<p>I am an incoming freshman for the fall of 2011, and I'm supposed to sign up for a meal plan (I just got a brochure form Campus Express in the mail). I have no idea which one to pick! For freshmen, there's the EAT plan, which gives you $100 dining dollars and unlimited meals, the BEN plan which has 370 meals and $425 , and the BFF plan which has $850 dining dollars and 250 meals.
I plan on living on campus, though I have not received my housing assignment yet. Should I wait and see where I'll be living, and then pick a plan based on what eating options are closest to my dorm? (i.e. if all the dining halls are far and the retail locations are closer, I pick the meal plan with the most dining dollars.) Or does dorm location not matter?
Any input is appreciated; what were you guys' experiences?
Can dining dollars be used at the dining hall?</p>
<p>I’ll tell you what I’ve heard from several Penn students (in person and online): they’re all ripoffs and you’re best off getting the plan with the most dining dollars and least meals (because you’ll NEVER get through all of your meals anyway).</p>
<p>Why don’t people finish their meals? Do they not eat at the dining halls?</p>
<p>^ No it’s just that those meals are all-you-can eat, and people end up eating outside of dining halls a lot with friends. (And apparently the dining hall food isn’t stellar, and people tend to get sick of it.)</p>
<p>Get BFF that’s what I am getting less meals. More dining dollars</p>
<p>The only reason to pick unlimited meals is if you live in Hill or Kings Court English House (because they have dining halls). Otherwise, most freshmen will pick the plan with the fewest meals. </p>
<p>However, McClelland Hall in the Quad is being expanded, so that could change things. I don’t know if it’s becoming a dining hall or not, but dining dollars are more convenient.</p>
<p>I’m still very confused…
How is 8 meals a week (the most dining dollars plan) and 800 dollars enough for a full year?
Do people not go to the dining hall 2-3 times a day?</p>
<p>get the most dining dollars. no question. i (and most people i know) had the plan with most dollars and least meals, and i probably used about 1-5 (maybe 3 on average?) meal swipes a week, usually for the bagged lunches at mcclelland or for brunch at hill on weekends. additionally, most people i know ate at houston at least once a day and ran out of dining dollars before each semester ended.</p>
<p>I just did a 5 minute glance of the past CC threads and the response was an overwhelming ‘Liberty Plan’. Thats the one with the most dining dollars and least meals. Thats the BFF plan now.
So I guess its ludicrous to choose anything else.</p>
<p>see, I was wondering the same thing. Don’t you run out of dining dollars quickly, though? $800 doesn’t seem like much for a semester of eating out. at least with more meals, you don’t go hungry at the end…</p>
<p>I had some of the food from one of the halls during Penn Preview, it was pretty bland, and didn’t really taste that good lol</p>
<p>The liberty plan is pretty good but just some general advice, try use your meal plan a lot through the middle of the semester. This way, by the time you become absolutely sick of the plan you will have already used a significant portion of your dining dollars and meals.</p>
<p>Yeah, I think you run out of dining dollars…hence the ripoff.</p>
<p>You’ll get sick of dining halls fast. The food isn’t great, the people are rude and it’s just inconvenient to go there when you just want a little something. It is really really hard to run out of meal swipes unless you swipe in a ton of people or live in like Hill and can just walk down anytime you want to.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with choosing the BFF plan. It is very inconvenient to walk to Hill/King’s Court if you live in the Quad or High Rises, especially in the winter. Also, dining hall food is not very appetizing (I already figured that out during Penn Preview) so dining dollars would probably allow you to get much better tasting food.</p>
<p>since mcclelland hall is being expanded in the quad and made into more of a dining area, wouldn’t it make sense to get a dining plan with more meal swipes than dining dollars. Especially if you live in ware? (like I will be)</p>
<p>If you live in KCECH, does it then make sense to get the plan with unlimited meal swipes?</p>
<p>yes thats what i heard from a penn student, but he told me that if you lived in the wuad to get the bff plan. i really am unsure now what plan to go with b/c off mcclelland hall being expanded</p>
<p>Get the dining plan with the most dining dollars and least meal swipes. Dining halls are the biggest ripoff at Penn but you only have to stick with it freshman year fortunately</p>
<p>
I did, and so did several of my friends. Hell, I used 600 dining visits this past year. But most people don’t go with unlimited plans.</p>