how does the full plate thing work with the colonial cash

Colleges and Universities A-Z George Washington University
1

<p>It sounds like a freshman is supposed to put $3400 on a debit card and use it at the fast food restaurants on campus - doesn't sound too healthy - but now there is this "full plate" thing that lets you go to an all you can eat nicecafeteria with healthier food for 3 meals a week for $375 or 6 meals a week for $699; do they subtract this from the $3400? How does this work?</p>

<p>Being able to go sit in a nice place and eat whatevery you want without evaluating the price of everything sounds good. More like a traditional college meal plan.</p>

2

<p>I'm pretty sure the Colonial Cash system allows you to spend your money on fast food places, restaurants on AND off campus, bookstore, grocery store, and more. It's not limited to fast food joints.</p>

3

<p>Yes, there are 50 or 60 restaurants where you can eat using your Colonial Cash card, but at each one you need to evaluate the price of each item you buy, except for the "full plate" thing, where you can pay for a semester of 3 meals a week for $375 or 6 meals a week for $699. Do Freshmen have to put $3400 on the card and if you opt for the the full plate thing, would it be, say $2701 regular colonial cash and $699 full plate thing?</p>

<p>There are fast food places on campus and some fancy restaurants near campus on the list, and I recognize that you can use your colonial cash for books and ipods - I am trying to figure out the food service. I cut and pasted the list of available restaurants below. No where where you can just sit down and take whatever you want from a salad bar or help yourself to fruit or to soft serve - traditional college dining hall stuff, from which it is quite possible to put together healthy meals. The full plate thing sounds good but I don't really understand it in the context of the annual amounts one puts into colonial cash.</p>

<p>Agua Ardiente
1250 24th Street, NW
202-833-8500
<a href="http://www.agua-ardiente.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.agua-ardiente.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Armand's Pizza
1140 19th Street, NW
202-331-9500
<a href="http://www.armandspizza.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.armandspizza.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Aroma Restaurant
1919 I Street, NW
202-833-4700
<a href="http://www.aromarestaurant.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.aromarestaurant.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Au Bon Pain
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-887-9215
<a href="http://www.aubonpain.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.aubonpain.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Bambu Sushi Bar
5101 MacAuthur Boulevard, NW
202-364-3088
<a href="http://www.bambudc.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.bambudc.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Bertucci's
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-296-2600
<a href="http://www.bertuccis.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.bertuccis.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Capitol Grounds
2100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
202-293-2057</p>

<p>The Burro
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-293-9449</p>

<p>Casey's Coffee
508 23rd Street, NW
202-223-4762</p>

<p>Charlie Chiangs
1912 I Street, NW
202-293-6000
<a href="http://www.charliechiang.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.charliechiang.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Chen's Gourmet
5117 MacArthur Boulevard, NW
202-364-8313
<a href="http://www.chensgourmetdc.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.chensgourmetdc.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Cluck-U-Chicken
2921 Georgia Avenue, NW
202-726-0006
<a href="http://www.cluckuchicken.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cluckuchicken.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Cone E. Island
2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
202-822-8460 </p>

<p>DCSnacks.com (formerly CampusSnacks.com)
202-333-FAST (3278)
<a href="http://www.dcsnacks.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.dcsnacks.com&lt;/a> </p>

<p>DJ's Fastbreak
2145 G Street, NW
202-429-0230</p>

<p>Domino's Pizza
2029 K Street, NW
202-223-1100
<a href="http://www.dominos.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.dominos.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Eli's Restaurant
1253 20th Street, NW
202-785-4314</p>

<p>Fetoosh
3277 M Street, NW
202-342-1199</p>

<p>Figs Fine Foods
4828 MacAuthur Boulevard, NW
202-333-7773</p>

<p>Froggy Bottom Pub
2142 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-338-3000
<a href="http://www.froggybottompub.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.froggybottompub.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>G.W. Delicatessen
2133 G St., NW
202-331-9391</p>

<p>Grace Bamboo
3206 Grace St, NW
202-333-6889 </p>

<p>Haagen-Dazs
3120 M Street, NW
202-333-3443
<a href="http://www.haagen-dazs.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.haagen-dazs.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Hunan Peking
3251 Prospect Street, NW
202-337-8888
<a href="http://www.geocites.com/hunanpeking%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.geocites.com/hunanpeking&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Java Green
1020 19th Street, NW
202-775-8899
<a href="http://www.javagreen.net%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.javagreen.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Juan Valdez Cafe
1889 F St., NW
202-464-1360</p>

<p>Juice Zone Cafe
1921 I Steet, NW
202-223-9663
<a href="http://www.juicezone.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.juicezone.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>La Prima
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-887-1000
<a href="http://www.laprimacatering.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.laprimacatering.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The Little Cafe
3288 M Street, NW
202-333-7677
<a href="http://www.bistromeddc.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.bistromeddc.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Manny & Olgas
1641 Wisconsin Ave.
202-337-1000
<a href="http://www.mannyandolgas.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mannyandolgas.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The Magic Gourd
528 23rd Street, NW
202-466-3995</p>

<p>The Market at Columbia Plaza
516 23rd St, NW
202-223-3517</p>

<p>Mehran Restaurant
2138 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-342-0056</p>

