FAQ

Yes, students are permitted to use their guest swipes in dining centers. Students without a meal plan can use cash, credit or Bearcat Card dollars to purchase a meal.

Dining is committed to providing a high-quality experience to the UC community.

We will continue to provide a variety of hot meal options at all of our dining center locations. Types of food include: grill, home-style, stir-fry, vegan/vegetarian, soup and salad, deli sandwiches, pizza and pasta, international dishes and more.

Complete menu and nutrition information will be available via our Campus Dish website.

Fall 2023 meal plan start date is August 14.

If you purchase a meal plan after meal plan service has started, it may take up to 48 hours to load to your Bearcat Card.

You can use your meal plan swipes at one of our following dining locations:

• Bearcats Café - Carryout and Limited seating
• Bleecker Street Café on Blue Ash campus
• Campus View Café - Meal Exchange
• Teachers Cafe - Meal Exchange
• CenterCourt - Dine in
• Cincy Grill  - Meal Exchange
• DAAP Café - Meal Exchange
• MarketPointe- Dine in 
• On The Green (OTG) - Dine in
• Qdoba - Meal Exchange after 2 p.m.
• StadiumView Café - Dine in and Carryout

Use your Bearcat Dollars at any available on-campus food location.

First Year residential students are required to purchase the All-Access Meal Plan and are not eligible to request a meal plan change. This requirement is included in the terms & conditions of the Housing Agreement. If you have questions about your plan, please contact us at UCFood@uc.edu.

If you are a first-year student with special circumstances that affect your use of the dining centers, you may be eligible to complete a petition request. Petitions to be released from the Meal Plan must be received by the Housing Office by the dates specified in the Housing Agreement to be considered for the following semesters. Release from the meal plan is considered for financial and dietary concerns. Dietary issues include medical or religious concerns. The Medical Documentation form included in the petition packet must be completed and submitted by your physician. Other release requests with appropriate documentation will be considered on an individual basis. 

Students who are eligible to purchase a Campus Dining Pass plan and would like to request a change to their plan can complete the meal plan change request form. The deadline to request a change is the first day of meal plan service.

First-year residential students are identified by the year of their Tuition Guarantee Cohort listed in Catalyst, and not based on the number of college credit hours earned. Entering college with more than 30 credit hours does not automatically exempt a student from the All-Access meal plan.

You can meet with our  full time registered dietitian Samantha Krutka. 

Please call 513-556-6461 or email UCFood@uc.edu.

All first-year students with a university housing agreement are required to purchase a residential meal plan.

Participation in the meal plan is an important part of the support system provided by living on campus. It is one element that enhances the academic efforts and social adjustment of new students and provides health and convenience benefits to all students.

Upper-class students and first year students that are commuters can choose to purchase a Residential Meal Plan or a Campus Dining Pass plan. They are not required to purchase a meal plan, however they must adhere to all meal plan change/cancellation policies once a plan is purchased. 

YES! We offer the Campus Dining Pass to upper-class students living in the residence halls, commuting students, faculty, and staff. 

Meal Exchanges are defined as a meal swipe used at a retail location (Cafes or inside TUC). In simple terms, anytime a student uses their meal plan to get food outside of the dining halls, a meal exchange happens.

Meal Exchange can be used at the following locations:

• DAAP Café
• Campus View Café
• Qdoba after 2 p.m.
• Cincy Grill
• Bleecker St. Café (UC Blue Ash)

Bearcat Card (BCC) dollar amounts can be added to the student’s ID throughout the year. Bearcat Card dollars may be spent at any on-campus food location (including the Dining Centers) as well as any off-campus location participating in the Bearcat Card program. Bearcat Card funds carry over from one semester to the next, and a refund of any unspent Bearcat Card dollars is available upon request at the end of spring semester or upon leaving UC.

For more information visit the Bearcat Card website.  

Bearcat Card Dollars are available for purchase separately from the All Access Meal Plan. This allows students to have increased flexibility in determining the desired amount of BCD, as opposed to having a fixed amount. In light of this change, we have decreased the expense of the All-Access Meal Plan noting the removal of 150 BCD per semester from the meal plan.

Simply add to your account in person at the MainStreet Connection Center or online at the Bearcat Card website.

You can look up your account balance on the Bearcat Card website.

Students can purchase more than one Campus Dining Pass each term. Just keep in mind that unused swipes do not carry over to the next semester.

Unused meal swipes carry over week to week, however they expire at the end of each semester.

Yes. The All-Access meal plan allows you to treat up to 15 guests per semester. Swipes from all Campus Dining Pass plans can be used to treat guests.

YES! Dining Centers allow students, faculty, staff, parents, and the community to meet and enjoy all-you-care-to-eat dining in one easy location. Dining Centers accept Meal Plans, the Bearcat Card dollars, credit cards, and cash.