In addition to your meal plan, both the 49er Account and the Optional Dining Account reside on your UNC Charlotte 49er ID Card. Simply make a deposit and the accounts are instantly activated!

Meal Plan Eligibility

Campus Dining for Vegetarians and Vegans

Meal Plan Dining

A meal plan purchase provides these advantages: 

• Convenience: One card for all campus dining purchases
• Savings: Purchases are up to 8.25% SALES TAX FREE!
• Variety: many places to eat on campus
• Flexibility and Lifestyle: Meal plans to fit your dining needs; night and weekend dining
• Favorite Flavors: Many popular, national brands 
• Diet Preferences: Vegetarian, vegan and healthy options available at every meal

Students who live in residence halls without private kitchens are considered to be living in “required housing,” and must choose a meal plan as part of the housing contract. These residences include the high-rise halls Moore, Sanford, Scott, Holshouser, and the suites in Hawthorn, Lynch, Oak, Witherspoon, Cedar, Hickory, Sycamore and Miltimore.

UNC Charlotte two basic types of meal plans — Traditional and Block — with choices available within each type.

Traditional Plans

Students assigned to the high-rise residence halls – Moore, Sanford, Scott and Holshouser — and the suite-style halls, — Hawthorn, Lynch, Oak, Witherspoon, Cedar, Hickory, Sycamore and Miltimore — are required to purchase a Meal Plan.

Traditional Meal plans H, A, B and C have two parts:
The first part is the number of meals provided per week taken in either the Residence Dining Hall or Crown Commons Union Dining, our two all-you-care-to-eat dining facilities. The number of meals allotted resets weekly.

The second part is called Declining Balance, or DB. It is a specific allotment of funds that can be used at any campus dining venue, including retail locations such as Einstein Bagels in the Student Union or Chick-fil-A in the Prospector building. DB funds can also be used for concessions and for goods from the four Outtakes convenience stores on campus. We offer Traditional Meal Plans with varying amounts of set meals and Declining Balance so that students can choose what best suits their college lifestyle.

If, for example, Traditional Meal Plan C is chosen (the most popular choice), a student may eat 10 meals a week at RDH or Crown Commons. There will also be $400 in DB funds available to spend on other meals, snacks or Outtakes convenience items over the course of the semester.

• H 19 meals/week. . . . .$1,825
  $100 DB/semester
• A 14 meals/week. . . . .$1,825
  $200 DB/semester
• B 12 meals/week . . . . $1,940
  $300 DB/semester
• C 10 meals/week
  (most popular plan). . . $1,940
  $400 DB/semester

Block Meal Plans

Block Meal Plans are constructed just like Traditional Meal Plans, in that they consist of two parts: a set number of meals and a specific amount of Declining Balance, "DB" funds. Advantages are also the same. The difference is that Block Plan meals are set by the semester, not by the week. So if your student chooses Block Plan D, they have 150 meals for the semester and $100 in DB. They can eat those meals at RDH or Crown Commons. Unused meals do not roll over from one semester to the next and any unspent Declining Balance also does NOT roll over.

Block Meal Plans Selection And Price

• D 150 Meals per semester. . . . $1,550
  $100 DB/semester
• E 125 Meals per semester. . . . $1,475
  $175 DB/semester

All Declining Balance Meal Plans

An All Declining Balance Meal Plan is a debit account that may be used at any campus dining location, on-campus convenience stores and concessions. Any unused balance will carry over through the last summer session in the academic year of your purchase. Please refer to the Member Dining Eligibility chart as these plans are limited primarily to commuters and students in non-required housing.

• F   $1,730 DB
• G  $1,230 DB
• K     $660 DB

Optional Dining Account

An Optional Dining Account (ODA), while not a meal plan, is another type of dining debit account that can be used at all campus dining locations, including Outtakes convenience stores. ODA is available to all students; deposits can be made anytime during the year. Unused remaining balance rolls over from semester to semester, year to year, as long as the student is enrolled. This account can save up to 8.25% in sales tax with every dining purchase.

For any resident student, ODA can supplement a meal plan and may be used when declining balance (DB) funds have been spent. ODA is also a convenient choice for students who live in Laurel Hall, Greek Village or on-campus apartments.

Best Value Optional Dining Account

Charlotte 500/300 Membership Packages

Charlotte 500: With $500 deposit, receive 5 FREE meals at member dining locations RDH and Crown Commons.

Charlotte 300: With $300 deposit, receive 3 FREE meals at member dining locations RDH and Crown Commons.