Value of a Meal Plan

Dining at University of Portland

As UP and Bon Appétit Management Company welcome new and returning students to campus in the era of COVID-19, we’re introducing many new changes designed to ensure that you have the best dining experience possible. We’ll of course be implementing new measures to keep our guests and our teams safe, but while safety is a key priority, it is not our only one. We think we’ve got a great program planned for you, but rest assured we’ll be refining and adapting to make it even better as we go along.  

REASONS TO BUY A MEAL PLAN:

It’s Safer: We’ve got a host of new protocols based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), health and sanitation experts from our Coronavirus Response Team, and local health regulations. We require COVID-19 specific training and health checks for our employees, and we’ve always offered paid sick leave. 

Makes Life Easier: Life is difficult enough right now! A meal plan means: No worrying about grocery shopping or meal planning. No dishes. No unexpected financial surprises: for students who have flexible spending dollars, we help them manage their funds appropriately. 

It’s Convenient: We offer the GET mobile app, lots of freshly made grab-and-go items, and contactless payment — you don’t even have to carry cash! 

From Scratch = Flexible: We LOVE food, so we cook it from scratch: stocks, sauces, soups, salsas, you name it (also things that don’t start with S). This means we can be flexible with our recipes to accommodate all sorts of dietary needs without any fuss. It’s our passion to create delicious food that suits every need and taste. Vegan, flexitarian, or avoiding gluten? We’ll have options for you every day.

It’s Healthier: Our chefs make craveworthy dishes — built on whole grains, deep-color vegetables, fresh fruits, and lean or plant-based proteins — that people look forward to eating every day. They also follow portion control guidelines. 

Satisfying Options: From global bowls to seasonal pizzas, there’s always something new to try. And we love suggestions — our chefs don’t use cycle menus or corporate recipes, so they can add in new items with only a few days’ notice. 

Seriously Sustainable: COVID-19 may have disrupted the food supply chains, but we’re still committed to upholding our industry-leading commitments to environmentally and socially responsible sourcing, from Farm to Fork partnerships to sustainable seafood. (The Humane Society of the United States ranked us the #1 food service company — the only one with an A+ grade.) 

Knowledge is Power: College isn’t just about academics, it’s about learning life skills, too. We are committed to helping students learn to make healthy choices in and outside our café through nutrition & wellness information and education about how food choices impact the environment, and more.

Still Social: Mealtimes are still the perfect time to catch up with friends, and make new ones. We’re committed to making our dining spaces both safe and inviting places to hang out — when the time is right — and to offering interactive events to bring students together, online or 6 feet apart.