Frequently Asked Questions

What meal plans are available, and how do I change mine?

Davidson offers the All-Access Plan and a selection of weekly plans. Eligibility varies by class year.
View Meal Plans

You can change your meal plan at the start of each semester through CatCard Services.

How do meal swipes, Meal Equivalency (MEQ), Dining Dollars, and Flex Dollars work?

• Meal Swipes give you entry to Vail Commons.
   
• MEQs let you use a swipe at retail locations instead of Commons.
   
• Dining Dollars come with your meal plan and can be used at any dining location.
   
• Flex Dollars are funds you can add anytime to your CatCard.

Learn More About Meal Plans

When are the meal periods for MEQs?

With the All-Access Plan, students may only use one MEQ per meal period time.

• Breakfast: 6 – 10:59 a.m.
   
• Lunch: 11 a.m. – 1:59 p.m.
   
• Late Lunch: 2 - 4:59 p.m.
   
• Dinner: 5 – 8:59 p.m.
   
• Late Night: 9 – 11:59 p.m.

The All-Access Plan automatically comes with six MEQs a week. You can upgrade this to have nine or twelve MEQs a week.

Add On Meal Plan Equivalencies

Where can I eat on campus?

On-campus dining options include Vail Commons, Davis Café, the Wildcat Den, The Commons Market, Qdoba, Chick-fil-A, and Summit Coffee Outpost. 

Explore all Dining Locations

Where can I find menus?

Menus are available online and updated daily.

• Vail Commons E-Menu
• Retail menus available through GrubHub (with your Davidson login)
• Dining Locations pages include menus for each location

What are the current dining hours?

Dining hours vary by location and season. View Hours

What are the Vail Commons meal periods and what stations are available?

Vail Commons is open continuously from Monday to Friday, with five meal periods: 

• Breakfast

• Continental breakfast (10 to 11 a.m.)*

• Lunch

• Lite lunch (2 - 5 p.m.,)*

• Dinner 

*Select stations are open: Artisan Pizza, Signature Sandwiches, Salad Bar, Sweet Central, Breads & Spreads, Yogurt Bar, drinks

What dining options are available during breaks?

For college holidays such as Thanksgiving Day and Winter Break, dining locations are closed to give our staff time off with their families.

During most semester breaks, students on an All-Access Plan receive three MEQs per day.

Do you use high-quality ingredients?

Yes—this is a central part of our mission. We choose our suppliers based on high standards for animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and fair labor practices. 

How can I find allergen and nutrition information?

Nutrition, allergen, and ingredient lists are always available online and on digital menu boards.

We also offer a certified allergen-free station in Vail Commons, which holds a FARECheck Gold Certification.

Food Allergies & Resources

Do you use real eggs?

Yes. Our kitchens exclusively use American Humane Certified cage-free shell eggs and American Humane Certified cage-free liquid whole eggs that meet recognized animal-welfare standards. 

Is the poultry free of antibiotics?

Yes. We purchase chicken, turkey, and other poultry raised without the routine use of human antibiotics, especially those used as growth promoters. We also prioritize poultry produced under higher-welfare standards, such as slower-growing breeds and suppliers with transparent, humane practices.

Is the dairy free of artificial growth hormones?

Yes. We exclusively source dairy products, including milk and yogurt, that are free of artificial growth hormones. We choose producers who do not use recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) whenever possible.

How do I arrange catering or send a snack box to my student?

Our in-house catering team is available seven days a week and even offers special deliveries for birthdays, exam season, or holidays. 

Order a Cat Pack

What do you do with leftover food?

We recover and repurpose surplus or unused food that would otherwise be discarded, and we compost anything that cannot be reused to further reduce our environmental footprint and minimize landfill impact.

Our Sustainability Efforts