collage of menu items including shrimp, salad, and sandwiches

Meal Plans

Meal Plan Options

Whether you're an on-campus resident, a commuting student on campus five days a week, a part-time student, or faculty member in need of a quick bite, we offer a meal plan option that works for you!

student dining employee presents dinner options

Campus Meal Plan

The Campus Meal Plan offers the best discount structure for a student who eats more than 10 meals per week on campus and is accepted at every Campus Dining location on campus. Students living on campus enjoy the convenience and cost savings with the Campus Meal Plan.

LionCash

LionCash is the most flexible option for students, faculty, and staff - it's an online, prepaid spending account accessed through the Penn State id+ Card and mobile account. It's a great way to have "cash" available for purchases, without actually needing cash! LionCash members can receive a 10 percent discount on qualifying purchases.

students sitting at tables in dining hall eating a meal

Commuter Meal Plan

The Commuter Meal Plan offers students living off campus a convenient way to purchase meals for less than paying out of pocket, plus students can save valuable time that otherwise would be spent packing lunch or driving off campus. The Commuter Meal Plan offers a 10 percent discount on qualifying purchases, and the cost can be charged to the student's LionPATH account.

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Campus Meal Plan

The Campus Meal Plan offers the best discount for a student who eats more than 10 meals per week on campus in the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons. The Campus Meal Plan is accepted at every Campus Dining location on campus and at multiple Penn State campuses, creating the largest variety of options in addition to earning a discount on nearly every purchase. Items that are pre-packaged, branded, or at a nationally-branded concept (for example, Starbucks, Sbarro) will not receive a discount.

The Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract defaults to level 2 for the academic year (Summer Session only offers level 1). Students can change the level at any time in eLiving until the last day of the semester. Remaining dining dollars at end the end of the contracted period will expire. The Campus Meal Plan offers an overdraft feature for when a student's dining dollars balance hits $0.00 - additional purchases will be supplemented with available LionCash funds, while still receiving the same Campus Meal Plan discount structure.

To learn more about the Campus Meal Plan, watch this video NOTE: the rates listed in video are from the 2021-22 academic year.

On-Campus Housing Students

For students who live in University Housing, the Campus Meal Plan is conveniently included in the HFS Contract, where they will agree to the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations (TCRs), and does not need to be purchased separately. The cost of the Campus Meal Plan will be added to students' LionPATH account for payment for each semester.

Off-Campus Housing Students

Students living off campus can purchase the Campus Meal Plan in eLiving > Contracts > Purchase Meal Plan and will agree to the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations (TCRs). The cost of the Campus Meal Plan can either be added to students' LionPATH account or paid for with a credit card.

Students living off campus can purchase the Commuter Meal Plan through eLiving during these timeframes:

Fall Semester: March 1 - September 30
Spring Semester: October 1 - March 1
Summer: March 1 - August 1

If a student purchases a Campus Meal Plan for fall semester, the plan will automatically be duplicated for spring semester. Students are eligible to then manage their spring Campus Meal Plan (increase/decrease level or cancel spring plan) in eLiving after October 1.

Any funds remaining at the end of fall semester will only be available during spring semester if the student purchases another Campus Meal Plan. If another plan is not purchased, remaining funds will expire.
A Commuter Meal Plan may be purchased for spring semester, and any remaining funds from fall semester will be available to use. However, the student will no longer receive the Campus Meal Plan discount on purchases.
Any funds remaining at the end of spring semester will expire.

Campus Meal Plan Cost

The Campus Meal Plan is comprised of two cost components, base cost and dining dollars. View additional information about cost components.

View Campus Meal Plan 2025-26 cost breakdown

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LionCash

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Commuter Meal Plan

Explore Dining Options

With over 30 operations on campus, you'll always be able to find something satisfying to enjoy!

Explore Dining Options

Compare Meal Plans

This chart highlights some of the main differences between meal plan options.

