All resident students are required to have a meal contract. Visit Yale Hospitality to obtain more information about meal plans, the Yale Hospitality calendar and the operating schedule. 

A. Charges

Students who have a meal contract are required (except as provided in Financial Services) to pay the charge of the contract until the end of the term for which it was taken. Bills for additional charges, if incurred, will ordinarily be rendered monthly or before the end of each term. Meal contract bills for nonresident students will ordinarily be rendered on a term basis in advance.

B. Refunds

No refunds or rebates can be given for meals not taken during a term. In order to receive a refund due to a withdrawal or leave of absence, students are required to submit a written request to the Yale Hospitality Business Office (yale.dining@yale.edu). No meal contract rebate can be given for any day before the day on which the student advises the Yale Hospitality Business Office of their status change, or the day on which notification is received by the Yale Hospitality Business Office.

For more information about Refunds, see Financial Services.

C. Dining hall access

All undergraduates must present their University identification cards to access any Yale dining hall. Upon entering a dining hall, students present their University identification cards for electronic scanning. Students who do not present a valid Yale identification card may be denied access to a dining hall. The individual residential colleges reserve the right to limit access to their dining halls at specified times.

D. Misuse or misappropriation of Hospitality services privileges

Dining privileges are not transferable and may not be given or sold to another person. If meals are improperly obtained in a dining hall or in a University retail location, the Associate Vice President of Yale Hospitality or designee has the authority to impose fines and charges on the offending person or persons.

1. A student who gives, lends, or sells the use of a Yale identification card to a non-Yale person will be fined $100 and required to pay at the current guest rate for the meal or meals taken.
2. A student who gives, lends, or sells the use of a Yale identification card to another Yale student will be fined $100. The student who receives the card will also be fined $100 and will be required to pay at the current guest rate for the meal or meals taken.
3. A nonresident student without a dining contract who has not paid for a meal but who takes food available for self-service or who takes food from another person’s tray will be fined $100 and required to pay for the meal at the current guest rate. (See also section F, “Nonresident students.”)
4. If a student brings a guest to a dining hall with no payment being made for a meal for the guest, and the guest takes food available for self-service or takes food from another person's tray, the student who is the host will be fined $100 and required to pay for the meal at the current guest rate. (See also section G, “Guests.”)

Fines and charges will be billed to the student’s account with Student Financial Services. When the Associate Vice President of Yale Hospitality or designee imposes a fine on a student, they will so notify the student in writing, describing the evidentiary basis for their decision. The Associate Vice President of Yale Hospitality or designee will also send a copy of this notice to the student’s residential college head and dean and to the chair of the Yale College Executive Committee, and will, at their discretion, request that further disciplinary action be taken by the Yale College Executive Committee. The Executive Committee itself may also, at its discretion, assume disciplinary authority with regard to the offenses described in these paragraphs.

E. Transfers

An undergraduate with meal privileges may take meals in other residential colleges by exhibiting a Yale identification card.

Additionally, students with classes in the area (which make it difficult or impossible to return to a dining hall for lunch) are allowed to transfer their meal to other specific units in accordance to the transfer policy as noted on the Yale Hospitality website. As there are time-period restrictions, students should check with these units before attempting to use their meal contract equivalency. (See section D, “Misuse or misappropriation of dining services privileges.”)

Transfers are not accepted during special events. Dining hall managers reserve the right to limit transfers at specified times, as directed by individual Heads of College, or at any other time when transfer requests cannot be accommodated.

F. Nonresident students

Off-campus students are encouraged to come frequently to the dining halls of their residential colleges. They may purchase a meal plan as outlined on the Yale Hospitality website. Such a contract, when purchased, remains valid for the term and cannot be redeemed. Nonresident students may also charge meals to their Yale student accounts with Student Financial Services, EliBucks, or by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover or AmEx) at the guest rate. (See section A, “Charges.”)

