uOttawa Meal Plans and the Dining Hall: 2026-27 Costs

Any student can buy any plan, whether or not you live in residence. These are the published 2026-27 prices; 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.

The five-day plan is mandatory at LeBlanc, Marchand, Stanton, Thompson, Henderson and 90U. uOttawa builds it into those buildings' 2026-27 residence totals, and you can upgrade to the seven-day plan. Friel and Rideau have optional plans. The 12-month apartments (Annex, Hyman Soloway and 45 Mann) have full kitchens and optional plans too.

If you'd rather cook, rank Friel or Rideau high in your residence application. Their room-only prices start at $10,043 and $10,934.

The Dining Hall is all-you-care-to-eat, with 10 stations cooking on site. It labels vegetarian, vegan, halal, made-without-gluten and made-without-dairy dishes. uOttawa says it was the first 4-star certified Green Restaurant at a Canadian university and runs it as a zero-waste zone.

From September 2, regular hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.: breakfast 6 to 10 a.m., lunch 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and dinner 4:30 to 11 p.m. If you arrive between meal periods, you pay the next period's rate. Cash payers must enter by 10:30 p.m.

Dining Dollars are tax-free and only meal plan holders get them. They buy food prepared on campus. At the end of a term, unused Dining Dollars become Flex dollars, minus applicable taxes and a $26 administrative fee. Flex dollars work for food, books, printing and photocopying. Anyone can add Flex dollars, and parents can load money onto a student's uOttawa card through the online portal.

If you hold a five- or seven-day plan and have five or more hours of back-to-back classes or a placement, you can join the boxed lunch program. Email Food Services with proof such as your timetable, then order by noon the day before. Several outlets also take pre-orders through the Boost app, including Tim Hortons, Paramount and Thai Express at Learning Crossroads (CRX).

uOttawa lists these outlets for 2026-27, with Dining Dollars and Flex dollars accepted across campus food locations. Hours change by term, and many outlets close on weekends.

uOttawa accepts exemption requests for only three reasons: multiple food allergies the Dietary Restriction Program can't handle, religious diets such as kosher, or a physician-prescribed diet Food Services can't meet. Contact the campus dietitian first to confirm you're eligible. You may need supporting documents.

Processing can take up to 10 business days, and exemptions aren't guaranteed. An approved exemption refunds the plan from the date your Dining Hall access ended. If one of these reasons applies, uOttawa recommends choosing a residence without a mandatory plan.