	Commuter Meal Plan	LionCash	Campus Meal Plan
Recommended for	Commuter Meal Plan students who need to charge the cost of a meal plan to their LionPATH account, where a scholarship, grant, loan, etc. may cover the cost.	LionCash students who eat less than 10 meals per week on campus	Campus Meal Plan on-campus students, who are required to purchase the meal plan for both fall and spring semesters. Students living in on-campus apartments with a personal kitchen may opt out of the Campus Meal Plan. students living in on-campus or off-campus apartments who eat more than 10 meals per week on campus in the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons
Accepted at	Commuter Meal Plan every Campus Dining location on campus and at multiple Penn State campuses	LionCash every Campus Dining location on campus and at multiple Penn State campuses AND at participating off-campus merchants	Campus Meal Plan every Campus Dining location on campus and at multiple Penn State campuses
Meal Breakdown	Commuter Meal Plan Level 1: 1-2 meals or snacks per week Level 2: 3 meals or snacks per week Level 3: 4-6 meals or snacks per week	LionCash Flexible - you decide what amount to deposit and spend, and is similar to Commuter Meal Plan purchases	Campus Meal Plan Average number of meals purchased in the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons: Level 1: 7-9 meals per week Level 2: 11-13 meals per week Level 3: 14-16 meals per week
Discounts	Commuter Meal Plan 1. Set meal prices for purchases at the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons	LionCash 1. Set meal prices for purchases at the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons	Campus Meal Plan 1. Set meal price for purchases at the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons
	Commuter Meal Plan, LionCash, Campus Meal Plan View 2024-25 meal prices \| View 2025-26 meal prices
	Commuter Meal Plan 2. Discount of 10% discount on prepared foods in residential locations	LionCash 2. Discount of 10% discount on prepared foods in residential locations	Campus Meal Plan 2. Discount of 65% on prepared foods in residential locations
	Commuter Meal Plan 3. No discount is available on packaged or branded items, or in nationally branded operations	LionCash 3. No discount is available on packaged or branded items, or in nationally branded operations	Campus Meal Plan 3. No discount is available on packaged or branded items, or in nationally branded operations
Total Plan Cost	Commuter Meal Plan, Commuter Meal Plan Level 1: $250 Level 2: $500 Level 3: $1,000	LionCash, LionCash Flexible - you decide what amount to deposit and spend	Campus Meal Plan 2024-2025 Academic Year Level 1: $2,567/semester Level 2: $2,803/semester Level 3: $3,019/semester View Campus Meal Plan cost breakdown
Total Plan Cost			Campus Meal Plan 2025-2026 Academic Year Level 1: $2,657/semester Level 2: $2,901/semester Level 3: $3,124/semester View Campus Meal Plan cost breakdown
Balance	Commuter Meal Plan Dining dollars carry over from fall to spring semester Remaining dining dollars at the end of spring semester expire	LionCash LionCash funds never expire and available until you graduate	Campus Meal Plan Dining dollars carry over from summer to fall semester, and fall to spring semester with purchase of additional meal plan. If an additional meal plan is not purchased, any remaining balance at the end of fall semester expire. Dining dollars remaining at the end of spring semester expire.

All-You-Care-To-Eat Dining Commons: Meal Prices

University Park offers five all-you-care-to-eat dining commons, one in each housing area.

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**Dining Commons Meal Prices: 2024-25 Academic Year**
Meal Plan	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner/Brunch
Campus Meal Plan	Breakfast $3.05	Lunch $4.60	Dinner/Brunch $5.75
Campus Meal Plan guest	Breakfast $6.10	Lunch $9.20	Dinner/Brunch $11.50
LionCash	Breakfast $7.90	Lunch $11.85	Dinner/Brunch $14.75
Commuter Meal Plan	Breakfast $7.90	Lunch $11.85	Dinner/Brunch $14.75
Credit Card	Breakfast $8.75	Lunch $13.15	Dinner/Brunch $16.40
Children 6-10 years*	Breakfast $3.50	Lunch $5.25	Dinner/Brunch $6.60

