How do meal credits work?
A dean from the Graduate School can provide you with a set number of meal credits (or “swipes”) for a specific time frame during a semester. You can then swipe your Brown ID at Brown dining facilities to use the credits.
Can I check my meal credit balance?
You can check the number of meal credits you have remaining at any time by logging in to MyCard.brown.edu.
Where can I use meal credits?
You can use meal credits at the following locations: Sharpe Refectory, Verney-Woolley, Andrews Commons, Josiah's, the Ivy Room, and the Blue Room (summers only). Check the Dining Services website for hours and seasonal closures. Please note that the School of Engineering cafe does not accept meal credits and the Blue Room does not accept meal credits during the fall and spring terms.
How often can I get meals with my meal credits?
Students are either provided with a certain number of meals per day over a period of time (e.g. one meal credit per day for two weeks) or a total number of meals over a period of time (e.g. 25 meal credits over four weeks). Regardless of the number of meal credits provided, students are not able to use more than one meal credit per meal period.
Meal Periods
Breakfast - 7:30-11:00 am
Lunch - 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Dinner - 4:00 pm until close of dining facility
How much food does a meal credit get me?
Sharpe Refectory and Verney-Woolley offer 'all you care to eat' dining and one meal credit (one swipe of your card) will allow you to eat as much as you want while in the dining facility or to take one to-go container home with you. At other locations, there may be 'combo' options available for one meal credit (these could include, for example, two slices of pizza, fruit, and a beverage) as well as food priced with dollar amounts. When purchasing meals in dollar amounts, one meal credit is equivalent to $9.25. If a meal purchase exceeds that amount, you will be responsible for paying the difference at checkout. For example, if your food purchase totals $11.25, you can use one meal credit ($9.25) and will need to pay the remaining $2 out of pocket.
What do I do if my meal credit swipe doesn’t work?
Once in a while there are technological hiccups and a student’s meal credits don’t show up when they swipe their card at a dining facility. If you find yourself in this situation, you’ll need to manually sign in with your name and a note that your meal should be charged to the ‘Graduate School E-Gap’ (the Dining Services staff member at checkout will help you with this). If you run into any trouble using your meal credits, please let the Associate Dean (either Maria Suarez or Alicia LaPolla) know as soon as possible so we can look into the problem and get it resolved.