halal, gluten and dairy. Our key message to students coming to Waterloo with food allergies or serious dietary restrictions is to self-identify! If you have a food allergy or dietary restriction, please contact Food Services before you move in. We will set up a meeting with your residence Chef and our Registered Dietitian to review available options and make sure you feel comfortable dining at Waterloo.

Please also complete the Housing Disability Verification Form to ensure housing accommodations. First-year students must register by June 1 to be a part of the Residence Guarantee application. Please be sure to check off that you are registered with AccessAbility Services when you fill out your Residence Community Ranking Form.

What happens if I have money left on my WatCard at the end of the term?

Any money remaining on your WatCard will automatically carry forward each term for as long as you are a student at UWaterloo.

Your meal plan discount only applies during the term in which you have purchased your meal plan. However, when you purchase a meal plan during a subsequent term, any meal plan money that has carried forward from a previous term will receive your current applicable discount.

Residence meal plan money transfers to your Transfer Meal Plan (MP) account to be spent at a UW Food Services eatery only and do not become Flexible Dollars. Any purchases you make at a UW Food Services location using Flexible Dollars or Transfer MP Dollars are not HST exempt.

The fine print

Federal and Provincial tax legislation prohibits the use of tax-exempt meal plan funds by individuals who are not qualified to receive these benefits. Only the WatCard holder may purchase meals. WatCard holders purchasing more than one meal at a time will be charged appropriate taxes on the meal with the lower value. All applicable discounts will be applied before taxes. For each transaction, the cashier will examine the photo on the WatCard to ensure that the person making the purchase is the WatCard holder. In all cases where the cashier suspects that somebody is using a WatCard other than the cardholder, the cashier must keep the card and prevent its use. The WatCard will be forwarded to the WatCard Office within four hours where it can be picked up by the proper cardholder at that time, or the next business day. Fraudulent use of WatCard funds to purchase food for other people may result in the loss of all discount and tax exemption privileges. The security of a WatCard remains the cardholder’s responsibility. WatCards should be treated like a credit or debit card. If a WatCard is lost or stolen the cardholder is responsible for all charges made to that card until the card is reported lost or stolen. A WatCard can be reported lost or stolen at any WatCard cash register on campus, at the WatCard Office, or online at the WatCard homepage. All WatCards are the property of the University of Waterloo.