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Meal Plans 101

Having a meal plan means more than just convenience - it's your key to enjoying craveable meals across campus. With chef-inspired menus, local ingredients, and sustainable practices, your dining experience is as dynamic as campus life.

What is a Meal Plan?

A Meal Plan unlocks delicious meals, coffee, snacks, and more, at 12 locations across campus. Your Meal Plan includes Meal Swipes and Dining Dollars, conveniently loaded onto your student ID. No need to carry additional cards or cash!

Whether you're grabbing a quick snack, enjoying craft coffee, or settling in for a full meal, our four LION Plans are designed to meet your needs. Each plan is credited to your OneCard in semester increments. Dining on campus with LION Dollars offers significant savings! All LION plans are tax-exempt, meaning you save almost 10% on every food purchase compared to paying with cash, credit, or Flexi.

Lion Dollars: These tax-free dollars can be spent on food anywhere on campus, including craft coffee, trending snacks and beverages, healthy options, and comfort foods. Balances carry forward from fall to spring semesters but do not roll over to the next academic year.

To purchase: Select your meal plan through the LMU student portal. For questions or upgrades, contact the LMU Student Housing Office at housing@lmu.edu or call (310) 338-2963. Need more tax-free dollars? Add additional funds using the LMU LION Wallet.

LION-Dollars

LION-Dollars, also known as Lion-Cash or Dining Dollars, are purchased through Housing and are required for all students living in traditional residence halls or off-campus apartments. There are five different dining plan options, designated by the letters L-I-O-N or A (a smaller plan for apartments). LION-Dollars are exempt from California sales tax and are non-refundable. These dining plans activate at the beginning of the school year, and funds must be used within the LION Plan contract year. Any remaining balance will be forfeited once the contract year expires. LION-Dollars cannot be refunded in the event of theft, so please keep your OneCard protected and regularly monitor your Lion Wallet account balances.

Need to upload more supplemental tax-free dollars? Do it right here. Use LMU LION Wallet to add additional funds.

S Dollars

"S" Dollars are supplemental Lion Dollars that can be purchased anytime during the semester in any increment. They are tax-free for all food purchases, including craft coffee, trending snacks and beverages, healthy options, and comfort foods, allowing you to save on paying tax!

For Meal Plan Information and Resources, please visit: Housing & Meal Plan Rates - Loyola Marymount University

Interested in information about the 2026-2027 meal plans? View the FAQ here!

Your Meal Plan Access

  • Meal Swipes

    Meal Swipes give you access to all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, offering variety of delicious and fresh options for every meal.

  • Dining Dollars

    Dining Dollars are prepaid funds that can be used at any campus dining location to conveniently purchase food, snacks, and beverages. 

  • Meal Exchange

    Meal Exchange lets you trade a Meal Swipe for select menu items at participating campus retail locations, giving you more flexibility on the go.

Hungry For More Info?

Find the perfect meal plan, explore flexible options, or get oriented with your campus dining experience.

  • Meal Plan Options

    Choose from a variety of meal plans designed to provide flexibility and convenience for everyone. 

    Browse Meal Plans
  • Meal Plan Orientation

    Explore your campus dining experience with a guide to dining halls, featured locations, and more.

    Get Started

Dine With Confidence!

Manage your meal plan with ease. Learn how to check your balance and set alerts.

Meal Plan FAQs

Have questions about your Meal Plan? Our FAQs are here to help you learn everything you need to manage your plan and make the most of campus dining. From how to get started to maximizing your benefits, you’ll find the answers you need right here.