George Washington University - Campus Dining

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

While some universities work on a meals-per-week plan, GW’s system is a little different and much more convenient. At the beginning of the semester, freshmen and sophomores must purchase a meal plan, which works as a declining debit card. Freshmen are required to use a $1,700 a semester plan. This plan includes a $1,000 credit to spend at any on- or off-campus venue that accepts the GW Colonial Cash meal plan. There is then $700 mandatory dining dollars—more commonly referred to as J Street money—to be spent in a few specific dining venues, primarily the J Street food court in the student center. Non-food items can be purchased with the $1,000 of Colonial Cash at participating stores like the GW Bookstore and CVS. Any extra mandatory dining dollars are carried over from the fall semester to the spring semester, but not from the spring to fall. Remaining money from the $1,000 can be carried over to the following year.

Although students like the convenience of GW’s non-mandatory part of the meal plan—no one tells them what to eat or when to eat it—what gets the most protests from students is the fact that they are required to spend $700 per semester in a food court that they get sick of very quickly. The University is frequently attempting to address the problem, adding in new options and offering more variety. J Street, the large food court in the Marvin Center, offers Chinese, pizza, pasta, burritos, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, and more. For students who quickly tire of these greasy fast food restaurants, the food court offers a sandwich bar, limited juices, grocery items. There is also J Street Café, a pay-by-the-pound dining venue with rotating hot entrées, a salad bar, fresh fruit, and a few kosher options. Perhaps because of the variety offered, students usually complain about the quality of the food as well as the price, even though the Colonial Cash exempts students from DC’s 10 percent sales tax at on-campus locations. The ease and convenience of GW’s meal plan is a perk that many transfer students coming from a university with a single cafeteria enjoy, even if most GW students gripe about the lack of variety, healthy options, and price.
 

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Students Speak Out

GWNS says: George Washington University 2014 Communication and Journalism

GW doesn't have a cafeteria, so... GW doesn't have a cafeteria, so most of the food sucks. You're expected to eat at various of places around campus. It's really difficult to eat healthy, and it is even more difficult if you have dietary restrictions. A lot of the food is overpriced. At one campus dining spot, it cost me $4 to buy seven strawberries. 12345 Campus Dining: February 27, 2009 Report

jay7689 says: George Washington University 2014 Philosophy and Religion

J street, the main dining hall,... J street, the main dining hall, has improved but still has a ways to go. Unfortunately, freshmen are given a lot of money that is required to be spent there. We also have the GW Deli, the best deli south of NYC. There are also food vendors in a few of the residence halls. We are in a city, and there are tons of restaurants in the surrounding area, some of which even take GWorld money. 12345 Campus Dining: February 27, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

Food is okay. There are several... Food is okay. There are several options, and they continue expanding. However, it is still typical college food. The food court has lots of options, but they are not four-star restaurants; they’re fast food joints where the employees are union workers and use that fact to take advantage of their jobs and not work very hard. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

Food on campus is generally pretty... Food on campus is generally pretty good. The University is making efforts to keep places open later and give students more variety. There are also many small restaurants and shops right near campus. La Prima and Au Bon Pain are great places to have lunch, and they take Colonial Cash. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

As a freshman, you can survive... As a freshman, you can survive eating campus food for the majority of the year. But for upperclassmen, Chipotle on F Street is a cheap yet tasty break, the shops at 2000 Penn have some good restaurants, and going to the special Tuesday meals on the Mount Vernon Campus are worth the trip. On special Tuesdays, lobster, steak, and assorted visiting chef meals can be served. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Did You Know?

GW does not operate on a “meals per week” system like most universities. With the Colonial Cash dining plan, students can eat at participating on- and off-campus dining venues and restaurants using a declining balance system, meaning students are allocated a certain amount of money at the beginning of the year that can for the most part be spent wherever they want, whenever they want. However, some of this money, the “mandatory dining dollars” can only be spent at select locations, primarily the J Street food court area in the student center, the Marvin Center.

Many off-campus stores and restaurants accept money from the Colonial Cash plan, including barber shops, clothing stores, Chipotle, CVS, and the Safeway grocery store, to name a few.

Because most of the venues that take the mandatory dining dollars are closed on weekends, the University offers themed Sunday Night Dinners every Sunday at the J Street Café that allow students to use their mandatory dining dollars on weekends.

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