myChoice Meal Plan
For University Apartment & Commuter Students
The myChoice Meal Plan offers university apartment and commuter students the opportunity to explore and experience the benefits, variety and convenience of dining on campus! This plan was designed in response to students' requests to have greater flexibility to eat at retail venues.
Unlike the myFlex or myUnlimited plans, the myChoice plan does not allow additional Discount Dollars to be added and only one myChoice Plan can be purchased per semester.
The plan works as follows:
- The myChoice Meal Plan has a base cost and a balance of Discount Dollars. This base cost covers utilities, maintenance, repairs, rent, and the labor needed to support the food service program.
- The myChoice Meal Plan allows you to use your Discount Dollars like a declining balance account on your ID card. Discount Dollars can be used at all retail and resident dining locations for meals and beverages. Each time you use your ID card at a dining location, your meal plan’s Discount Dollars will get activated and the venue-specific discount (a 40% discount at campus/Sodexo retail brands and local/national retail brands) will be automatically calculated and the balance will be debited for your purchase. Your remaining **Discount Dollars **balance will appear on the register display and your receipt. Remember also your meal plan is tax free, so you will also be saving an additional 8% on all discounted sale prices. Please note that other campus funds will not activate these discounts, i.e., Munch Money, Podium, Campus Gold, F/S Dining Plan.
Plan Pricing per Semester
Meal plans are purchased per semester. The per semester pricing and details of the myChoice Meal Plan are as follows:
| Plan Option | 2025-2026 Price | Base Cost | Discount Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| myChoice #1 | $1,275 | $550 | $725 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| myChoice #2 | $1030 | $450 | $580 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| myChoice #3 | $773 | $350 | $423 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
*The base cost covers utilities, maintenance, repairs, rent and the labor needed to support the food service program.
Discount Dollars
| 60% Off Your Purchase | 40% Off Your Purchase | 40% Off Your Purchase |
|---|---|---|
| 1844 Restaurant | ||
| 518* Market | ||
| Al Dente | Starbucks | |
| Calypso | Argo Tea | |
| State Dining Room | Corner Deli | East Café |
| Indigenous Dining Room | ETEC Café | Baba's Pizza |
| Fresh Fruit Bar | The Halal Shack | |
| Fountain Grill | Jamal's Chicken | |
| Stocks & Stems | Umai Fusion | |
| SubConnection | Umai Ramen | |
| The Sweet Shop | Umai Sushi | |
| Tres Habaneros | Nikos Cafe | |
| Morris's Café | ||
| Morris's Café |
*Pre-packaged items are excluded from the Discount Dollar program.
For example:
If you go to the Fountain Grill and order a burger, fries and 24oz beverage
You will pay:
$15.57* without Discount Dollars (plus tax)
$9.34* with Discount Dollars (40% discount, no tax added)
Click here to learn more about budgeting your Discount Dollars.
Prices on the menu boards list the full retail price. For students on meal plans, there is signage clearly indicating what discount is offered per venue (i.e., 60% or 40%). Applicable discounts are reflected at registers. Please Note: Other campus funds will not activate these discounts, i.e., Munch Money, Podium, Campus Gold, F/S Dining Plan.
Dining halls/1844 Restaurant Door Rates
Please Note: Door rate price listed is before tax. Discount Dollar purchases are not taxable. Due to New York State tax codes, meal swipes and/or Discount Dollars that are part of a student meal plan (e.g., myFlex or myChoice, etc.) and Munch Money cannot be used for guests. You may use Podium or credit cards to purchase guest meals.
| Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 | Door Rate | w/ Discount Dollars |
|---|---|---|
| RESIDENT DINING | ||
| Continental Breakfast Price | $8.25 | $3.30 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Breakfast Price | $10.75 | $4.30 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brunch / Lunch Price | $15.50 | $6.20 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dinner Price | $15.50 | $6.20 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RETAIL DINING | ||
| 1844 Restaurant Buffet | $16.85 | $10.11 |
| --- | --- | --- |
Other Important Info
- Available to university apartment and commuter students of any class standing.
- Only one myChoice Meal Plan can be purchased per semester.
- Additional Discount Dollars cannot be purchased.
- University Apartment or commuter students can change to any other myChoice Meal Plan (#1 - #3), myFlex Plan (#1 - #5), or myUnlimited Meal Plan (#1 - #2) starting July 2, 2025 through September 8, 2025.
- Meal plans are purchased per semester.
- Discount Dollars activate discounts at all campus-wide retail dining venues (40% off Sodexo/in-house brands and local/regional/national brands).
- 518 Market and vending do not provide a discount when using Discount Dollars (use Munch Money/Podium/Campus Gold/credit) - with the exception of green mountain coffee, fruits and vegetables, sushi.
- Discount Dollars carry over from fall semester to spring semester but expire at the end of spring semester
- Tax free (additional 8% savings on discounted sales price).
Additional information:
SUNY Poly students living at UAlbany may have different meal plan requirements based upon class year and residence. Please click here for additional details and information.
- Meal plans are activated when residence halls officially open for occupancy and end when they officially close. During times when the residence hall dining rooms are closed, but the resident halls are open, Discount Dollars and/or Munch Money can be used in retail locations.
- Non-freshmen students that have studied abroad, completed an internship or were off-campus for another approved reason during the previous semester and are now living in a residence hall, will automatically be assigned to the myFlex Meal Plan #2, but can change during the add/change period.
- If a residence hall student moves into a University apartment or off-campus, his/her meal plan will be removed unless the student notifies the ID Card office requesting the continuation of his/her meal plan.
- All meal plans (i.e., myUnlimited, myFlex and myChoice) and Munch Money are exempt from NYS sales tax, and therefore cannot be used to purchase guest meals, and cannot be refunded, changed or transferred after the add/drop period.
See the UAlbany Dining Meal Plan Refund/Change Policy for more information.