Do you find yourself with 100’s of leftover meal swipes at the end of the year? Most students here at the University of Alabama purchase a meal plan but don’t know how to get the most for their money. The main reason why people end up wasting meal swipes is because they aren’t sure where or when to go to dining halls. We all prefer to eat out at our restaurant of choice, but if we take a closer look, the meal plan provides great options that don’t require extra money.

Dining Halls
No two people have identical daily routines, but there are plenty of dining halls to fit into any and all schedules. Here are a few dining halls with varying hours of operation that students can choose from

• Burke Dining Hall– Burke is an all you can eat dining hall located in Burke Hall. So if you live in Burke, nearby Tutwiler, or find yourself out on the southeast side of campus, Burke’s your place. They stay open from 7am-2pm and then re-open for dinner from 5pm-9:30pm during the week. Burke offers a wide variety of food options, but always bakes their hot, cheesy pizza every day without fail

• The Fresh Food Company– Nestled in the Science and Engineering Complex area is Fresh Foods. Open weekdays from 7am to 6pm, they provide delicious food choices all day long. From gooey grilled cheeses to chocolatey cookie brownies to fresh, salty French fries, the options are endless. Although it’s sure to satisfy any student, this dining hall sits in an ideal location for students in science related majors who are out and about going to classes.

• Lakeside Dining– Obviously, if you live in Presidential dorms or Lakeside dorms this dining hall lies near you. Lakeside Dining is UA’s biggest all you care to eat restaurant. Asian cuisine, home-style meals, burgers, pastas, sandwiches are just a few of the many selections. My personal favorite is the chicken tenders, fries, and Texas toast because it tastes almost identical to Raising Cane’s. Lakeside stays open on the weekends which can be very helpful when trying to budget your money. Also, they remain open later than most dining halls closing at either midnight or 2am.
• Bryant Dining– While this hall serves only the student athletes for dinner, it serves any student during brunch. This hall offers carved meats, salad bar, and made-to-order deli and grill. Located in the Bryant Hall, this dining option stays open from 8:30am-1pm.
On the Go
Not everyone’s schedule allows them to sit down for a meal each day. Sometimes we just need to grab food and go. Bama Dining understands this too well which is why students may purchase reusable to-go boxes. Here’s how they work:
1) Go to any dining hall and purchase a container for only $5
2) Fill up your to-go box with foods of your choice and take it with you
3) Return your box to any dining hall to have it cleaned and receive a new box to repeat the process
The To-Go Box Program helps out busy students by allowing them to capitalize on their meal plan without it subtracting time from their agendas.

Fresh2Go options are also available at Julia’s Market in Tutwiler and Presidential Terrace. These fresh snacks can be purchased by a meal swipe instead of Dining Dollars which helps to knock off extra swipes if needed.

UA offers many food options on campus, and most people only know half of them. For more information on Bama Dining locations and hours of operation, check out their website.