<p>News Cafe-Italian Kitchen
3056 Grace Street, NW
(202) 965-5535</p>

<p>Nirvana
1810 K Street, NW
202-223-5043</p>

<p>One Fish Two Fish
2423 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-822-0977</p>

<p>Panda Cafe
2138 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-337-3366 </p>

<p>Pane Bella Pizzeria
1015 20th Street, NW
202-457-0000 </p>

<p>Pangea Artisian Market and Cafe
2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
202-872-6432
<a href="http://www.pangeamarket.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pangeamarket.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Papa John's Pizza
2525 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-293-7272
<a href="http://www.papajohns.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.papajohns.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The Perfect Pita
1015 20th Street, NW
202-974-0343 </p>

<p>Philadelphia Cheesesteak Factory
3347 M Street, NW
202-333-8040 </p>

<p>Philadelphia Pizza Co.
1201 34 Street, NW
202-333-0100 </p>

<p>Pizza Italia
1917 F Street, NW
202-589-0899
<a href="http://www.pizzaitaliaonline.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.pizzaitaliaonline.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Pizza Mover's
1618 Wisconsin Ave., NW
202-333-9199</p>

<p>Quick Pita
1210 Potomac Street, NW
202-338-7482 </p>

<p>Quizno's
1710 G St., NW
202-408-0008
<a href="http://www.quiznos.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.quiznos.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Rumi Restaurant
2001 L Street, NW, #100
202-331-2055</p>

<p>Singapore Bistro
1134 19th Street, NW
202-331-2055</p>

<p>Sizzling Express
538 23rd St., NW
202-659-1234
<a href="http://www.sizzlingexpress.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.sizzlingexpress.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Snap: Crepes and Bubble Tea
1062 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW
202-965-7627
<a href="http://snapcrepes.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://snapcrepes.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Subway
2033 K Street, NW
202-833-1363
<a href="http://www.subway.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.subway.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>TGI Fridays
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
202-872-4344
<a href="http://www.dc.myfridays.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.dc.myfridays.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thai Coast
2514 L Street, NW
202-333-2460
<a href="http://www.thaicoast.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.thaicoast.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thai Place
2134 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
202-298-8204
<a href="http://www.thaiplacedc.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.thaiplacedc.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
<a href="http://www.vaccarospastry.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.vaccarospastry.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Wasabi
908 17th Street, NW
202-822-0646
<a href="http://www.wasabisushi.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.wasabisushi.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Washington Deli
1990 K Street, NW
202-331-3344
<a href="http://www.washingtondeli.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.washingtondeli.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Wingo's
3207 O Street, NW
202-338-2478
<a href="http://wingos.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://wingos.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

4

<p>You can use your $3400 colonial cash to pay for the full plate meal plan. You are correct. It is the most like a traditional college cafeteria style plan.</p>

5

<p>There are actual places you can get salads and fruit. There's one in J Street food court in Marvin Center. Others are located in Ivory Tower and Columbia Plaza. </p>

<p>The other side of health and wellness is exercise. GW students walk, a lot! Between all my classes and errands, I'm probably walking anywhere between 4-6 miles a day. The campus gym has a great incentive plan that gives rewards for students who complete certain numbers of hours of exercise in the gym. There are numerous group excerise classes students can register for from pilates to yoga to cardio kickboxing. There are even 1 credit exercise classes students can register for to relieve stress and get healthy in the normal class schedule.</p>

<p>Thinking outside the box, there are dance student organizations like ballroom, ballet and hip hop that provide their own dance classes. Joining a sports team at the non-varsity level always and most definitely helps!</p>

<p>Staying healthy at GW is just like life at GW, you tailor to your needs.</p>

6

<p>Just a point of information about the J Street Cafe, where the full-plate plan is available. According to the dining website, it's hours of operation are M-Thurs. 11-7:30, Friday 11-3 and closed on Saturday and Sunday. So no breakfast is available any days, no dinners on Friday nights, and no meals at all on weekends. J Street Cafe rotates a lunch and dinner menu. menus are posted on the dining website.</p>

7

<p>My S is a current student. He uses is GWorld card for food, laundry, bookstore and various other things. It's primary use is food. My understanding is you pay for the full plate deal in additon to the $1700 you put on the GWorld card each semester. Which, by the way is not refunded if you don't use it all; apparently carried over to the following year, but I don't know that for sure. Most importantly you are "forced" to put the $1700 per a semester as a freshman. My S struggles with the fact that food is not convenient; he can't just run downstairs for a meal. He has to "go out", and usually several blocks or more for that meal. I asked him about perhaps getting the full-plate deal, but the additional cost, combined with the non friendly hours and the fact you still have to "go out" to get it doesn't really help anything. He has managed to eat relatively healthy, just not enough food; that combined with the excercise of lots of walking has caused him to loose weight (which he can't afford to do). What works best for him is using his GWorld for the few places that deliver.</p>

8

<p>The full plate deal is not in addition to the $1700/semester. You can use your $1700 to pay for the program, but I agree with cellomom that the hours can be inconvenient, since J Street doesn't open till 11 am. My daughter is a freshman and she usually buys milk and cereal or yogurt and a banana that she stores in her minifridge for breakfast.</p>