Meal Plans
Meal Plan Change Period (Pre-Billing): Interested in changing your meal plan before billing goes out in July? Now is the time to change your plan, now through Monday, June 30, you will have the opportunity to go to The Birdhouse (Star Rez Housing Portal), go to the “Hopkins Dining Meal Plans” section and look for the “Important Meal Plan Forms” section toward the bottom. Click on the “Academic Year 2025-2026 Meal Plan Change Period” and follow the process to change your meal plan. There will be two other meal plan change periods during the academic year.
Summer Meal Plans: Around campus for the summer and interested in a summer meal plan, learn more about our summer meal plan offerings by visiting our website.
2025-2026 Meal Plan Enrollment: Birds of a feather, dine together! Now’s the time to enroll in a meal plan for the 2025-2026 academic year. Enroll by June 30 to keep any remaining Spring 2025 Dining Dollars and be entered for a chance to win $150 extra Dining Dollars. Visit our website for more details on meal plans and enrollment processes!
We know that Blue Jays all dine differently. Some Jays eat meals multiple times a day, some Jays eat larger meals a few times a day, some Jays eat large meals multiple times a day, and some Jays are in a hurry and need to fly out of the dining nest to make a class or study with friends! Whatever your Blue Jay dining preference, we have a plan for you.
Kosher Meal Plan Updates
Hopkins Dining is pleased to offer Kosher meals. Based on student feedback, students can now choose the Kosher meal option as part of any dining plan. This enhancement provides greater flexibility and ensures that Kosher-observant students can choose the plan that best meets their dining needs. The Kosher Servery is open from Sunday brunch to Friday lunch (excluding Jewish holidays) at Hopkins Café. Kosher breakfast is not available. Hillel provides Sabbath and holiday meals at the Smokler Center (3109 N. Charles St.).
For any questions regarding Kosher dining options, please email [email protected].
Meal Plan Details
Johns Hopkins meal plans are comprised of two parts: meal swipes and dining dollars. Explore the tabs below to learn more about each part.
Meal Swipes
Meal swipes are the primary part the meal plans.
- Each entry into a café is counted as a meal swipe.
- Meal swipes are reset each Sunday morning for the next week.
- Unused swipes on the 21/14/10 meals per week are forfeited each week.
- Swipes on the Block 300, Block 80, Block 50 and Block 25 plans can be used at anytime during the semester and reset at the beginning of each new semester.
- Meal swipes can be used in exchanged for to-go boxes at Hopkins Café and Nolan’s on 33rd, for a dinner meal exchange option at Levering Kitchens or for up to one “meals in a minute” to-go meals at Charles Street Market (the meal swipe limit on “meals in a minute” does not apply for the Anytime Meal Plan).
- For all meal swipe plans, there is a 20-minute delay between meal swipe uses, this includes in-person dining and to-go boxes at Hopkins Café and Nolan’s on 33rd, “meals in a minute” options at Charles Street Market and meal exchange options at Levering Kitchens.
Dining Dollars
Dining Dollars are a dollar-for-dollar tender that can be used in dining retail locations such as Charles Street Market, Levering Hall, Niecy’s Fabulous Juice Bar located in the Rec Center, Daily Grind, located in Mudd Hall and Brody Learning Commons and Kitsch Coffee, located in Gilman Hall and starting in Fall 2025 at the Hopkins Student Center. These funds are designed to complement the meal plans by allowing Blue Jays to purchase snacks, a morning or late-night coffee or groceries to prepare a special meal for friends in their residence hall. Additional Dining Dollars can be added at anytime online.
Meal plan eligibility is aligned with class year and housing styles. Choose your class year to learn more about available meal plans:
Enrolling in a meal plan is full academic year commitment (both semesters).
For additional information on Hopkins Dining, meal plans and our program, read our comprehensive dining guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of the most commonly asked questions related to dining and meal plans. If your questions is not answered below, please do not hesitate to contact using the information on the left.
Can I change my Meal Plan?
Yes, you have an opportunity to change your meal plan several times throughout the year during different meal plan change periods. The first change period is Thursday, May 1 – Monday, June 30, 2025 before billing in July. During the academic year, meal plan change periods are from Tuesday, August 25– Friday, September 5, 2025 for the Fall semester and Monday, January 12 – Friday, January 23, 2026 for the Spring semester. No changes will be able to be made outside of these change periods.
Can I treat a friend using my Meal Plan?
Unfortunately, you are unable to treat a friend to your meal plan, meal swipes are only for your use.
Can I cancel my Meal Plan?
No, once you are enrolled in a meal plan, you are committed for the entire academic year unless your student status changes. You may, however, change your meal plan to another one during the meal plan change periods.
How do I sign up for a Meal Plan?
Meal plan enrollment is open through end of September for the fall semester and through the middle of February for the Spring semester through your Star Rez Housing Portal.
Why do I only have certain Meal Plans I can choose from?
Based on where you live, on campus, depends on the types of meal plans you can choose from. Blue Jays living in the AMRs, Wolman and Scott-Bates Commons can choose from certain plans designed to accommodate the needs based on their residences. Since these locations do not have access to a full kitchen, they are required to be on a specific range of meal plans based off these facilities. Blue Jays living in Homewood and Bradford apartments as well as Roger’s House that have access to a full kitchen are able to enroll in any of our current meal plans.
What happens if I don’t use all of my meal swipes each week?
For weekly meal swipe plans, unused meals expire on Saturday at Midnight. You will receive a new set of swipes on Sunday. For Block meal plans, your meals expire at the end of the semester. These students will receive a new block set of swipes on the first day of the new meal plan period. All unused meals are forfeited and non-refundable.
Where can I use my meal swipes?
You can use your meal swipes at the Hopkins Café, Nolan’s on 33rd, at Meals-in-a-Minute at the Charles Street Market and for meal exchange during dinner at Levering Kitchens.
Where can I use my Dining Dollars?
Dining Dollars can be used at most JHU Campus Dining locations, these include the Hopkins Café, Nolan’s on 33rd, Charles Street Market, Levering Kitchens, and Levering Café. They can also be used at Niecy’s Fabulous Juice Bar located in the Rec Center, Daily Grind, located in Mudd Hall and Brody Learning Commons and Kitsch Coffee, located in Gilman Hall and starting in Fall 2025 they can be used in the Hopkins Student Center.
Do Dining Dollars carry over?
Dining Dollars carry over from Fall to Spring. Unspent Dining Dollars expire at the end of the academic year on June 30, for anyone who is not enrolled in a 2025-2026 meal plan before June 30. Any unspent Dining Dollars at that time are forfeited and non-refundable for those not enrolled in a Fall 2025 meal plan. Those enrolled in a plan will be able to keep any remaining Dining Dollars left after June 30 that will be added to their new Fall 2025 Dining Dollar amount.
You can reload Dining Dollars by filling out the Dining Dollar Reload form. You will receive a confirmation to your JHU email, please look for that and follow the instructions. Please remember it takes 24-48 business hours to be processed after we receive your confirm response.