*All fees shown reflect plan costs for the 2025-2026 school year.
Students who reside on campus must enroll in a dining plan. Your dining plan and Food Points plan are legal contracts between you and the university. Therefore, it is important to review your chosen contract carefully and file it for future reference.
We offer several convenient ways to pay for food, including a variety of traditional dining plans, Food Points and Flexible Spending Account (FLEX). These accounts, available to students, faculty and staff, virtually eliminate the need to carry cash on campus.
Dining plans will be taxed at the combined state and Durham county rate of 7.5% (6.75% for students at the Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort). Your semester bill from the Bursar’s office will have a NC sales tax in addition to your chosen plan. Both the charge for the dining plan and the tax will be listed separately on the bill. The price for the dining plan provides the same number of meals that you had before the tax went into effect.
*Contract Fee: The dining contract fee increase reflects a required Duke University overhead adjustment and is not related to Duke Dining; Off-campus and summer dining plans will remain unaffected.
FIRST-YEAR BOARD PLAN
Plan I
First-year students only: (First-Year Dining Plan for East Campus)
Dining Plan:..............................$3,609
Food Points:.............................$984
7.5% Tax
--Food Points: ..........................$73.80
--Board Plan:............................ $270.68
Total Tax Surcharge:............ $344.48
Dining Contract Fee:................$100
Total Cost Per Semester:.......$5037.48
UPPER-CLASS DINING PLANS
Available to upper-class students living on campus and Swift Quad. These plans are also available for graduate students living on campus.
Plan A
Available to upper-class students:
- If you are a light eater, tend to eat one or two meals a day, buy inexpensive meals, or plan to eat a number of meals off-campus, consider Plan A.
Dining Plan:..............................$2857
7.5% Tax:..................................$214.28
Dining Contract Fee:................$100
Total Cost Per Semester:.......$3171.28
Plan B
Available to upper-class students:
- If you generally eat light, but snack occasionally or order from Merchants on Points, Plan B may be for you. This plan is good if your eating habits vary from day to day.
Dining Plan:..............................$3424
7.5% Tax:..................................$256.80
Dining Contract Fee:................$100
Total Cost Per Semester:........$3,780.80
Plan C
Available to upper-class, students and Swift Quad:
- For the medium appetite and occasional indulgences. If you tend to eat two meals a day on-campus and a couple of snacks and place occasional orders with Merchants on Points vendors, but you aren’t a really big eater, consider Plan C.
Dining Plan:..............................$3,791
7.5% Tax:..................................$284.33
Dining Contract Fee:................$100
Total Cost Per Semester:.......$4175.33
Plan D
Available to upper-class, students and Swift Quad:
- If you typically eat three meals a day try Plan D.
Dining Plan:..............................$4068
7.5% Tax:..................................$305.10
Dining Contract Fee:................$100
Total Cost Per Semester:.......$4,473.10
Plan E
Available to upper-class, students and Swift Quad:
- If you like to eat three meals a day and a few snacks per week, Plan E is for you.
Dining Plan:...............................$4438
7.5% Tax:...................................$332.85
Dining Contract Fee:.................$100
Total Cost Per Semester:........$4,870.85
Plan F
Available to students living off-campus:
- Plan F is only available to students who live off-campus. It will allow you to eat five meals or multiple snacks per week on campus.
Dining Plan:............................$936
7.5% Tax:................................$70.20
Dining Contract Fee:..............$100
Total Cost Per Semester:.....$1106.20
Plan J
Available to upper-class students living at Swift Quad.
- Plan J provides enough Food Points to eat on campus approximately once a day, with enough left over to indulge in a vending machine snack or the occasional purchase from Merchants-on-Points.
Dining Plan:...........................$2021
7.5% Tax:...............................$151.58
Dining Contract Fee:.............$100
Total Cost Per Semester:....$2,272.58
The State of North Carolina made taxable many items that were previously excluded from sales tax, including food sold to students at higher education institutions, and admission fees to entertainment activities. These changes took effect January 1, 2014.
Student dining plans are being taxed at the combined state and Durham county rate of 7.5%. Both the charge for the dining plan and the tax will be listed separately on student’s bursar bills. The funds for the meal plan and the NC Sales Tax are added to the students DukeCard Food Points account. The money to cover the taxes of each sale is included in the balance each student will see on their Food Points account. Tax is charged at all on campus dining locations, Food trucks and Merchants on Points and is applied at the actual point of sale as NC tax law requires.
This page will be updated as new information on these tax changes is released by the State of North Carolina. For other dining related questions, please contact dining@duke.edu.
Food Points
Food Points are used to supplement dining plans. Each Food Point is equivalent to $1 and is accessed with a DukeCard. They can be used to buy snacks and meals at any on-campus eatery, Merchants on Points vendor, food trucks and campus convenience stores and vending machines.
Don’t stress over calculating the perfect number of Food Points. You can add more points during the semester in $25+ increments. We recommend selecting the lowest level of points and adding more when necessary.
Flexible Spending Account (FLEX)
Your FLEX account is just as flexible as you are! You can add funds to your DukeCard through your FLEX account and use them at all on-campus (and even some off-campus) locations. FLEX is useful for purchasing everything from food, to books, to event tickets and more.
*2025-2026 Dining Plan Contracts
Dining Plan enrollment is part of the housing application process. When you confirm your housing, you will be prompted to select your dining plan.
