Policies

The department will delay opening of Bolton, Village Summit, Oglethorpe, Snelling, and the Niche by one hour. Example: Weekday breakfast would begin at 8:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m.

The department may also opt to close Bolton, Snelling, and the Village Summit at Joe Frank Harris Commons at 8:00 p.m. if weather conditions are extreme.

On days when the University is closed and buses are not running, the Niche will delay opening for breakfast by one hour and will close at 6:00 p.m. to serve the Health Sciences Campus. We encourage students who are not living on the Health Sciences Campus to dine on main campus.  

All Dining Services Retail Operations are closed on days when the University is officially closed due to inclement weather.

The department will delay opening of Bolton and the Village Summit by one hour. Example: Weekend breakfast would begin at 9:30 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m. Snelling, Oglethorpe, and the Niche will remain closed.

The department may also opt to close Bolton and the Village Summit at Joe Frank Harris Commons at 8:00 p.m. if weather conditions are extreme. 

All Dining Services Retail Operations are closed on days when the University is officially closed due to inclement weather.

• Service animals, including those in training, are permitted in the dining commons provided that their behavior, noise, odor, and waste do not exceed reasonable standards for a well behaved animal and that these factors do not create unreasonable disruptions to the dining commons.
• Dangerous, venomous, and/or illegal animals are not permitted.
• The service animal must be controlled by leash or harness or contained in an animal carrier at all times.
• The service animal must remain under the control of the handler/partner at all times.
• The handler/partner must prevent the service animal from contaminating food, clean equipment, and clean tableware. Contamination occurs whenever the animal touches the item. If accidental contamination occurs, the handler/partner must immediately inform a Dining Services employee so that the items can be removed from service.

Handlers/Partners are responsible for properly containing and disposing of all animal fecal waste. If a service animal has an accident outside the entrance or inside a Dining Services facility, the waste must be immediately retrieved by the handler/partner, placed in a plastic bag and securely tied before being disposed in outside trash dumpsters. If the accident occurs inside, the handler/partner must inform a Dining Services employee, who will provide the handler with chemical clean up tools to further clean the area after the solid waste is removed.

• All service animals must be in good health and have all veterinarian recommended vaccinations to maintain the animal's health and prevent contagious diseases.
• All service animals must wear identification tags with contact information and, if applicable, vaccination information.

• The handler/partner is responsible for ensuring that the service animal does not interfere with the routine activities and daily operations of the dining commons or cause difficulties for customers or staff. Sensitivity to individuals with allergies and to those who fear animals is important.
• The handler/partner may not use cups, bowls, or plates from the dining commons to feed the service animal.
• The handler/partner is financially and legally responsible for the actions of the service animal such as bodily injury or property damage. University Dining Services shall have the right to bill the handler/partner's account for necessary repair and/or replacement costs.
• Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) and Service Animals in Training must be registered with UGA's Disability Resource Center (DRC), but Service Animals that have been trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities are not required to register with the DRC.
• If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Chad Jordan, UGA Environmental Safety Specialist, at cjordan@esd.uga.edu or (706) 542-9373. If you have any immediate concern about your experience in one of our facilities, please ask for the manager on duty.

Please contact the Registered Dietitian at ingerson@uga.edu.

UGA Dining Services meal plan contracts are for the duration of the Academic Year consisting of Fall and Spring Semesters. Summer Session meal plans are also available, but are not part of the Academic Year contract.

Beginning service for Fall and Spring Semesters coincide with Housing move in dates. The last day of service for each semester will be no earlier than the Housing move out date, and may actually be one day later. Spring semester service will not end until the day of or the day after Graduation. Service during academic breaks may be limited to one of the dining commons.  

To participate in a meal plan, students, faculty, or staff must agree to a meal plan contract. The Academic Year contract is for both Fall and Spring Semesters. Once a student agrees to the contract, the student is obligated to remain on the contract for both semesters. Summer Session plans mirror the dates of the different sessions, and various contracts are available. 

Students may choose to join the meal plan after the Fall Semester has begun. Students who choose to do so are obligated to remain on the plan for the remainder of the Academic Year. If Fall semester service has already ceased, the student is then only obligated for the unexpired portion of the contract, Spring semester.

Meal plan customers may enjoy access to any of our five dining commons during operating hours. To gain entry to any of the dining commons, meal plan customers may use the Iris Camera System at the entry of each dining commons at any time except during overnight service at Snelling Dining Commons. Students entering Snelling Dining Commons during overnight service must use their UGA ID card to gain entry during this time. Paw Points may be used at any UGA Dining Service location or Vending machine. 

At no time, may a meal plan customer use their UGA ID to allow another patron to gain access. If a meal plan contract holder allows another meal plan patron to gain access into the dining commons, the contract holder’s student record will be flagged and they will be contacted to make an appointment to meet with Executive Director of Dining Services. Other actions by Dining Services may include suspending meal plan access, revoking meal plan access, contacting Student Judiciary, and/or UGA Police.

For any offense, if the contract holder allows another patron into a dining location who is not on the meal plan, the cash price of the meal will be placed on the contract holder’s student account and the charge must be paid before any flag is removed or suspension lifted.

UGA Dining Services now offers student meal plan participants the ability to take food to-go from the dining commons during a meal period. Participants receive a reusable, environmentally-safe, sustainable container that allows them to easily build their own meal to-go. The box is microwave and dishwasher safe and is made of 30% recycled material while also being recyclable at the end of its usage. Click to learn more.

Students who notify Dining Services that they have withdrawn from all classes will receive a refund for the semester in which they withdraw. Refunds are processed in accordance with the schedule published by Student Accounts. The date used for withdrawal refunds will be the later of the Registrar’s official withdrawal date or the last date the patron accessed the dining commons.

If a student is dismissed from classes as a result of disciplinary action, no refund is authorized.

Students graduating Fall Semester may notify Dining Services in mid-December. Dining Services will verify that the graduating student has no Spring classes and will void the Spring portion of the contract at no cost to the student.

Students involved in programs that will require them to be away from campus for the majority of the semester may void their Spring Semester contract at no fee by providing documentation from the program department head. Programs that last only part of a semester may not result in a full waiver of the cancellation fee and will be determined on an individual basis.