Carthage Meal Plans
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Your meal plan and dining options are important parts of your college experience. Carthage offers several meal plan options for residential and commuter students. Our goal is to match each and every student with the perfect meal plan that meets and exceeds your expectations.
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All Carthage meal plans include Meal Swipes, Meal Exchanges, and Birdie Bucks (Go, Firebirds!). Here’s what those terms mean:
MEAL SWIPES
For residential students, Meal Swipes are loaded onto your card weekly. Students on any meal plan (Standard, Unlimited, Flex 1, Flex 2, Commuter) can use one Meal Swipe per day on a Meal Exchange in the Student Union, Redzone, or Lentz Do Lunch. Unused Meal Swipes do not roll over to subsequent weeks and expire each week on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m.
For commuter students, Meal Swipes do not expire each week, and can be used until the end of the academic year, at which point they expire.
Meal Swipes can be used at:
- The Caf (for all-you-care-to-eat dining)
- Campbell Student Union restaurants*
- RedZone convenience store*
- Lentz Do Lunch*
* Meal Exchange only
MEAL EXCHANGE
One Meal Exchange equals one Meal Swipe.
Meal Exchange options are specific menu items at noncafeteria food outlets that are equivalent to a Meal Swipe in The Caf. You’ll find Meal Exchange options at the Campbell Student Union restaurants, Red Zone, and Lentz Do Lunch. Mix and match items to the dollar amount associated with a Meal Exchange.
Meal Exchanges are accepted at:
- Flex Kitchen
- Lentz Do Lunch
- Pacific Harbor
- Re.Fuel
- The Local Scene
Students can use one daily Meal Exchange on the Standard, Flex 1, and Flex 2 Plans anytime.
Students on the Premium Plan can use 3 Meal Exchanges a day, with a limit of one Meal Exchange per period.
Daily meal periods are as follows:
- Period 1 — 7-10:59 a.m.
- Period 2 — 11 a.m.-4:29 p.m.
- Period 3 — 4:30-7:29 p.m.
- Period 4 — 7:30 p.m.-close
BIRDIE BUCKS
One Birdie Buck equals $1.
Birdie Bucks included in meal plans are loaded onto your card by semester. Residential and commuter students can add additional Birdie Bucks to their cards at any time using the GET App. Unused Birdie Bucks included in meal plans will roll over from the fall to the spring semester but expire at the end of the academic year. Birdie Bucks added using the GET App do not expire until a student graduates.
Birdie Bucks can be used at the following locations:
- The Caf (though it’s best to use Meal Swipes here)
- Campbell Student Union restaurants
- Red Zone convenience store
- Lentz Do Lunch
- Starbucks
- Campus Bookstore (apparel, branded goods, supplies, and non-course materials)
Carthage Meal Plans
- Residential meal plans are purchased for an entire academic year based on a 15-week semester.
- Meal Swipes are deposited weekly on Sundays; unused swipes expire on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m.
- Birdie Bucks included in meal plans are deposited on the first day of each semester; unused Birdie Bucks expire at the end of the academic year.
- Guest Passes expire at the end of each semester; Parent Passes expire at the end of the academic year.
STANDARD PLAN
Total cost per semester: $2,205.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 210 (14 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $300 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Parent Passes (per year) *Freshman meal plans ONLY | 2 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Premium Plan
Total cost per semester: $2,750.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | Unlimited daily swipes in the Caf |
Birdie Bucks |
$180 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Parent Passes (per year) *Freshman meal plans ONLY | 2 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges* | 3 per day* |
* 3 daily Meal Exchanges are allowed. Limit one Meal Exchange per period. Daily meal periods are as follows:
Period 1 — 7-10:59 a.m.
Period 2 — 11 a.m.-4:29 p.m.
Period 3 — 4:30-7:29 p.m.
Period 4 — 7:30 p.m.-close
- Residential meal plans are purchased for an entire academic year and are based on a 15-week semester.
- Meal Swipes are deposited weekly on Sundays; unused swipes expire on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m.
- Birdie Bucks included in meal plans are deposited on the first day of each semester; unused Birdie Bucks expire at the end of the academic year.
- Guest Passes expire at the end of each semester; Parent Passes expire at the end of the academic year.
STANDARD PLAN
Total cost per semester: $2,205.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 210 (14 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $300 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Flex 1 plan
Total cost per semester: $2,205.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 150 (10 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $675 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Flex 2 Plan
Total cost per semester: $2,205.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 105 (7 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $1,030 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Premium Plan
Total cost per semester: $2,750.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | Unlimited daily swipes in the Caf |
| Birdie Bucks | $180 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 3 per day* |
* 3 daily Meal Exchanges are allowed. Limit one Meal Exchange per period. Daily meal periods are as follows:
Period 1 — 7-10:59 a.m.
Period 2 — 11 a.m.-4:29 p.m.
Period 3 — 4:30-7:29 p.m.
Period 4 — 7:30 p.m.-close
Birdie Bucks Plan — Seniors only
Total cost per semester: $2,205.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 0 |
| Birdie Bucks | $1,870 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 0 |
| Commuter Plan A | 25 Meal Swipes for $250 |
| Commuter Plan B | 50 Meal Swipes for $450 |
Commuter Meal Plans can be purchased as needed in blocks of 25 or 50 throughout the academic year. Commuter Plan Meal Swipes can be used in The Caf and Lentz Do Lunch. Commuter Plan Meal Swipes expire at the end of the academic year. Birdie Bucks can be added to commuter student ID anytime via the GET App. Birdie Bucks are accepted at all dining locations on campus, including Starbucks.
Carthage’s J-Term is held every January between the fall and spring semesters.
- During J-Term, the Standard Plan (14 swipes a week) is the only meal plan available to residential students enrolled in an on-campus course due to reduced dining service operations. Students will resume their normal plan when the spring term begins.
- Residential students enrolled in a J-Term course that is a travel tour, will not have a J-Term meal plan provided for you. If you are spending time on campus before or after your study tour, you may purchase a J-Term Booster Pack of 10-meal swipes for $79.50 if you so choose. These swipes can be used in The Caf or once daily as a meal exchange. You can purchase a J-Term Booster Pack at the register in The Caf at any time during operating hours. Unused Booster Pack meal swipes expire on the last day of J-Term.
- During J-Term, commuter student Meal Block Plans remain active and function the same way as they do in the fall and spring semesters.
- Residential students wishing to add additional meals can add a J-Term Booster Pack — 10 meal swipes for $79.50 — at any time during J-Term. These swipes do not roll over to the spring semester and must be used prior to the conclusion of J-term.
- Weekly swipe deposits are on Sundays; unused swipes expire on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m. Residential and commuter students can add additional Birdie Bucks using the GET App anytime. Students can still redeem 1 daily Meal Exchange during J-Term.
- Due to a smaller student population during J-Term, Caf, CSU outlets, and Starbucks hours will vary.
Need to grab a meal to go? No problem! Every meal plan comes with a “Green Box” virtual token good for a to-go container you can fill with your selections. Check out a “Green Box” from The Caf. Then just return the container to refresh your token and use again.
Faculty and staff meal plans can be purchased in a block of 10 meals for $65.00 (plus tax). Faculty are allowed one daily Meal Exchange (see glossary above for more information). Faculty and staff can also add Birdie Bucks (formerly Carthage Cash) to their cards to use at any campus dining location or the bookstore.
Monitor your meal plan
Monitor your meal plan balances through the GET app.