*children under 6 are free

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**Dining Commons Meal Prices: 2025-26 Academic Year**
Meal Plan	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner/Brunch
Campus Meal Plan	Breakfast $3.15	Lunch $4.75	Dinner/Brunch $5.85
Campus Meal Plan guest	Breakfast $6.30	Lunch $9.50	Dinner/Brunch $11.70
LionCash	Breakfast $8.05	Lunch $12.25	Dinner/Brunch $15.05
Commuter Meal Plan	Breakfast $8.05	Lunch $12.25	Dinner/Brunch $15.05
Credit Card	Breakfast $8.95	Lunch $13.60	Dinner/Brunch $16.75

Campus Meal Plan Discount Structure

Campus Meal Plan members receive savings in the dining commons and at select locations:

65 percent off cash price at all-you-care-to-eat dining commons
65 percent off cash price on prepared items* at residential food service operations (located in housing areas)
10 percent off cash price on prepared items* at specialty fast-casual locations in residential operations and specific HUB Dining options (Soup & Garden, Grate Chee, and Blue Burrito)

*Packaged and branded items are not eligible for any discount.

**Additional Dining Locations that accept Campus Meal Plan (no additional discounts offered)**
HUB Dining: Burger King, Slim Chickens, McAlister's Deli, Jamba, Starbucks, Hibachi-San, Panda Express, Cow & Cookie, and Sbarro's
Cafe Laura	Freshens
Penn State Berkey Creamery	Panera Bread
Saxby's	Starbucks
Beaver Stadium	Bryce Jordan Center
Pegula Ice Arena	Shake Smart - IM Building

The Campus Meal Plan can also be used at any Penn State campus with a Campus Dining operation.

Overdraft Protection

The Campus Meal Plan offers an "overdraft protection" service if a student's dining dollar balance hits $0. If they make a purchase and there are not enough dining dollars available to cover the transaction cost, the system will automatically pull funds from their LionCash account to cover the cost of the purchase - and still offer the same discount structure. The register system will only process these transactions if the student has an active Campus Meal Plan and enough funds in LionCash to cover the purchase cost.

This feature is useful towards the end of spring semester. Rather than increase to a higher level, funds can be added to LionCash. Any dining dollars remaining in the Campus Meal Plan account at the end of spring semester will expire, whereas LionCash funds transfer year-to-year and do not expire at the end of spring semester.

Deposit LionCash funds

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Campus Meal Plan Cost

The Campus Meal Plan is comprised of two cost components:

base cost (similar to a "membership fee") covers operational expenses. The base cost is paid up-front at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters and used by the University to cover mortgages, labor, supplies, etc. This covers the cost of business to be open and ready to serve students on demand.
dining dollars is the amount of spendable funds available on the student's Penn State id+ Card to make purchases with. There are three (3) levels of spendable dining dollars. Campus Meal Plan holders will receive a discount on qualifying purchases at select operations.

The Campus Meal Plan is required for each semester that a student has an active Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract, and will be charged to the student's LionPATH account at the beginning of each semester. The exception will be for students who purchase a Campus Meal Plan in the fall semester and use a credit card for payment; those plans are not automatically added to the student's spring account.

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**Campus Meal Plan Cost 2024-25 Academic Year**
amount charged is per semester
Level	Dining Dollars	Base Cost	TOTAL CHARGE
1	Dining Dollars $897	Base Cost $1670	TOTAL CHARGE $2567
2	Dining Dollars $1133	Base Cost $1670	TOTAL CHARGE $2803
3	Dining Dollars $1349	Base Cost $1670	TOTAL CHARGE $3019

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**Campus Meal Plan Cost 2025-26 Academic Year**
amount charged is per semester
Level	Dining Dollars	Base Cost	TOTAL CHARGE
1	Dining Dollars $947	Base Cost $1710	TOTAL CHARGE $2657
2	Dining Dollars $1191	Base Cost $1710	TOTAL CHARGE $2901
3	Dining Dollars $1414	Base Cost $1710	TOTAL CHARGE $3124