Residential Students: A meal plan is the best way to access campus dining which will be critical to your early success and inclusion in the JMU community. Meal plans are required for all students living on campus, your options are the following plans: All Access Plus, All Access, 14 Punch and 11 Punch. If you can’t decide and don’t select a plan, you will automatically default to the All Access plan.

Commuter Students: Although meal plans are not mandatory for commuter students, they can continue to enjoy the convenience of any of our meal plans while they live off-campus. Email dining@jmu.edu for help with picking the perfect plan for your lifestyle.

For Residential Students: Students sign up for their on-campus meal plans during the housing contract process each Spring. For Grace Street Apartment Residents: Students living in the Apartments on Grace Street are required to have a Resident or Commuter meal plan. Apartment residents will pick their meal plan during the housing contract process or by contacting the office of Card Services.

For Commuter Students: Meal plans can be purchased with us in person at our tabling events at the beginning of the semesters or anytime through the office of Card Services.  

To be eligible for perks and rewards, please sign up with us in person at our tabling events or email us at dining@jmu.edu.

Participants in both resident and commuter meal plans may change from one qualifying meal plan to another during specific times at the beginning of each semester. A $10 service charge will be assessed with changing a meal plan, excluding first-year students. When upgrading to a more expensive meal plan option, you will be required to pay an additional prorated charge to cover the difference in meal plan costs. For both resident and commuter students, when downsizing to another meal plan, any difference in cost may be put into Dining Dollars Gold, Flex or be refunded. Meal plan changes occur for 2 weeks after the first week of classes. The student must come to Card Services, Student Success Center, 2nd Floor, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in order to make a change.

All meal plans are accessed via the JACard.

Meal Punch or Dining Dollar balances can be checked on your MyMadison account or by asking a cashier at any JMU Dining location.

Meal Punches are included with your meal plan and can be used three different ways: 1) as entry into our all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, D-Hall and E-Hall; 2) as a "Duke Deal" complete meal exchange at select retail and national brand locations; or 3) as a $7 equivalency for items at select retail locations.

Dining Dollars are included with your meal plan. They can be used at all on-campus locations, including national brands, convenience stores and vending machines. Dining Dollars spend like a debit card- they decline over time. Should you run out of Dining Dollars, you can add additional dollars to your account anytime as Dining Dollars GOLD.

Duke Deals are JMU Dining’s meal exchange program. These complete meals are on select location menus as an option for you to use your Punch and save your Dining Dollars! You get an entrée, a side, and a drink for a Punch. Duke Deals are perfect for when you are on the go and want to grab something and give you variety for your punch at select retail locations like Bistro 1908, Market 64, Memorial Bistro, Steak ‘n Shake, Festival Food Court, Subway, Jemmy’s POD and Jennings POD.

Meal Plans are purchased on an annual basis. If you are a student with a mandatory meal plan, your selected plan will roll over in the Spring semester. If you are a commuter student with a commuter plan, your meal plan will roll over unless you change your options. Follow us on social media for special offers and promotions.

Dining Dollars that are included with your meal plan roll over from Fall to Spring with your meal plan. After the Spring semester ends, those Dining Dollars expire. Dining Dollars GOLD (additional Dining Dollars added to the meal plan) do not expire until you graduate. It is important to remember to utilize the initial Dining Dollars first, then add Dining Dollars GOLD if needed!

All weekly meal plans have guest punches with their plan loaded each semester. The All Access plans each have twelve guest punches per semester; the 14 punch plan has seven guest punches; the 11 Punch, 10 Punch, 7 Punch and 5 Punch plans each have five guest meal punches per semester. These punches are in a separate bucket and can be used for guests to dine with you at residential dining locations. Guests can also dine with you on campus by utilizing Dining Dollars, Dining Dollars GOLD, or Flex Dollars.