UCSB RESIDENTIAL DINING offers students not living in the residence halls the option to eat in the University-owned dining commons during the academic year and during the summer with our Summer Meal Plans. This includes the three dining commons: Carrillo, De La Guerra, and Portola. Additionally, Off Campus Meal Plans include the opportunity to access Take Out at Ortega Commons.
What You Need To Know
- Please read all the information on this site before requesting a meal plan.
- We will start accepting Winter Quarter meal plan requests on 12/16/2024.
- Winter Quarter Meal Plans will activate on 01/06/2025.
- Once purchased, no meal plan change or cancellation request may occur until Week 2 of the Quarter, 01/13/2025, with the changes going into effect on Monday of Week 3, on 01/20/2025.
- Changes or cancellations may occur until week 7 of the Quarter, 02/17/2025, with the changes going into effect on Monday of Week 8, on 02/24/2025.
- Sign up online anytime during the quarter. Please refer to the grid below as an example of our weekly meal plan rates. The planned start week that you select indicates the rate for the remainder of the quarter.
- Meal plans are offered on a quarter by quarter basis, please sign up each quarter. Plans will automatically cancel at the end of each quarter.
- The purchase of this meal plan is for the meal plan holder only.
- The Off Campus Meal Plan may be used at De La Guerra, Carrillo and Portola Commons, and Takeout at Ortega.
- Meal plans run Monday-Sunday.
- Meals do not roll over to the following week.
- Excess meals are charged to the BA/RC account at the guest meal rate.
- A color photo ACCESS card with an RFID chip that will tap at the dining commons card reader is required for every meal. Cards printed after October 2021 have the necessary RFID chip.
- Black & White Access ‘ID’ cards, or cards without an RFID chip are not accepted.
- NOTE: You may begin accessing meals during the week selected on your online application. However, it may take up to 5-7 business days after your meal plan is active before charges appear on your BARC statements. At the dining commons lobby, please present the email confirmation received to your U-Mail account as a meal plan proof of purchase, until the meal plan has been assigned on to your Access Card.
- Meal plan changes must be made at least one week in advance of the desired change or cancellation. No changes or cancellations will be permitted for the current or past weeks.
- The Change and Cancel links will appear on the Off Campus Meal Plans website starting the second week of the quarter.
- The first opportunity to change or cancel a Meal Plan occurs during Week 2 of the Quarter, 01/13/2025, with the change going into effect on Monday of Week 3, on 01/20/2025.
- The last opportunity to change or cancel a Meal Plan occurs during Week 7 of the Quarter on 02/17/2025, with the change going into effect on Monday of Week 8, on 02/24/2025.
- Requesting a change to your meal plan means you are changing the number of meals purchased each week. If you need to change the dates of your meal plan you will need to cancel and purchase a new meal plan.
- When canceling online, please select from the price grid the week you wish to cancel your meal plan, your meal plan will be canceled for the remainder of the quarter based on the week selected. Only one cancellation request is necessary to cancel your meal plan for the remainder of the quarter.
- Only one cancellation per quarter is permitted.
- Learn more about how we design meal plans.
Current Meal Plan (Winter 2025)
We will start accepting Winter Quarter meal plan requests on Monday, December 16, 2024. Winter Quarter Meal Plans start on Monday, January 6, 2025. Once purchased, the first opportunity to change or cancel a Meal Plan occurs during Week 2 of the Quarter, with the change going into effect for Week 3, on Monday, January 20, 2025. The last opportunity to change or cancel a Meal Plan occurs on Sunday during Week 7 of the Quarter, with the change going into effect for Week 8, on Monday, February 24, 2025. Please read all the information on this site before requesting a meal plan.
- Important Dates
- Monday (01/06/25) = First meal served for Winter Quarter will be breakfast
- Friday (03/21/25) = Last meal served for Winter Quarter will be dinner
- Monday (03/24/25) = We will begin accepting Spring Quarter meal plan requests
- Meal Plan holders must obtain a colored Access card to participate in the meal plan.
- If an Off-Campus Meal Plan holder is directed to Quarantine or Isolate by a medical professional, we may pause the meal plan until the Off-Campus Meal Plan holder is cleared to return to the Dining Commons.
Meal Plan Pricing
Meal Plan Pilot
Through collaboration with student leaders, Campus Dining will implement a series of changes to meal plans for the 2024-25 academic year. These modifications address student needs and provide more flexibility for resident and non-resident meal plan holders. Providing a world-class dining experience for our students has always been our priority, and we appreciate the opportunity to partner with student leaders to improve our meal plan options.