Eating on Campus
- How Points Work
- The Santa Clara Restaurant Collection
- Vegetarian, Vegan, and other Special Dietary Needs
- Other Options: Dining Plus and Flex
- Cost and Rates
Every resident student chooses a dining plan based on points. Instead of recording meals per day or per year, you'll use your point balance to buy the food you want to eat, whenever and wherever you're hungry.
The main dining venue at Santa Clara is a marketplace, not a cafeteria; most food is made to order and it's open all day. It's at the center of campus so you're almost always nearby, and it has the largest selection, but it's hardly the only way to eat.
Want a big cup of coffee before your midterm? Stop at the coffee cart. Hungry on the go or after hours? You can buy groceries and snacks, grab a smoothie, or wrap up the night with a late-night pizza on campus. Want to celebrate a big day somewhere off campus? Use your ACCESS card like a debit card at more than 30 restaurants in the surrounding area with Flex.
Plan Options
- Preferred Plan (2007-08 - 1,264 points/quarter; 3,792 points per year)
- Basic Plan (2007-08 - 1,123 points/quarter; 3,369 points per year)
- Junior/Senior Plan (2007-08 - 756 points/quarter; 2,268 per points year)
- Apartment Plan (2007-08 - 150 points/quarter; 450 points per year)
- Frequently Asked Questions about plan options
How Points Work
Think of points like dollars in a bank account. At the beginning of each quarter, you'll receive a certain number of points based on your dining plan. The Preferred Plan is usually the best fit for students who spend most of their time on campus. The Basic Plan has fewer points per year, which might be ideal if you live on campus but are away more often for work or weekends.
All the food items you can buy on campus cost a certain number of points. You'll have to manage your account all through the quarter (we'll help by posting charts and other information) until the balance resets at the beginning of the next quarter.
The great thing about points is that you can eat a light snack without losing a whole "meal" from your plan. You pay only for what you eat, no matter how many or how few times per day. And the great thing about Santa Clara's restaurant collection is that there's always at least one venue open from 7 a.m. (for you early risers) until midnight (for the night owls).
The Santa Clara Restaurant Collection
| Market Square – Features distinct restaurant-style stations with a variety of daily menus. Enjoy Italian cooking, Latin American cuisine, sandwiches, burgers and grill favorites, salad bars, soups, breakfast specialties, and desserts. Located at the heart of campus in Benson Memorial Center. Find Market Square on the campus map Monday –Thursday: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
| Mission Bakery Café – Coffee, breakfast items, pastries, milkshakes, and quick to-go items like pre-made wraps, salads, and sandwiches. In the Benson Center. Find the Mission Bakery on the campus map Monday-Friday: 7 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. |
| Jump Start – Smoothies, juices, and other quick healthy snacks. Located near the parking garage and the Malley Fitness Center. Find Jump Start on the campus map Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
| The Cellar Market – Groceries, snacks, and beverages. Stock up on items for your room or a road trip. In the Benson Center. Find the Cellar Market on the campus map Friday & Saturday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
| The Bronco – The late night dining and entertainment hub. Wood-fired pizzas, toasted sandwiches, frozen drinks and floats, desserts, and more. Find The Bronco on the campus map Monday, Tuesday & Thursday: 9 p.m. – 12:45 a.m. |
| Sunstream Cafe – Located at the entrance to the Learning Commons, Technology Center, and Library, the Sunstream Cafe is the place to grab an energizing snack, quick and healthy lunch and dinner, or late night coffee or espresso drink. Monday - Thursday: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. |
Vegetarian, Vegan, and other Special Dietary Needs
Our chefs can create custom dishes for you at our many dining locations. Talk to an SCU Dining Services manager if you have medical or dietary restrictions. Everything possible will be done to meet your special needs. SCU also has a commitment to providing fresh, organic, and local ingredients whenever possible to create healthy food while following sustainable practices and fostering ecological awareness.
Other Options: Dining Plus and Flex
Running out of points? It happens. Don't worry, you don't have to starve. Add points to your resident dining plan with Dining Plus at any point during the year. These points are just like the regular ones, so use them anywhere for anything.
Open a Flex Account, and you can use your campus ID card like a debit card on and off campus. Deposit money in advance; add more at any time. Your parents can even add money to your Flex account from their own computers. Flex payments are accepted at more than 25 local restaurants off campus as well as at all on-campus dining locations.
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