Meal Exchange Program

Meal exchanges are part of Housing’s resident dining plans, through which you can swipe to purchase a meal at select Housing locations or $5 worth of food and non-alcohol beverages at Babcock Dairy Store or Wisconsin Union dining locations. Meal exchanges count toward your weekly meal count. You can use a certain number of meal exchanges per week based on your selected dining plan (2/week for Go10, 4/week for Go14, and 6/week for GoUnlimited).

Before making your purchase, tell the cashier you would like to pay using your resident dining plan meal exchange. 

Meal exchanges can be used for a $5 credit at the Babcock Dairy Store and all Wisconsin Union locations, which includes Memorial Union, Union South, Badger Markets, and other Union-owned markets and cafes across campus.

Meal exchanges at Wisconsin Union locations and the Babcock Dairy Store can only be used for food items, including prepared foods, packaged items, and non-alcoholic beverages. Non-food items such as school supplies, clothing, technology, and personal care products are not eligible. Meal exchanges cannot be used for alcohol.

• Only one meal exchange is allowed per day across all participating campus locations during each location’s hours of operation. 
• The number of meal exchanges per week depends on the resident’s selected dining plan.
• If you have already used a meal exchange that day or have used up your allotted meal exchanges for that week, please use another form of payment, such as Dining Dollars, Wiscard, credit, or cash. Please note that cash is not accepted in Housing dining locations or Harvest Grains.

If a meal exchange is used for a food purchase that totals more than $5, it will deduct one meal from the dining plan, and then you can use another form of payment (Dining Dollars, Wiscard account, cash, credit/debit card) to pay the difference. If the purchase total is less than $5, it will deduct one meal from the dining plan.

You are welcome to use a meal exchange for as little as one item, such as a bottled beverage or piece of fruit, if you would like. However, it may be advisable to use a different form of payment (Dining Dollars, Wiscard account, cash, or credit/debit card) rather than use a meal swipe on purchases totaling less than $5.

Yes, Dining Dollars and Wiscard account funds can still be used for food and beverage purchases at Wisconsin Union locations or the Babcock Dairy Store (Dining dollars cannot be used for alcohol.). Any food and non-alcohol purchases with these payment methods receive a 5% discount and are not charged sales tax. You can also choose to pay with cash or a credit/debit card, but those purchases will be charged sales tax and do not receive the Wiscard and Dining Dollars discount. You can deposit money online to the Wiscard account at any time.

Food at the Babcock Dairy Store and Wisconsin Union locations is a la carte (pay per item), which is a different type of service than the all-you-care-to-eat meals at Housing’s dining markets. The $5 meal exchange credit at these locations offers flexibility in how you use  your dining plan there.

This meal exchange offer at Union locations and Babcock is meant to add options for our residents and not disrupt our current dining plan offerings. We continue to offer the current meal exchange menu in Housing locations with set combinations of items that can replace a traditional meal. Some residents already have dietary plans designed to fit specific nutritional needs based on this menu.

No, once the transaction is complete, the cashier will not be able to go back and refund a meal exchange.

Please continue to work with Housing’s registered dietitian for any questions or concerns related to nutrition and dietary needs.