2026-2027 Meal Plans Terms & Conditions
Mandatory Meal Plans
Mandatory Meal Plans are required for students living in Rice, Loyola, and Vanier Residences. Family and Graduate Housing students are not required to have a meal plan. All Mandatory Meal Plans are charged to the student account with the university. Meal Plans can only be used by the assigned meal plan holder with a valid SMU Student ID card. Meal Plan holders may not share their meal plan and/or SMU Student ID with others. The Meal Plan holder must present their Student ID card at the register, already taken out of their wallet/plastic sleeve, to access their meal plan. Misuse of student meal plans can result in disciplinary actions and loss of meal plan access.
Voluntary Meal Plans
Voluntary Meal Plans are available for Commuter, and Family and Graduate Housing students. Voluntary Meal Plans can also be added onto the Mandatory Flex Dollar Plan for students in Rice and Loyola South. Voluntary Meal Plans can NOT be charged to the student account and are to be purchased separately on our website or in-person at the Food Services Office in Loyola 206. Voluntary Meal Plans can be used only by the assigned meal plan holder with a valid SMU ID card. Meal Plan holders may not share their meal plan and/or SMU Student ID with others. The Meal Plan holder must present their Student ID card at the register already taken out of their wallet/plastic sleeve to access their meal plan. Misuse of student meal plans can result in disciplinary actions and loss of meal plan access. Voluntary Meal Plans are non-refundable. They are, however, valid for the full school year.
Loyola North and Vanier Residences: Meal Plans
Students living in these residences are defaulted to the 7 Day All Access Plan with Flex Dollars. The minimum Mandatory Meal Plan requirement for those living in Loyola North or Vanier Residence is the 5 Day All Access Plan. Students can choose to change to the 5 Day All Access Plan by contacting the SMU Dining Offices at dining@smu.ca. The Flex Dollar Meal Plan is NOT available for Loyola North or Vanier Residence Students.
Rice Residence and Senior Apartments: Meal Plans
Students living in these residences are defaulted to the Flex Dollar Meal Plan. The minimum Mandatory Meal Plan requirements for those living in Rice Residence, or Loyola South/Vanier Senior Apartments is the Flex Dollar Plan. Students can choose to upgrade to the 5 Day or 7 Day All Access Plan by contacting SMU Dining Offices at dining@smu.ca. Students with the Mandatory Flex Dollar Meal Plan are also able to purchase meal plan add-ons to boost their Mandatory plan. Please see meal plan descriptions below:
MEAL PLANS
7 Day All Access Plan
Residence Type: Loyola North, Vanier, Rice, Senior Apartments, Anyone can upgrade to this plan
Meals: All-you-care-to-eat access to the Dockside Dining Hall 7 days per week
Flex Dollars: $262.50 per semester
Price: $6,990 (Fall: $3,466 / Winter: $3,524)
5 Day All Access Plan
Residence Type: Loyola North, Vanier, Rice, Senior Apartments, Minimum Meal Plan for Loyola North & Vanier
Meals: All-you-care-to-eat access to the Dockside Dining Hall 5 days per week (Monday to Friday)
Flex Dollars: $262.50 per semester
Price: $6,615 (Fall: $3,280 / Winter: $3,335)
Mandatory Flex Dollar Plan
Residence Type: Rice, Senior Apartments, Minimum Meal Plan for Rice & Senior Apartments (ex: Loyola South), Not Available for Loyola North or Vanier
Meals: Choose your meals or shop at food retail places, your way! Minimum $525 Flex Dollars per year, no meals included.
Flex Dollars: $262.50 per semester
Price: $525
Voluntary: Easy 75
Residence Type: Rice, Senior Apartments, Commuter Plans, Not Available for Loyola North or Vanier
Meals: 75 meal swipes at Dockside Dining Hall! Can be used all year long until meals swipes are depleted!
Price: $995
Voluntary: Booster 50
Residence Type: Rice, Senior Apartments, Commuter Plans, Not Available for Loyola North or Vanier
Meals: 50 meal swipes at Dockside Dining Hall! Can be used all year long until meals swipes are depleted!
Price: $700
Voluntary: Taster 30
Residence Type: Rice, Senior Apartments, Commuter Plans, Not Available for Loyola North or Vanier
Meals: 30 meal swipes at Dockside Dining Hall! Can be used all year long until meals swipes are depleted!
