Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who has to be on a meal plan?

A. All residents in the dorms are required to purchase one of the residential meal plan options offered by the NYU-Poly Dining Services.

Q. Why are students who live on campus required to be on a meal plan?

A. For a few reasons:

• The residence halls are not equipped for everyone to cook his/her meals
• The residence halls have strict rules against cooking due to local fire and safety ordinances
• Dining areas are designed to promote interaction and socialization among classmates
• The meal plan guarantees a variety of dining choices for resident students

Q. How do I know what my balance is?

A. Every time you make a purchase in a food service facility, your balance will appear on the register display, as well as on the printed receipt, which the cashier will give you upon request. In addition, you can check your balance without making a purchase by asking any cashier to make an inquiry. You will need your meal card to perform this function. Your balance is always up-to-the-minute because the system runs on “real time.”

Q. When does the meal plan begin and end?

A. For each fall and spring semester, the meal plan begins on move in day and ends on the last day of the semester. Any money remaining from the fall semester will be carried over to the spring semester only if you purchase either the same meal plan as the fall or one of greater value. At the end of the spring semester, all unused dollars are non-refundable.

Q. How do I get my meal card?

A. Your NYU-Poly ID card is also your meal card. For your protection, your meal card is nontransferable and will be confiscated if used by anyone other than the subscriber.

Q. What if I have special dietary restrictions?

A. We offer a large variety of vegan fare; selections are available at almost every station, with half of the salad bar dedicated to vegan items. Kosher and Hallal items are available upon request. Please contact the food services director for details.

Q. What if I am sick and unable to leave my room?

A. We are always willing to make arrangements for any special situation. Simply have your RA call us or send a note and someone else will be able to pick up a meal for you.

Q. What if I have more questions?

A. If you have any questions about the NYU-Poly meal plan or dining services, please feel free to approach or call any one of our food service managers. You can visit them at the Jasper Kane Dining Hall. Our food service staff is always available to you. You can find their contact information here.