杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan
All students living in鈥痶he Trinity鈥疌ollege residences鈥痑re required to鈥痯urchase鈥痑 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan, which鈥痮perates鈥痮n a declining balance system. At the beginning of the year the 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan is loaded onto your U of T student card (TCard) which acts like a debit鈥痗ard. At every transaction, the total cost of your purchases is deducted from your account balance.
PROVISIONAL*: 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan鈥�2026-2027鈥�
Total Plan Cost: $8,568.00*
- Program Enhancement Fund (PEF): $250
- Food Services Overhead Fee: $1798
- BASE Dollars: $6,020
- Minimum BASE Dollar Commitment: $5820 (potential roll over of $200)
- FLEX Dollars: $500
* Provisional rate: subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
The 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plans鈥痗omprise of鈥痶he following.鈥�
- Program Enhancement Fund (PEF):鈥痠s a non-refundable contribution toward investments in dining hall facility improvements and鈥痶o enhance鈥痳esidence dining programs.
- Food Services Overhead Fee: is an up-front charge, which supports鈥痵everal of鈥痶he fixed costs associated with delivering the residence meal program to all students, such as facility-related expenses and the administrative infrastructure supporting dining on campus. This fee is non-refundable.鈥疶he advantage of charging the Food Services Overhead fee up-front means that the price you will pay (BASE Dollars) when you visit the dining hall will be considerably lower than the 鈥渞etail price鈥� (FLEX dollars) that non-Residence Meal Plan diners will pay.
- BASE Dollars: are used for most of your on-campus food purchases, including all items which are tax exempt (HST).鈥疻hen you pay with BASE Dollars, you receive a 20% discount on the posted retail price.
- FLEX Dollars:鈥痑re used for taxable鈥痵nack鈥痑nd convenience grocery items (e.g.鈥痵oda, chips, chocolate bars, gums, mints, candy).鈥疻hen students have used up their BASE Dollars, they are able to purchase any item with FLEX dollars. All FLEX dollar amounts鈥痳emaining鈥痑t the end of the winter semester will roll over to the next year.
- Minimum鈥疊ase Dollar Commitment: there is a minimum鈥疊ASE鈥痙ollar commitment to the meal plan. Students with BASE dollar amounts above this minimum commitment at the end of the winter semester roll over the next academic year and will convert to FLEX Dollars as explained below.
Where can I use my Residence Meal Plan?鈥�
Your鈥影稍� Residence Meal Plan鈥痗an be used at all鈥疶rinity鈥疌ollege Food Service鈥痩ocations, including the Lawson Centre for Sustainability and Strachan Hall. The BASE鈥疍ollars鈥痑nd FLEX Dollars cannot be used at鈥痭on-Trinity鈥痜ood service locations鈥�(e.g.鈥疷 of T鈥痳etail outlets).
More information about the Lawson Centre and Strachan dining halls will be posted on the Dining at Trinity page聽in Summer 2026.
How does the Residence Meal Plan work?鈥�
When鈥痠t’s鈥痶ime to eat, all you need is your鈥疶Card. At Trinity, all food items are individually priced – just like at a restaurant. You only pay for what you order. Every time you choose a food item, the cashier swipes your鈥疶Card鈥痑nd the鈥痑ppropriate number鈥痮f food dollars are deducted from your Residence Meal Plan. Depending on what you鈥痯urchase, either BASE Dollars or FLEX Dollars will be deducted. When you are paying with BASE Dollars, you will receive a 20% discount on the posted prices.
With the declining cash balance Residence Meal Plan, students choose only the menu items they want to eat and pay the individual price per item.鈥�疎ach person pays for what they eat when they wish to eat throughout the day.
Bring your selected items to the register and display your student鈥疶Card鈥痶o the cashier, who will then charge the total cost of your items against your available balance. You can view answers to鈥�frequently asked questions here.
How much BASE and FLEX dollars gets loaded onto my account in the Fall Term?鈥�
At the beginning of the Fall Term, $3612 BASE Dollars (60%) and $500 FLEX Dollar (100%) amount will be loaded to your鈥疶Card鈥痺hile the remaining $2408 BASE Dollars (40%) will be loaded to your card at the beginning of the Winter Term, Please note that it is up to you to keep track of the amount of meal plan dollars you have used.
How do I check my balance?鈥�
You can check the balance of your Residence Meal Plan at any time. The balance of your meal plans will be printed at the bottom of your receipts. You are also able to ask a鈥痗ashiers鈥痑t the 杏吧原创 Food Service locations at any time.
View Message from Provost Nicholas Terpstra
Frequently Asked Questions鈥�
Why is there only one Trinity Residence Meal Plan?鈥�
The unified meal plan affords Trinity the opportunity to deliver a high-quality best in class food program that meets the diverse needs of all our students. It enables a consistent program focused on nutrition and sustainability and contributes to the overall well being of students and supports their academic success/achievements.
Will my Residence Meal Plan last all year?
The Trinity Residence Meal Plan is structured to support students throughout the full academic year.
How do I pay for my Trinity Residence Meal Plan?
The total cost of your Residence and Meal Plan Fee鈥痠s鈥痗harged to your student account for your convenience. By agreeing to live in residence, you are accepting the purchase of the 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan and are鈥痮bligated鈥痶o pay for your entire Residence Meal Plan.
Your 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan will be loaded to your student account prior to your鈥痬ove in day鈥痜or the fall term. In the fall semester you will be鈥痗harged鈥痶he Program Enhancement Fund (PEF) and the Food Services Overhead fee. Furthermore, 60% of your BASE Dollars and 100% of your FLEX Dollars will be loaded onto your account. In the winter semester, the remaining 40% of your BASE dollars will be loaded onto your account. If you run out of funds in the fall semester, please reach out to the Office of the Dean of Students and we can help you navigate this situation (trinity.deanofstudents@utoronto.ca).