Price: $450
Meals
Meals can only be used at the Dockside Dining Hall for Dine-In food services. Usage of one meal is defined as one entry into the Dockside. Reminder: Dockside Dining Hall is open full-time from September to April only, not during the Spring and Summer Terms. Your SMU ID card must be presented for entrance to the dining hall. Please Note: SMU Dining Staff reserve the right to refuse service and can report individuals who are acting in a threatening or ill-mannered way to SMU Residence; including but not limited to removal of items.
7 Day All Access Plan offers unlimited all-you-care-to-eat access 7 days per week within dining hall operating hours during the academic year (September - April).
5 Day All Access Plan offers unlimited all-you-care-to-eat access 5 days per week, Monday to Friday, within dining hall operating hours during the academic year (September - April). If a student does not dine at the location on designated days, these eligible “meals” do not carry over into Saturday or Sunday. Any unused meals are forfeited. The designated 5 Day period of Monday – Friday is non-negotiable.
Voluntary Easy 75 is a voluntary meal plan intended as an add-on for students living in Loyola South and Rice Residence with a Mandatory Flex Plan, or for Commuter Students (off campus). The 75 meals are valid for breakfast, lunch or dinner at Dockside Dining Hall, and are valid for the full academic year (September – April). Please Note: This meal plan is non-refundable.
Voluntary Booster 50 is a voluntary meal plan intended as an add-on for students living in Loyola South and Rice Residence with a Mandatory Flex Plan, or for Commuter Students (off campus). The 50 Meals are valid for breakfast, lunch or dinner at Dockside Dining Hall, and all valid from the academic year (September – April). Please Note: This meal plan is non-refundable.
Voluntary Taster 30 is a voluntary meal plan intended as an add-on for students living in Loyola South and Rice Residence with a Mandatory Flex Plan, or for Commuter Students (off campus). The 30 meals are valid for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Dockside Dining Hall, and are valid for the full academic year (September – April). Please Note: This meal plan is non-refundable.
Faculty Meal Plans
The current SMU Faculty & Staff Meal plan is a voluntary meal plan intended as an add-on for university faculty and staff workers. Student workers cannot purchase or share this plan. The 10 meals are valid for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Dockside Dining Hall, and are valid for the full academic year (September – April). SMU Dining Cards will be provided if a faculty or staff member does not have a current SMU ID card. These meal plan swipes are to be used only by set meal plan holders and are not to be transferred or shared between parties. Please note: This meal plan is non-refundable.
Faculty & Staff:
SMU Faculty & Staff Plan
University Faculty & Staff
Not Available for ANY on/off campus students, student workers, or outside university workers/visitors
10 meal swipes at Dockside Dining Hall!
Can be used all year long until meals swipes are depleted!
Price: $125
Flex Dollars: Declining Balance
SMU Dining Meal Plans include a predetermined Declining Balance amount called “Flex Dollars”. Flex Dollars are accessible using your Student ID at any SMU Dining location. This card must be presented for all transactions for on-campus dining. Flex Dollars are only used for food and beverage consumption. Flex Dollars can be used at the C-Store, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Student Union Building Food Court, The Gorsebrook Lounge, Sandwich Shack, Hey Chef, and the door rate for entry at the Dockside Dining Hall. View our locations and menu page to see what locations accept Flex Dollar Payments.
Users should treat their Declining Balance accounts (Flex Dollars) like cash. SMU Dining is not responsible for any losses to any Declining Balance accounts or misuse. Students may check their Flex Dollar balances by asking SMU Dining cashiers, checking their receipt, on the Hey Chef app, or by emailing dining@smu.ca Flex Dollars are non-refundable, and cannot be exchanged for cash or credit.
Unused Flex Dollars will carry over from Fall to Winter term for all Meal Plans if the student has any meal plan in the Winter Term. Unused Flex Dollars will expire at the end of the Fall term for Meal Plans if a Winter Plan is not purchased (ex: if the student is not returning to live on campus). All Mandatory Meal Plan Flex Dollars expire and are forfeited based on the Saint Mary’s University Academic Calendar – the last day of Final Exams on December 21, 2026, or April 21, 2027.
Meal Plan Changes
The last day to change Meal Plans without penalty is based on the Saint Mary’s University Academic Calendar Last Day Final Payment of Fees (September 18, 2026 - for Fall, January 15, 2027 – for Winter). After this cutoff date, Meal Plan users can no longer change to a Meal Plan of lesser value.
