Dining Plans

Dining Fuels Your Experience

Life at Virginia Tech doesn’t happen in one place or on one schedule. It moves between classes, meetings, activities, and friendships. With dining locations across campus and food being served 19 hours a day, your dining plan becomes part of your daily rhythm. Your dining plan isn’t just a purchase; it’s part of how you navigate campus life with confidence.

Rather than a fixed number of meals per week, our plans work like a debit card using Declining Balance Dollars. Every purchase is deducted from your balance, which can be easily checked online at Hokie SPA or at the register in a dining center.

Dining plans are individual and intended to support your own daily needs. While you’re welcome to occasionally treat a guest, plans are designed to fuel your experience throughout the semester. Buying a dining plan to be used collectively by more than one individual or used to pay for other individual's meals on a recurring basis, is a conduct violation and will be dealt with accordingly.

*Off‑campus students can add a dining plan at any time to stay fueled during busy days on campus.

Choosing a Dining Plan

Choosing a dining plan is about more than meals, it’s about how you fuel your day at Virginia Tech. From early classes and long labs to late nights, game days, and everything in between, the right plan helps keep your experience running smoothly.

When deciding which plan is right for you, consider where you’ll be living and how often you’ll be eating on campus. Your routine matters. Whether you’re grabbing breakfast on the way to class, meeting friends between lectures, or spending long days on campus, your dining plan should fit the way you live and move through your Hokie experience.

Students Living On Campus

All students living on campus are required to have a dining plan to ensure consistent access to meals and support a healthy, engaged campus life.

• First‑year students living on campus are required to choose from one of the Unlimited dining plans, which provide unlimited swipes at all-you-care-to-eat dining centers and built‑in flexibility for unpredictable schedules.
• Upper-year students living on campus may choose from Unlimited or Maroon dining plans, depending on how often you plan to eat on campus and how much flexibility you want.

Dining plans are designed to fuel students throughout the day, whether it’s a quick stop between classes or a longer meal that turns into a study session or conversation with friends.

Students Living Off Campus

Dining plans are optional for students living off campus, but many off‑campus Hokies choose a plan for the convenience, flexibility, and value it provides.

Off‑campus students can select from Unlimited, Maroon, or Orange dining plans. These options are designed to supplement off‑campus living by making it easy to eat on campus during long days filled with classes, meetings, or activities.

For students who spend a significant amount of time on campus, an Orange dining plan is a popular option — offering flexible declining balance dollars and added value to help stretch food budgets while staying fueled throughout the day.

Managing Your Plan

Dining Plan Timeline

• Fall 2026 Dining Plans Begin Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 7 a.m.
• Fall 2026 Dining Plans End Sunday, January 3, 2027 at the close of business.
• Spring 2027 Dining Plans Begin Monday, January 4, 2027 at 7 a.m.
• Spring 2027 Dining Plans End Wednesday, May 12, 2027 at the close of business.

Meal Exchanges

Think of a Meal Exchange as a pre-decided meal deal at a specific location. Discover your meal exchange options below.

Declining Balance Dollars

Download the Declining Balance Dollar Use Guide to keep tabs on where you should be with your DBD spending.

Other Options

Dining Dollars

Dining Dollars work like a debit card and can be used at any of our venues on campus. The plan is available to off-campus students and employees and provides the convenience of being able to eat at our venues between or after classes or work.

Students using Dining Dollars receive a 5 percent discount on all purchases and don’t pay sales tax. Employees do not receive a discount. Deposits can be made in increments of $15 to $1,500 and remain on your account for as long as you’re a student at Virginia Tech. (Note: The balance of unspent Dining Dollars is refundable upon graduation, minus a $15 processing fee.)

Hokie Passport Account

Students can also use their Hokie Passport account at Virginia Tech dining centers. The account – which is accepted at local restaurants, on-campus convenience stores, and university bookstores – does not receive a discount at Dining Services venues.

Adding Money to Your Account

Deposits on any dining plan can be made online throughout the year at HokieSpa. Information about deposits, balances, and transaction history can also be found at Hokie Passport Services.

Plan holders can also make deposits at a cash-to-card machine, which are located at:

• Squires Student Center
• Student Services Building
• West End at Cochrane Hall

For more information, please visit Cash to Card Machines.

Deposits can also be made by cash or check at Hokie Passport Services in the Student Services Building on campus at 800 Washington Street, SW.

Dining Dollars will remain on your account for as long as you’re a student at Virginia Tech. (Note: The balance of unspent Dining Dollars is refundable upon graduation, minus a $15 processing fee.)