The service standard in the Yale College dining halls, which provides free access to the dining hall, makes it inappropriate to charge by the item; payment for the full meal is consequently required. Off-campus students who come to a dining hall must therefore pay for the meal being served or refrain from eating. (See section D, “Misuse or misappropriation of dining service privileges.”)

G. Guests

Students are welcome to have guests in the dining halls. Payment at a guest rate may be made by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover or AmEx) or may be charged to the student’s Yale account with Student Financial Services. Dining Points or Eli Bucks may be used for guests’ meals also. (See section A, “Charges.”) For reasons given above, payment for a full meal is required, and it is not possible to pay by the item. Hosts may not share food from their own plate with guests. (See section D, “Misuse or misappropriation of dining services privileges.”)

H. Removal of food

Meal contracts and guest payments entitle a diner to the food being served at a meal for consumption at that time. Food may not be taken from the dining hall to be consumed later unless specified. 

I. Modified diets and food allergies

A student with food allergies or other medical condition that requires dietary restrictions should follow the instructions at https://hospitality.yale.edu/eat-well/dietary-accommodations. Students with allergies or who need a modified diet are strongly encouraged to speak to the manager of their residential college dining hall. Arrangements will be made to accommodate reasonable dietary restrictions at no extra charge. Students may be asked to provide supporting medical documentation from the student’s physician and/or Yale Health; this documentation is evaluated by and registered with Student Accessibility Services. Additional information about dining accommodations can be found at https://hospitality.yale.edu/eat-well/dietary-accommodations.

J. China, flatware, and glassware

Removing china, flatware, and glassware from the dining hall constitutes theft and is forbidden. Disciplinary action may be taken.

K. Use of the dining halls after meals

Students or groups wishing to use a dining hall after meals for such events as dances or plays must first secure the permission of the head of the college and then coordinate the usage with the dining hall manager. Food purchased outside of Yale Hospitality is not allowed in any dining hall. There may be a charge for use of the dining hall. It is important to maintain the general condition of the dining facility after an event. Due to risk of injury and potential damages to furniture and facilities, students may not move dining room furnishings.  Any such movement must be arranged through the dining hall manager and may require a fee for labor.  Any special cleaning or damages will be charged to the student account or to the student organization sponsoring the event.

L. Conduct in the dining halls

The dining halls are important social centers at Yale, and in the residential colleges especially they are the focus of much of the social life of the community. So that they may be places where everyone can eat and talk in comfort, certain activities must be regulated or entirely prohibited.

1. Annoyances. Loudness and offensive boisterousness are inconsiderate invasions of the rights of others and are not allowed. Food-throwing is absolutely forbidden.

2. Soliciting. Permission of the head of the college is required for solicitation in a residential college. (See Student Activities and Extracurricular Activities, section J, “Solicitation and sales”.) Table-to-table solicitations and sales are prohibited. Students wishing to solicit for any purpose must consult the dining hall manager; at most times in most of the residential colleges, tables and chairs can be provided for such students near the entrance to the dining hall. Public announcements, except with the approval of the dining hall manager and the head of the college, are not allowed during meals.

3. Photographing. In general, photographing during meals is not allowed because it interferes with the privacy of others. Written application for an exception to this rule must be made to the head of the college. Photographing a dining hall when meals are not being served can be arranged by contacting the dining hall manager, who will seek permission from the Senior Director of Yale Hospitality.

4. Table Tents and Other Notices. Table tents and other notices are not permitted on tables in any of the dining halls. Students are encouraged to use electronic bulletin boards, websites, and social media to advertise their events.

5. Smoking Regulations. Smoking is not permitted in the public areas of University buildings.

M. Penalties

For penalties for misuse of dining hall privileges, see section D, "Misuse or misappropriation of dining services privileges.” The dining hall manager will refer other violations of the Hospitality Services Regulations to the head of the residential college or to the Yale College Executive Committee for disciplinary action. The head of the college has the right to forbid a student who violates the regulations to enter the dining hall, either permanently or for a specified period of time.