<p>Hey guys was wondering how the meal plans at UVA are, eg. the quality and variety of food, and whether they are compulsory?</p>
<p>Also, do ppl usually eat according to the plans or do they prefer to eat out?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>quality - ok
variety - often lacking</p>
<p>you have to get a meal plan first year and you can read them over online and in the info they'll send you later. Unless you are on of the few who just love to go to the dining hall all the time, I'd recommend going 13/week your first semester.</p>
<p>alright thanks so much man :)</p>
<p>I think the food at OHill is fairly good. They have a very nice breakfast. Newcomb is awful and I just won't go there anymore.
People do eat out a fair amount, or at least those that I hang out with. The Corner has several options; I like Rev. Soup!</p>
<p>There are so many meal plans here that I don't even try to explain them to prospective students and leave that to our tour guides. Back when I was in college, there were two plans: all-you-can-eat with breakfast or all-you-can-eat without breakfast. Where I went to grad school, my students were on a points system. There were no guest meals and no flexible dollar amounts to use at the a la carte dining halls.</p>
<p>How did we survive!?! :)</p>
<p>Something I heard from an alumna friend which the current students might have to confirm is that the Casa Bolivar (Spanish house) has some of the best food on Grounds and anyone can eat there, but few non-residents do. Has anyone done this? This alumna I know ate there routinely. I imagine the Maison Francais might be the same way...</p>
<p>Dean J -- while I've never been to either house, I know that both invite anybody to come join them for dinner at 6pm M-Th. You can use your meal plans there too.</p>
<p>there are so many options, and each year the dining halls are getting better. my first year we were limited to poor and restricting hours, however the retail/grill spots that are on the meal plan are open late near first year dorms, and Dining has begun to extend hour for the actual dining halls. </p>
<p>Also the quality of food has improved significantly. While you still see familiar rotations of meals, you also get the occasional crab legs or something else that is better than the norm. Also, regulars like the deli line and the stir fry line in Ohill have improved 10 fold in the last three years.</p>
<p>There are lots of options for eating out also, if that is what you're looking for.</p>