BU Dining Points: Everything You Need to Know

BU Dining Points: Everything You Need to Know is part of Boston University's (BU) dining ecosystem in Boston, Massachusetts. This guide reflects actual student experiences with BU dining—including the operational realities that affect your daily life.

As a Boston University (BU) student, you'll quickly become familiar with the concept of dining points. These are a form of on-campus currency that you can use to purchase meals, snacks, and beverages at various dining locations across the BU campus.

Dining points work similarly to a debit card - you load them onto your BU ID card and can then use them like cash at places like Marciano Commons, Warren Towers Dining, and the GSU food court. Understanding how to effectively manage and utilize your dining points is an important part of the BU experience.

Every BU student is required to have a meal plan, which comes with a set number of dining points per semester. The amount of points you receive depends on the specific meal plan you choose:

• Basic Meal Plan: 1,400 dining points per semester
• Bronze Meal Plan: 1,750 dining points per semester
• Silver Meal Plan: 2,150 dining points per semester
• Gold Meal Plan: 2,550 dining points per semester

Your dining points will be loaded onto your BU ID card at the start of each semester. You can then use these points to purchase food and drinks at any BU dining location, with each item costing a certain number of points.

Any unused dining points at the end of a semester will roll over to the next, up to a maximum of 300 points. So it's important to try to use up as many of your points as possible before the semester ends.

With so many dining options on campus, it can be tricky to figure out the best way to maximize the value of your dining points. Here are some insider tips:

• Take Advantage of Meal Swipes: Many BU dining halls like Marciano Commons and Warren Towers Dining allow you to use a 'meal swipe' from your meal plan, which will deduct a set number of points (usually around 7-10). This is often the most cost-effective way to get a full meal.
• Avoid Impulse Purchases: It's easy to mindlessly swipe your BU card for smaller items like a coffee or snack. Try to be more mindful of your spending and save your points for larger, more filling meals.
• Stock Up on Essentials: Use your dining points to buy non-perishable items like cereal, granola bars, or microwavable meals that you can keep in your dorm for later.
• Treat Yourself Occasionally: Don't be afraid to splurge on a nice meal or favorite snack every now and then. Dining points are meant to be used, so enjoy them!
• Plan Ahead for the Semester: Map out how many points you'll need per week to cover your meals, and then adjust your spending accordingly. This will help ensure you don't run out of points before the end of the term.

One of the great things about dining points is that you can use them at a wide variety of on-campus dining spots. Here are some of the most popular places that accept BU dining points:

• Marciano Commons: The main dining hall located on the Charles River Campus, offering an all-you-can-eat buffet-style experience with a huge selection of options.
• Warren Towers Dining: Another massive dining hall, this time located in the iconic Warren Towers dorm building.
• GSU Food Court: Grab-and-go options like Panda Express, Currito, and Starbucks in the George Sherman Union.
• Rhett's: A fast-casual restaurant in the GSU serving burgers, fries, salads, and more.
• StuVi Cafe: A small cafe located in the Stuvi 1 dorm building.
• Late Night Dining: Several on-campus spots offer extended hours for late-night dining, like BUick Stop in the Questrom School of Business.

You can view a full list of BU dining locations that accept dining points on the [BU Dining website](https://www.bu.edu/dining/locations/).

Hear from real BU students on their experiences and tips for making the most of your dining points:

'Dining points are a total lifesaver as a BU student. I love being able to just swipe my card and not have to worry about carrying cash or change around campus. The meal swipes at places like Marciano are the best way to get the most value out of your points.' - Emily, Class of 2024

'I was worried about running out of dining points halfway through the semester, but the tips I found online about planning ahead and avoiding impulse purchases have really helped me budget better. Now I'm able to treat myself to a nice meal at Rhett's or the GSU food court every now and then.' - Alex, Class of 2023

'One thing I wish I knew earlier is that you can use your dining points to buy non-perishable snacks and groceries to keep in your dorm room. That's been a total game-changer for me - I'm not wasting points on small stuff and can just grab something quick whenever I need it.' - Samantha, Class of 2025

The dining point system at BU works differently than most students expect. Points don't carry over the way meal swipes might at other schools, which changes how you should budget your dining dollars.

When evaluating BU Dining Points: Everything You Need to Know, BU students should weigh both the benefits and constraints. No option is perfect for everyone—the right choice depends on your specific priorities, circumstances, and what tradeoffs you're willing to accept.