Columbia University Dining
FAQs
FAQs
Parents
- Will My son or daughter have enough to eat?
- How can I add money to my child's Dining Dollars or Flex account?
- How am I billed?
- Can I eat with my child when I visit Columbia?
- What dining and/or nutrition resources are available to my child?
- How much should I give my child for his or her Dining Dollars or Flex account?
- What if my child doesn't use all of his or her meals -- can I be refunded?
1. Will My son or daughter have enough to eat?
Yes! We have 12 on-campus dining locations with hours of operation that cover 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., so it's sure that your child will never go hungry. And don't worry about nutritional value either... each of our dining venues offer a wide variety of healthy, homemade cuisine that enable your son or daughter to make healthy eating choices. In addition, we have a Registered Dietician on staff who is available to answer any questions or help design a healthy eating plan.
2. How can I add money to my child's Dining Dollars or Flex account?
The easiest method is for students to add money to their accounts online, which are then billed to their student account statements. If they choose to, they can give you their Cunix user name and password and you can access the account online. They can also add money in person at the Housing and Dining Customer Service Center in 118 Hartley Hall (cash, check or credit card) or at any of the registers (cash only).
3. How am I billed?
All meal plans are billed to the student account statement, along with any Dining Dollars or Flex account deposits made online. For more information on the bill itself, please contact Student Financial Services at 212-854-4206 or via their website.
4. Can I eat with my child when I visit Columbia?
Yes! We encourage parents to experience dining services at Columbia, which is why all of our meal plans (both first year and otherwise) come with a certain number of guest meals that can be used at John Jay Dining Hall. Of course, you can also pay in cash at any of the 12 on-campus dining locations. If you would like a tour of any of our facilities, please feel free to contact the Customer Service Center in 118 Hartley Hall.
5. What dining and/or nutrition resources are available to my child?
We are committed to providing easily accessible information to all of our students. We have a Registered Dietitian on staff, available to answer all nutritional and diet questions. Students can e-mail the RD at dining-nutrition@columbia.edu or call 212-854-4699 to set up an in-person meeting. The RD is also part of Columbia's Health Services and is able to make referrals if necessary. Students with general dining questions can also e-mail eats@columbia.edu or stop by our Customer Service Center.
6. How much should I give my child for his or her Dining Dollars or Flex account?
Typically, we estimate that students spend about $500 per term on books and incidentals, which includes food. How much money you deposit into a Dining Dollars or Flex account really depends on which meal plan your son or daughter is on and their dining preferences. See a side-by-side comparison of our meal plans and debit account programs. Also, keep in mind that money deposited into Dining Dollars and Flex accounts rolls over from year to year until graduation, so it will not go to waste.
7. What if my child doesn't use all of his or her meals -- can I be refunded?
We've designed each of the meal plans so that meals do not go unused if students are eating with some regularity. However, if your son or daughter still has unused meals at the end of the year, they will be forfeited and refunds cannot be made. Keep in mind, however, that students can change their meal plan selection during the first two weeks of the fall term and during the first week of the spring term if they determine that another plan would better suit their dining habits.
