<p>Im sure someone starts this thread every year. What would you advise a new student concerning the meal plan and the food in general?</p>
<p>Well, when I was a freshmen I got the 14 meal a week plan. That worked out well for me. As a junior next year, I've only signed up for 10 meals a week because I like to eat out a fair amount (there are some great cheap restaurants around here).</p>
<p>14 meals is more than enough for most people.</p>
<p>As low as you are allowed to sign up for. My freshman year, there wasn't a meal plan, so I never had to sign up for the 14 meals/week that they require freshmen to sign up for. But I had to take a meal plan for each of the next three years (except the semester I was abroad), and I always signed up for the 8 meals/week plan and I always had lots of meals left over at the end of the semester.</p>
<p>That said, I didn't ever eat breakfast in the pit. I know a few people who make it a point to go to breakfast every day, and they always signed up for the 14 meals/week plan.</p>
<p>Not sure if I'm remembering the options correctly, but when D was incoming freshman 2 years ago, she signed up for 17 meals/week (I think) for the 1st semester. She knew she would doing Crew, working out a lot, and usually going to breakfast. Found out she had meals left over, so downgraded to 14/week for 2nd semester and all of sophomore year, which seemed to work out well. She realized pretty quickly that her bank balance was taking a hit if she went out to eat as much as some of her friends. (We pay for her meal plan.)</p>
<p>So what I’m hearing, the unlimited plan would be a waste of money. Just concerned because D is a picky eater but we know she’d eat Chick-fil-A all day if she could. Heard complaints about the pit but that’s so subjective. So I’m still struggling for the right balance – how to keep my kid alive without wasting a lot of money.</p>
<p>Unlimited is a huge waste of money, I think. And Chick-fil-A isn't on the meal plan anyway, unless you get one of the ones that includes Benson Food Court (unless they've changed it since last year).</p>
<p>I've heard, from a reliable source, that the all-in-one plan will include Subway, IS food court and Starbucks in addition to Benson.</p>
<p>Yup, the Deacon all in one plan gives a lot of flexibility, but if Im figuring this correctly, based on 16 weeks, it comes out to a little over $8.00 per meal. Thats pretty steep.</p>