Frequently Asked Questions
When do I sign up for a dining plan?
All new residential first-year & transfer students sign up for a meal plan during the housing application process. Returning resident students select their meal plans during the room selection process. Commuters may purchase a Block Plan directly from UT Dining Services through the main office or online, or may choose a Resident Meal Plan, which are purchased through Residence Life.
Who can use my meal plan?
Your meal plan and meal exchange program is designed for your personal use only. If you wish to host friends or family for meals, you may use Spartan Dollars or UT Dollars. Your Spartan card is only usable by you.
Where do I use my meal plan?
Resident Meal Plans Meals can be used at any dining location on campus excluding Panache and the Rathskeller. Meals can be used at Ultimate Dining, or as meal exchange combos in the Spartan Club (located in the Vaughn Center), Starbucks Reserve, as well as Morsani Hall retail locations. Spartan Dollars can be used at all dining locations as cash equivalent. Commuter Meal Plans Meals can be used at Ultimate Dining and Panache only. UT Dollars can be used at all dining locations as cash equivalent. Meal exchange combos are not available for Commuter Meal Plans.
Spartan Dollars vs. UT Dollars?
Spartan Dollars
This form of cash equivalent currency is included when you purchase a resident meal plan, and offers flexible spending on purchases at all campus dining locations. Spartan Dollars must be used during the semester for which they are purchased.
UT Dollars
This form of cash equivalent currency is included when you purchase a voluntary meal plan, and can also be purchased without meals. UT Dollars are used in the same manner as Spartan Dollars at all campus dining locations. The difference is that they carry over from semester to semester for the duration of your time as a student and/or employee of the University of Tampa. You can add UT Dollars to your Spartan Card at any time by calling Dining Services at (813) 258-7257, or online by clicking here.
What is the difference between Carte Blanche and traditional meal plans?
The Carte Blanche meal plan provides you with unlimited access to our Ultimate Dining facility with up to 3 retail meal exchanges per week.
Our traditional resident meal plans (15, 12, 7) provide you with a set number of meals for the entire week that can be used in any meal period or as retail meal exchanges.
Carte Blanche plans are allowed unlimited access to Ultimate Dining and for this reason carryout is not allowed on this plan.
What happens if I lose my Spartan Card?
New Spartan Cards may be obtained from the card office in the Vaughn Center.
Click here for Spartan Card Office Information
Meal vouchers may temporarily be obtained by emailing dining@UT.edu or calling (813) 257-3088. As soon as you know that your Spartan Card has been lost or stolen, please notify Dining Services to deactivate your account and prevent unauthorized purchases on your meal plan. After you have received a new Spartan Card, Dining Services can reactivate your meal plan at your request.
What if I have dietary restrictions?
We offer an assortment of gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free items on campus. Our Everyday App shows nutritional information for our meals on campus. Our Executive Chefs are always open to meeting with students to go over our menu options to see what fits the student's dietary needs.