2026-2027 Meal Plans
Swipe with Pride
LMU Hospitality is pleased to introduce new meal plans that will support the University’s transition to an All-You-Care-to-Eat dining beginning in Fall 2026. These plans are designed to provide greater value, enable LMU Hospitality to expand menu variety, and create a dining experience that better supports the diverse food service needs of our campus community. This webpage will be updated regularly as additional details become available.
FAQs
All-You-Care-to-Eat dining is the most common meal plan program in higher education. It means unlimited dining during your visit to The Lair. With a swipe of the card, guests can enjoy as much food as they like—no need to budget for individual dishes or items.
It’s also a great way to sample different foods, grab that extra cookie, and skip the hassle of waiting in line at the cash register.
Each meal plan will be comprised of a set number of meal swipes and dining dollars. There will be several meal plan options to choose from, including smaller plans designed specifically for students living in campus apartments.
Students have several meal plan options to choose from. First-year students may select either the Platinum or Gold plan. Upper-division students living in traditional residence halls may choose from the Platinum, Gold, or Silver plans. Students living in campus apartments or off-campus may select any meal plan. Please reach out to Hannah Rhodes (rhodes-hannah@aramark.com) if you need help selecting a meal plan.
Lion Platinum Meal Plan
- Who it’s for: First-year students and athletes
- Includes:
- 300 Meal Swipes – The total number of meals available per semester
- 150 Meal Exchanges included in the 300 meal swipes – 9 per week in select retail locations
- $400 Dining Dollars
- Why choose it:
- Maximum flexibility and variety
- Optimal nutrition for athletic performance
- Best if you:
- Where do you live? → Residence Hall
- How many times a day will you eat on campus? → 3 or more
- How often do you want to dine at different locations? → I always want to be able to eat wherever I want
- Do you snack throughout the day? → Yes
- How much do you spend on drinks/snacks? → A lot
Lion Gold Meal Plan
- Who it’s for: First-year students and upper-division students
- Includes:
- 230 Meal Swipes – The total number of meals available per semester
- 115 Meal Exchanges included in the 230 meal swipes – 7 per week in select retail locations
- $500 Dining Dollars
- Why choose it:
- Perfect balance of value and convenience
- Great for diverse dining options
- Best if you:
- Where do you live? → Residence Hall or On-Campus Apartment
- How many times a day will you eat on campus? → 2
- How often do you want to dine at different locations? → More than a few times per week
- Do you snack throughout the day? → Yes
- How much do you spend on drinks/snacks? → A little bit
Note: First-year students must select either Lion Platinum or Lion Gold Meal Plan
Lion Silver Meal Plan
- Who it’s for: Upper-division students and apartment residents
- Includes:
- 165 Meal Swipes – The total number of meals available per semester
- 80 Meal Exchanges included in the 165 meal swipes – 5 per week in select retail locations
- $600 Dining Dollars
- Why choose it:
- Affordable yet flexible
- Ideal for students who want a mix of dining hall and retail choices
- Best if you:
- Where do you live? → On-Campus Apartment
- How many times a day will you eat on campus? → 1–2
- How often do you want to dine at different locations? → Every once in awhile
- Do you snack throughout the day? → Yes
- How much do you spend on drinks/snacks? → A little bit
Lion Community Meal Plan
- Who it’s for: Apartment residents or commuters
- Includes:
- 75 Meal Swipes - The total number of meals available per semester
- 30 Meal Exchanges included in the 75 meal swipes – 2 per week in select retail locations
- Your choice of $200, $300 or $400 Dining Dollars
- Why choose it:
- Convenient for students who don’t want to cook daily
- Provides variety without committing to a full plan
- Best if you:
- Where do you live? → On-Campus Apartment or Other Housing
- How many times a day will you eat on campus? → 1
- How often do you want to dine at different locations? → Every once in awhile
- Do you snack throughout the day? → No
- How much do you spend on drinks/snacks? → Next to nothing
Lion Scholar Meal Plan
- Who it’s for: Apartment residents or commuters
- Includes:
- 30 Meal Swipes – The total number of meals available per semester
- 10 Meal Exchanges included in the 30 meal swipes – 1 per week in select retail locations
- Your choice of $400, $500 or $600 Dining Dollars
- Why choose it:
- Great value for light, flexible dining
- Perfect for occasional campus meals
- Best if you:
- Where do you live? → Off-Campus Apartment or Other Housing
- How many times a day will you eat on campus? → 1 or less
- How often do you want to dine at different locations? → Every once in awhile
- Do you snack throughout the day? → No
- How much do you spend on drinks/snacks? → Next to nothing
*Please note that students may change their meal plan through the end of the 3rd week of the fall semester, and may also change their meal plan between fall and spring semesters.
Meal swipes can be used for entrance into all-you-care-to-eat dining located inside the Lair. They can also be used for meal exchanges at select campus restaurants.
A meal exchange is when you trade a meal swipe for a preset combo at select campus retail locations, which typically includes an entrée, side, and beverage. A typical option at Iggy’s Café, for example, may include a sandwich, fries, and a fountain soda.
These tax-free dollars can be spent on food and beverages from any dining location on campus, including campus coffee carts, C-Stores, and other retail outlets. Balances carry forward from fall to spring semesters but do not roll over to the next academic year.
Students who prefer not to dine in can use a meal swipe at check-in to receive a to-go container. They can then fill it with their favorite food items and take their meal with them.
Everyone is welcome to dine in the Lair. For community members and visitors without meal plans, there will be a door price for entry.
All students who plan to live on campus will make their initial meal plan selection in the Housing Portal during the Housing Application process, which begins Feb 5, 2026. Commuter students will be able to purchase a meal plan via their Lion Wallet beginning August 1.
Students may change their meal plans through Week 3 of the semester.