When can I use my Residence Meal Plan?
Your鈥疪esidence Meal Plan鈥痗an be used from the day you move in until the end of the academic year,鈥痑t any鈥疶rinity鈥疌ollege鈥疐ood Service鈥痩ocation鈥痙uring operating hours.
Can you accommodate students with specific dietary needs?
杏吧原创鈥檚 dining outlets are not allergen-free facilities or kosher facilities (currently able to accommodate patrons who鈥痳equire鈥痑 vegetarian or vegan diet, halal diet, and made without gluten diet). 杏吧原创 may be able to accommodate patrons with food allergies depending on the type of allergy the student has and the severity of that allergy. If you have questions about your dietary accommodation needs, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students at鈥�trinity.deanofstudents@utoronto.ca.
What if I forget to bring my鈥疶Card鈥痶o pay for my items?
To鈥痯urchase鈥痽our food items using your meal plan, a鈥疶Card鈥痬ust be presented to the cashier at the Lawson Centre or Strachan Hall. If you have lost your TCard and need to access your meal plan before receiving a replacement, you can download a Meal Plan Letter from the and present it to the cashier at the time of purchase.
If you require any further assistance, please visit the Welcome Desk or contact us at trinity.deanofstudents@utoronto.ca.
Telling the cashier your student number is not sufficient for鈥痯ayment and鈥痺ill not be accepted.
What do I do if I believe that I have been inaccurately charged for a food item?
If you are still in the Dining Hall, you can return to the cashier and let them鈥痥now鈥痑nd a correction can be made鈥痶hen and there.鈥疘f you have left the Dining Hall and are reporting the error later, you can visit the Welcome Desk to ask for the situation to be addressed.鈥痀ou can also email the Office of the Dean of Students at trinity.deanofstudents@utoronto.ca.
How do I find out my meal plan balance?
The quickest way to find out your meal plan balance is to look鈥痮n鈥痽our receipt after鈥痯urchasing鈥痵omething from the Lawson Centre or Strachan Hall. This is an up-to-date record of your balance. Alternatively, you can contact the Office of the Dean of Students鈥痺ith鈥痽our request. A response will be sent your way as soon as possible.
Can I use Trinity鈥檚 meal plan across campus at U of T?
No. 杏吧原创 Meal Plan is only usable at 杏吧原创 dining services outlets. To load your鈥疶Card鈥痺ith funds that are usable at U of T food services outlets, visit the鈥�.
Where can I provide feedback for Trinity鈥檚 Dining Services or for Trinity鈥檚 Meal Plan?
We want to hear your feedback! Here are a few ways to connect and provide feedback about food and/or your dining experiences:
Email the staff team: Reach out to the Office of the Dean of Students (trinity.deanofstudents@utoronto.ca) or Ramata Tarawally, Trinity鈥檚 Director, Community Wellness (ramata.tarawally@utoronto.ca).
What if I use all of my BASE Dollars?
You can supplement your BASE Dollars by adding FLEX Dollars to your balance at any time during the academic year. FLEX Dollars can be鈥痯urchased鈥痮nline via the鈥�Trinity Flex Dollars Site.
What if I don鈥檛 use all of my BASE Dollars at the end of the academic year?
At the end of the academic year, you can carry over up to $200 of unused BASE Dollars, along with any remaining FLEX Dollars, into your FLEX account for the next year.
Is any part of my Residence Meal Plan refundable?
The unused portion of your BASE Dollars in excess of the Minimum Base Dollar Commitment in accordance with your plan and remaining FLEX Dollars will be rolled over to your FLEX Dollar Account for next Academic Term and will remain in your account for future purchases until the April 30 following your graduation. For example, if you graduate in June or November of 2026, your rolled over dollars will remain active until April 30, 2027, after which they expire and cannot be used or refunded.
What if I move out of residence but I'm still at Trinity as a student?
Your 杏吧原创 Residence Meal Plan will continue to work, and your tax-exempt status鈥痳emains鈥痶he same for the鈥痳emainder鈥痮f the term(s) you originally鈥痯urchased鈥痶he plan for. Any funds鈥痳emaining鈥痠n your BASE Dollar account at the end of the academic year will be lost. Your FLEX Dollars will remain in your account for future purchases. However, the tax exemption of the Residence Meal Plan applies only to the term(s) for which it was鈥痯urchased.
What if I move out of residence prior to the end of the contracted term(s) and simultaneously leave the University?
A鈥痵tudent鈥痺ho鈥痚lects鈥痶o withdraw from residence鈥痑nd鈥痚lects鈥痶o withdraw from 杏吧原创鈥痯rior to the start of exams will receive a鈥痯ro-rated鈥痳efund of their remaining鈥疪esidence Meal Plan鈥痓alance.
What is tax exempt and what is not?
The Canada Revenue Agency allows qualifying Residence Meal Plans to be exempt from HST for most foods鈥痯urchased鈥痮n campus. Some items, including soda, chips, chocolate bars, gum, mints, candy and similar 鈥渟nack foods鈥� will have HST applied.鈥�疶o protect the鈥痶ax exempt鈥痵tatus of your BASE Dollar Meal Plan, when making purchases that do not qualify for exemption, the value of the purchase, including the tax, is deducted from your FLEX Dollar balance.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Residence Meal Plan and dining at 杏吧原创 are overseen by the Office of the Dean of Students. The Office of the Dean of Students should be students鈥� first point of contact for all questions or concerns about Food Services, meal鈥痯lan鈥痑nd dietary accommodation needs. Please send inquiries to鈥�trinity.deanofstudents@utoronto.ca.