Question about Cornell Dining Halls

I’m an incoming freshman to Cornell, and I was wondering if you can take food out of the dining hall (like fruits) and if you can fill up water bottles in there too?

No, you are not allowed to take food out of the dining halls, although according to my daughter, some try and get away with it.

You buy a meal plan. Taking food out may give the appearance you’re feeding someone else without a meal plan.

Actually the above is false. I’m a rising junior at Cornell and dining halls explicitly allow you to take a single dessert item or piece of fruit.

It also is true that it’s easy to get away with more than that. Especially if it’s not much more than they already explicitly allow you to take.

I don’t think they care too much unless you’re taking, say, all the cookies or a whole container of ice cream. That’s definitely going to get them mad!

@Nataliedragon thanks!! are we allowed to fill up a water bottle in the dining halls as well?

A single dessert or a piece of fruit is in keeping what I stated. Key word here is single and piece. Not multiple or pieces.

The above about being allowed to take only one item, be it ice cream cone or fruit, is true. Additionally, you are not allowed to fill bottles in the dining halls. And honestly, there’s no real need to: there are an abundant number of water fountains located in every building.

If you’re worried about not having time to sit down and eat food in the dining halls, you can order and pick up to-go meals, so that’s another option.