University guides
On this page
UCalgary Meal Plans and The Landing: 2026-27 Prices and Campus Food
UCalgary meal plans work at one place: The Landing, the all-you-care-to-eat dining hall in the Dining Centre. First-year residents must buy an unlimited plan, either 7-day at $6,000 or 5-day at $5,350 for 2026-27, billed with residence fees. Anyone with a Unicard can buy a smaller swipe plan. Your plan can't be used at MacEwan Student Centre or other campus food outlets, and Uni Dollars now only pay for printing.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. View sources
2026-27 plans and prices
Every plan covers the full academic year and expires at the end of it. You can't buy a plan for one semester. Unlimited plans are GST exempt; swipe plan prices don't include GST.
| Plan | 2026-27 price | What you get | Cost per meal UCalgary quotes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited 7-day | $6,000 | Unlimited entry to The Landing every day | $8.55, at 3 meals a day, 7 days a week |
| Unlimited 5-day | $5,350 | Unlimited entry Monday to Friday | $10.67, at 3 meals a day, 5 days a week |
| 250 swipes | $3,455 plus GST | 250 visits for breakfast, lunch or dinner | $13.82 |
| 120 swipes | $1,815 plus GST | 120 visits | $15.13 |
- Unused swipes carry from fall into winter, then expire at the end of the academic year.
- You can use swipes to bring friends or family. Guests can also pay the door rate.
- Door rates for 2026-27 are $13 for breakfast, $17.50 for lunch and $20 for dinner, plus GST. A loyalty card gives the sixth meal free when you buy five at the same meal time.
Who has to buy a plan
Unlimited plans are mandatory for first-year residence students in Kananaskis, Rundle, International House and Yamnuska. Pick 5-day if you expect to cook or eat out on weekends. Some second-year suites in Cascade Hall also require a 5- or 7-day plan. Other non-first-year residents in Yamnuska can choose an unlimited plan or a 250- or 120-swipe plan if they want one.
Residence students pay for the plan as part of one combined residence fee, due with tuition in September and January. For fall 2026 that deadline was September 18. You choose the plan in the Resident Portal about a month before move-in.
Changing or cancelling
Unlimited plans can be changed or cancelled before the fee deadline each term. Visit the Campus Service Centre in the International House lobby or email Unicard Financial. Swipe plans can't be changed or cancelled once bought. If you live off campus, buy a plan in person at the Campus Service Centre.
Inside The Landing
The Landing serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with continuous dining between meal periods. Stations include a breakfast station, a salad bar with 30 ingredients, a vegan and vegetarian station, pizza with halal and vegan options, three soups a day, pasta, a grill, a Mongolie Grill stir-fry station, a deli and desserts.
It's a sit-down dining hall, so you can't take food out, apart from a piece of fruit and a drink. If a class clashes with lunch, order a Meals To Go boxed lunch at the cashier at least a day ahead and pick it up next morning. If you're sick, a friend can collect a meal with your UCID card.
Food is labelled for allergens and dietary needs. If you have a food allergy or restriction, register it through the meal plan page and contact the culinary team to talk through options. A Student Food Committee lets meal plan holders give feedback on the menu.
Other food on campus
Outside The Landing you pay with your own card. Uni Dollars stopped working at food vendors, the Bookstore and the Pharmacy in fall 2023, and now only pay for printing and photocopying. Food Services notes its vendor list is for information and may not be up to date.
| Building | What Food Services lists |
|---|---|
| MacEwan Student Centre | The biggest cluster: A&W, Carl's Jr., Dairy Queen, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Subway, Umi Sushi, Freshco Poke, Korean BBQ, OPA! of Greece, The Den & Black Lounge and the Last Defence Lounge, among others |
| Mathison Hall | The Market (Phil and Sebastian), The Exchange, The Hot Seat and Quick Eats |
| Yamnuska Hall | Domino's, Starbucks and Subway |
| TFDL, Education Block and ICT | Good Earth Coffeehouse; ICT also has Konz Pizza |
| Engineering Complex | Pizza Forno |
| Foothills campus | Good Earth in the Health Research Innovation Centre and the Fresh Routes mobile grocery at the Health Sciences Centre |
.jpg){kind=link}
Low-cost food: the Campus Food Hub
The Campus Food Hub is on the main floor of Crowsnest Hall, just north of the Olympic Oval. Its Affordable Food Market sells subsidized groceries, and Ladle Up serves soup and a bun for $2 on Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. Both take credit and debit only. It's closed Mondays and weekends and opens Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m., closing between 2 and 6 p.m. depending on the day.
Keep exploring
Sources and updates
This independent guide summarizes the official information linked below. Availability, access rules and application cycles can change; check the relevant university page before making a decision.
- UCalgary Unicard: meal plans and The Landing (2026-27 pricing)
- UCalgary Residence Services: rates 2026-2027
- UCalgary Residence Services: Yamnuska Hall
- UCalgary Residence Services: application process
- UCalgary Food Services: dining locations
- UCalgary Unicard: Uni Dollar accounts
- UCalgary Student Services: Campus Food Hub