Meal Plan members can upgrade to a Meal Plan of greater value at any time. Meal Plans will be prorated based on the remaining number of dining days in the term. Meal Plan members will see a prorated charge for the original Meal Plan and the new Meal Plan selection. It may take up to 3-5 Business Days for changes to be seen on student accounts. Any concerns regarding charges can be directed to dining@smu.ca with Student Number and Full Name.
Any changes made after the Saint Mary’s University Academic Calendar Last Day for Final Payment of Fees will not be prorated. Any usage between the beginning date of Meal Plans until cutoff date will be charged accordingly to the student account upon charging of meal plans. There is no cutoff date for Meal Plan upgrades.
Meal Plan Withdrawals
Students who withdraw from Residence before Residence ‘move in day’ will not be charged for their Meal Plan or the University $65 admin fee.
Students who withdraw from 7 Day or 5 Day Meal Plan before the Saint Mary’s University Academic Calendar Last Day for Withdrawals will be charged the University admin fee of $65, meal plan admin fee of $262.50, plus the prorated daily rate.
Students who withdraw from the Flex Dollar Meal Plan before the Saint Mary’s University Academic Calendar ‘Last Day for Withdrawals’ will be charged the prorated daily rate.
If withdrawing after the cutoff date ‘Last Day for Withdrawing’, the student will be charged the full amount of their meal plan.
Voluntary Meal Plans
Voluntary Meal Plans can be purchased by Family & Graduate Housing Apartment Residents and Off Campus Students. The Flex Dollar Plan, 5 Day Plan and 7 Day Plan, Easy 75, Booster 50, and Taster 30 Plans are all eligible to purchase voluntarily. Please note: these meal plans are non-refundable.
All Mandatory Meal Plan Policies discussed in this document apply for voluntary plans with the exception of payment by the student account.
Voluntary Meal Plans must be paid for in full directly to SMU Dining, in person in the Food Service Office in Loyola 206, or online at smu.ca/food under the “Choose a Meal Plan” with a valid credit card. Voluntary Meal Plans cannot be charged to the student account.
MEAL PLAN ACTIVITY
First Day of Meal Plans
FALL 2026 TERM DATE: September 5, 2026, at 11:00am
WINTER 2027 TERM DATE: January 2, 2027, at 11:00am
Changing Meal Plan to one lesser value/Changing Meal Plan to one greater value without prorating
SMU ACADEMIC CALENDAR DAY: Last Day for Final Payment Fees
FALL 2026 TERM DATE: September 18, 2026
WINTER 2027 TERM DATE: January 15, 2027
Meal Plans Withdrawals
SMU ACADEMIC CALENDAR DAY: Last Day for Withdrawing
FALL 2026 TERM DATE: November 16, 2026
WINTER 2027 TERM DATE: February 22,2027
Final Day for Meal Plans
SMU ACADEMIC CALENDAR DAY: Last Day of Final Exams
FALL 2026 TERM DATE: December 21, 2026 from 8:00am to 10:00am
WINTER 2027 TERM DATE: April 21, 2027 from 8:00am to 10:00am
All meal plans are valid only for the terms purchased. All Fall and Winter Meal Plans expire based on the Saint Mary’s University Academic Calendar on the day of End of Final Exams for the respective term. All unused Meals and Flex Dollars will expire and are forfeited at the End of Final Exams for the Winter Term. If a student does not return for the Winter Term, all unused Meals and Flex Dollars will expire and are forfeited at the End of Final Exams for the Fall term.
Dining Cards
Dining Cards may be purchased at the SMU Dining offices located in Loyola 206 on Saint Mary’s University campus. Dining Cards. They should be treated like cash; any lost or stolen funds are the responsibility of the card holder. Replacement Dining cards can be requested from SMU Dining with the proper photo identification from the account owner. As of 2021, SMU Dining has upgraded the Dining Cards. Please contact SMU Dining at dining@smu.ca to request an updated dining card featuring the new Saint Mary’s University brand. This card must be presented for all meal entries and transactions for on-campus dining.
DINING SUPPORT
dining@smu.ca
902-420-5599
SMU DIETITIAN
dietitian@smu.ca
902-496-8121
SMU Dining Support
Do you need help with dining? We are happy to help you navigate meal plans, process meal plan changes, and answer general dining or retail questions. A part-time Registered Dietitian is available to assist students with special diet needs, allergies, or intolerances. The Dietitian offers free consultations to all meal plan holders.