<p>I was just wondering what exactly the dorm food situation was. I'm planning on living in San Jacinto, but I was wondering if San Jacinto has an actual cafeteria buffet style place to eat, or if it's just a restaurant (Cypress Bend?). And if it's not a cafeteria style food place, are there any dorms that have a place like that? I also know that you get $1400 in dine in dollars, which can be used at only UT owned places, but does that mean you get $1400 a semester or a year? Also, are the UT restaurant prices reasonable? Or is it hard to budget that $1400? Thanks in advance for the help</p>
<p>Cypress bend is a cafateria style, but it’s not all you cant eat.</p>
<p>I believe that it is 1400 dine-in dollars for the year with 300 Bevo bucks that can be used off campus. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. I’m not sure how hard it is to budget. My tour guide (skinny as hell) said he finished his money up with a 1/3 or 1/4 of the year left, but he said he eats a LOT even though it doesn’t seem like he would. He said that it should last, but let’s see if others can chime in on here to give us more insight.</p>
<p>(The off-campus restaurants are awesome. I ate at one that I can’t remember the name of, but it was a lot of food for a great price. I was very pleased with what I got for what I paid. I got more than I expected. I’m not sure if this is typical, but I’m hoping that those restaurant owners realize that they are feeding college kids and serve up great portions like that restaurant I ate at!)</p>
<p>Yeah, @ViggyRam is right about the money info. You get $1400 dine in dollars, can be used at all of the dining halls and the pizza place and “market” in Jester. You also get $300 Bevo bucks that you can use at certain places on campus, like the fast food places in the union or student activity center, and some places around campus. The food and housing site has a list of all the places that accept Bevo bucks.</p>
<p>As for budgeting it really depends on where you eat, and how much you eat. The $1400 is for the entire year, and as of now I have just over $100 left with about 3 weeks of class left. I wouldn’t say I’ve budget though… I just don’t eat at the dining halls much anymore (at least this semester) because I’m incredibly sick of the overpriced cafeteria food. The food bascially stays the same all year, and there are only so many times you can eat a turkey sandwich or shells and cheese lol. Bevo bucks run out pretty quickly though. You use these for the laundry rooms and “fun stuff”, but you can easily refill them. I’ve probably added and extra $150 dollars onto my card, and have about $15 left right now.</p>
<p>San Jacinto has a food place which is like Littlefield Patio cafe (by honors quad), Kins Market (in Kinsolving), and JCL (In jester). These are places where you can get single items and drinks and stuff. I don’t recommend eating there unless you get a combo. </p>
<p>The way a lot of people use up their dining dollars is eating at places like Cypress Bend and such. If you stick to the buffet style places, which are cheaper than most single items at the other places, you should be fine for the year. </p>
<p>It’s not hard to budget, and sometimes if you don’t want to eat at J2 or Kinsolving (the two buffet style dining halls) or they are not open, eating at the other places isn’t bad if you get a special combo which they have plenty of. Beware though, if you get items a la carte you will pay exorbitant prices. I actually see the JCL type places almost like scams.</p>
<p>It’s not that hard to budget, just take my advice and DON’T start using your ID to pay for things at places like JCM and Kin’s Market… the prices are insane (6 dollars for a small box of cereal at Kin’s Market) but every time you go you’ll think “oh, well, it’s okay if I use my Dine-in-Dollars just this once…” go to CVS and use regular money. Also don’t go overboard eating at Cypress, Littlefield, or JCL. I did and now I’m a bit tight on money, to say the least… haha</p>
<p>1400 dine in dollars plus 300 bevo bucks is PLENTY. Trust me. I eat a meal a day at the cafeterias (mostly at J2) and I’ve been living in the dorms for two years now. I usually have maybe a breakfast bar or granola bar for breakfast (buy in bulk from Sam’s Club or Costco) and I have some boxes of water in my room. I usually end up with ~600 dine in dollars and ~150 bevo bucks by the end of the year that is rolled over to the next year. I am at a pretty health weight also (not to skinny, not fat).</p>
<p>To give an example if you don’t budget well (or if you have weird eating habits/hours like me)</p>
<p>I ran out of $300 bevo bucks at the end of first semester.
I ran out of $1400 dine in dollars this past March.</p>
<p>That’s if you eat at JCL/Kins Market/Wendys (basically NOT the buffets) 2-3 times a day.</p>