Below are the pdf downloads of the dining contracts for the 2025-2026 year:
First-Year Dining Plan
Swift Quad Dining Plan
Upperclass Dining Plan
Nonresidential Dining Plan
Summer Session I Dining plan
Summer Session II Dining Plan
Adding Food Points
Up to $1,500 in extra Food Points in increments of $25 may be added to your Dining Account per semester. The additional Points may be charged to your Bursar account.
Canceling or Changing Your Dining Plan
Under certain circumstances, you may cancel your Dining Plan and receive a pro-rated refund or credit. These circumstances are limited to:
- Academic Withdrawal: If you withdraw from enrollment or take a leave of absence, you may cancel your Dining Plan with certification from the Office of the University Registrar.
- Moving Out Of Residence Halls or to 300 Swift: If you are relocating from West Campus to moving off campus, you have the option of reducing your meal plan.
To request changes to your dining plan please refer to the dates below and email the Dining Administration office at dining@duke.edu with your request.
- Changing Your Fall Semester Dining Plan: Students who have a Fall 2025 Dining Plan and wish to change to a different plan must do so by 11:59pm on August 6, 2025.
- Changing Your Spring Semester Dining Plan: Students who have a Spring 2026 Dining Plan and wish to change to a different plan must do so by 11:59pm on December 15, 2025.
If you have a qualified medical condition and are requesting to not have a dining plan please contact The SDAO Office https://access.duke.edu/students
When your student comes to Duke, there are always questions about university life, including selecting the best dining plan. To help select the right dining plan for your student's needs, check out the plans described in the "Plan Profiles" section above.
If you have questions, contact Duke Dining at 919-660-3900 or dining@duke.edu.
How does the First-Year Dining Plan work?
The First-Year Dining Plan is designed to enhance the
undergraduate experience. Centered around Marketplace, the main East Campus dining facility, the First-Year Dining Plan provides a wide range of choices and fosters a sense of community through dining.
-BOARD PLAN: Students receive 14 meals per week for dining at Marketplace as follows:
-5 breakfast meals (1 per day, Monday-Friday)
-7 dinner meals (1 per day)
-2 brunch meals (1 per day on Saturday & Sunday)
-All other meals are purchased by way of Food Points and can be used at any on-campus location, Merchants-On-Points (MOPs) vendor, food truck vendor, mobile-ordering, or campus convenience stores.
-If a breakfast meal is missed at Marketplace students may still utilize that meal at The Skillet (Brodhead Center) by 2:00pm, at Trinity Café from 8:00am-12:30pm, or for lunch at Marketplace from 12:00pm-2:00pm. The swipe equivalency amount is $5.90 and anything over $5.90 will automatically be deducted from the student’s Food Points. If a breakfast meal is not used that day it will not carry over to the next day. Breakfast equivalencies can only be used Monday-Friday, on the day that the breakfast meal at Marketplace is missed.
-If a dinner meal is missed at Marketplace students may still utilize that meal only on the same day at It's Thyme from 5:00pm-9:00pm, Trinity Café from 4:00pm-close or at the Freeman Center Cafe from 4:00pm-7:30pm for a $11.30 equivalency amount. If the purchase exceeds $11.30 then the student’s Food Points will automatically be deducted to cover the remaining balance. Dinner equivalencies are accepted M-F at Trinity Café and It's Thyme, and M-Th at the Freeman Center Cafe. If a dinner meal is not used that day it will not carry over to the next day.
-Food Points and Board Plan meals can be tracked online via the DukeCard website: http://dukecard.duke.edu.
-Students receive four complimentary guest meals each semester at Marketplace.
What dining plans are offered for upperclass students?
For complete information on each plan, see 'Plan Profiles' section above.
What if I don't estimate the right amount for my student's dining plan?
Students have until 11:59pm on 8/06/2025 to make changes to the fall 2025 dining plan and have until 11:59pm on 12/15/2025 to make changes to their spring 2026 dining plan. Plus, to supplement any dining plan, additional Food Points can be added throughout the year in increments of $25+.
What if a student misses breakfast and/or dinner at the Marketplace?
If a student misses breakfast, served Monday through Friday at Marketplace (7:30am-11am), he or she may apply the meal equivalency (valued at $5.90) on the same day one of three ways: toward a made-to-order breakfast at The Skillet on West Campus in the Brodhead Center (7:30am-2:00pm), toward breakfast at Trinity Cafe (8am-12:30pm) located in the East Campus Union, or toward lunch at Marketplace on East Campus (12:00pm-2:00pm). If a student misses dinner at Marketplace ( 7 days/week 5pm-9:00pm) he or she may apply the meal equivalency (valued at $11.30) on the same evening at It's Thyme, Trinity Café (4:00pm-closing) or the Freeman Center for Jewish Life (M-Th, 4:00pm-7:30pm).
What are Food Points?
Food Points are used to supplement dining plans. Each Food Point is equivalent to $1 and is accessed with a DukeCard. They can be used to buy snacks and meals at any on-campus eatery, Merchants-on-Points vendor, food trucks, and campus convenience store or vending machines.
What happens to extra Food Points at the end of the semester?
Food points remaining at the end of fall semester remain in the account for use during spring semester. Spring semester accounts must be purchased in full, regardless of Food Points left from fall semester. Any remaining spring semester Food Points must be used by the end of spring semester and will not carry over.
No refunds are issued at the end of the academic year.
(Tax included)
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