A student will never go hungry with a UC Merced meal plan.
Every residential meal plan includes unlimited access to the Pavilion and Yablokoff Wallace Dining Centers, which offer a rotating selection of healthy, nutritious meals at a variety of stations throughout the day.
At UC Merced, Dining Services is committed to fighting food insecurity on campus. With our all-you-care-to-eat model, residents can dine three times a day, seven days a week. That means unlimited servings. Go back for seconds, thirds or more! Whether you're grabbing a quick bite between classes or enjoying a full meal, your meal plan covers every entry into the Pavilion and Yablokoff Wallace Dining Centers. Please note that meal plans and swipes are non-transferable and valid only for the assigned student.
Every unlimited plan includes Cat Dollars, a built-in debit system that gives residents flexibility to purchase food and beverages at other campus locations including the Lantern Cafe, Bobcat Snack Stop and various food trucks that visit campus.
Located in the heart of one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the world, our chefs strive to provide customers with locally sourced, sustainable meals whenever possible. We’re also happy to work with residents to accommodate any special dietary requests. Please contact Student Accessibility Services for health-related medical needs and allergen considerations. Please contact dining@ucmerced.edu for religious prohibitions or other nutritional requirements.
Students living on campus are required to purchase a meal plan. Meal plans are only valid for the plan holder and are not transferable. Exemptions from purchasing a meal plan for students living on campus are granted only under extraordinary circumstances. Please click here for information about appealing a dining contract.
2024-2025 Meal Plan Rates
About Meal Plan Rates
- All on-campus residents must have a meal plan.
- Students may use their unlimited all-you-care-to-eat meal plan in both dining centers.
- Unlimited means unlimited swipes in any given day when the dining hall is open.
- Unlimited swipes and guest swipes are not transferable and may be used by the meal plan holder only. All unlimited plans come with 3 guest meal passes per semester.
- Cat Dollars are flexible spending funds that can be used for food locations on campus, campus store purchases and printing.
- Cat Dollar funds are loaded prior to each semester. Cat dollars carry over from semester to semester and year to year.
- Cat dollars are only refunded when you separate from the university.
Academic Year Meal Plan Contract Pricing
| Unlimited Meal Plan Name |
Total Price per Semester |
Included Cat Dollars per Semester |
Guest Passes per Semester |
Total Price per Academic Year |
Included Cat Dollars per Academic Year |
Guest Passes per Academic Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited 85* |
$2,710 |
$85 |
3 | $5,420 | $170 | 6 |
| Unlimited 250* |
$2,875 |
$250 |
3 |
$5,750 |
$500 | 6 |
| Unlimited 400* |
$3,025 |
$400 |
3 |
$6,050 |
$800 | 6 |
| Unlimited 500* |
$3,125 |
$500 |
3 |
$6,250 |
$1,000 | 6 |
| Unlimited 600* |
$3,225 |
$600 |
3 |
$6,450 |
$1,200 | 6 |
*Proposed rates; subject to revision; *"Unlimited" access is defined as one entry per hour to the all-you-care to-eat dining halls per hour for the patron, during hours of operation*
For information on previous rates, please click here.
For 2024 Summer Session Rates, please click here
If you have any questions or concerns related to your dining experience, please contact us at dining@ucmerced.edu.
Cat Dollars
Cat Dollars can be purchased and added to a CatCard at any time. One Cat Dollar is equivalent to $1 U.S. dollar. For more information about depositing CAT Dollars into an account, please visit the CatCard website.
Cat Dollars can also be used at various locations, including the University Store, for supplies, to print documents, and for some other campus expenses.
Cat Dollars cannot be used to pay your student bill.
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Cat Dollars |
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Details:
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Locations that accept CAT dollars:
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Cat Dollars cannot be used to pay your student bill. |
Guest Dining at UC Merced
The Pavilion and Yablokoff Wallace Dining Centers accept residential and non-residential meal plans, as well as Cat Dollars, credit cards, and debit cards. View Pavilion and YWDC menus here. For those without a meal plan, entry for breakfast costs $11.95, entry for lunch costs $12.88, and entry for dinner costs $13.95.
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions section for more information, or reach out to us at dining@ucmerced.edu with any questions or concerns.
For a full review of estimated cost of attendance, please visit: https://financialaid.ucmerced.edu/cost-attendance
