Carthage Meal Plans
Carthage Dining is powered by Parkhurst. Enjoy fresh, healthy, and hand-crafted (from scratch!) offerings created by passionate chefs. We are excited to offer new and improved Meal Plans for the 2023-24 academic year!
Your meal plan and dining options are important parts of your college experience. Carthage offers several meal plan options for residential and commuter students. Our goal is to match each and every student with the perfect meal plan that meets and exceeds your expectations. Carthage’s new meal plans give you control and flexibility, along with the best value for your dollar.
GET TO KNOW Carthage Dining
Carthage partners with Parkhurst Dining to bring a contemporary and dynamic experience to Carthage. Primarily serving private colleges and universities, Parkhurst emphasizes fresh, healthy, and creative meals hand-crafted by expertly trained chefs.
All Carthage meal plans include Meal Swipes, Meal Equivalencies, and Birdie Bucks (Go, Firebirds!). Here’s what those terms mean:
MEAL SWIPES
Meal Swipes are included in all meal plans except the Birdie Bucks Plan, which is only available to residential Seniors. Each Meal Swipe is good for a single entry into The Caf for all-you-care-to-eat dining or at Lentz-Do-Lunch for grab-and-go breakfast or lunch.
MEAL EXCHANGE
One Meal Exchange equals one Meal Swipe.
Meal Exchange options are specific menu items at non-cafeteria food outlets that are equivalent to a Meal Swipe in the Caf. You’ll find Meal Exchange options at the Campbell Student Union restaurants, Red Zone, and Lentz Do Lunch. Mix and match items to the dollar amount associated with a Meal Exchange.
Meal Exchanges are accepted at:
- Flex Kitchen
- Lentz Do Lunch
- Pacific Harbor
- Re.Fuel
- The Local Scene
Students can use one daily Meal Exchange on the Standard, Flex 1, and Flex 2 Plans anytime.
Students on the Premium Plan can use 3 meal exchanges a day, with a limit of one Meal Exchange per period.
Daily meal periods are as follows:
- Period 1 — 7-10:59 a.m.
- Period 2 — 11 a.m.-4:29 p.m.
- Period 3 — 4:30-7:29 p.m.
- Period 4 — 7:30 p.m.-close
BIRDIE BUCKS
One Birdie Buck equals $1.
Birdie Bucks included in meal plans are loaded onto your card by semester. Residential and commuter students can add additional Birdie Bucks to their cards at any time using the GET App. Unused Birdie Bucks included in meal plans will roll over from the fall to the spring semester but expire at the end of the academic year. Birdie Bucks added using the GET App do not expire until a student graduates.
Birdie Bucks can be used at the following locations:
- The Caf (though it’s best to use Meal Swipes here)
- Campbell Student Union restaurants
- Red Zone convenience store
- Lentz Do Lunch
- Starbucks
- Campus Bookstore (apparel, branded goods, supplies, and non-course materials)
Carthage Meal Plans
- Residential meal plans are purchased for an entire academic year based on a 15-week semester.
- Meal Swipes are deposited weekly on Sundays; unused swipes expire on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m.
- Birdie Bucks included in meal plans are deposited on the first day of each semester; unused Birdie Bucks expire at the end of the academic year.
- Guest Passes expire at the end of each semester; Parent Passes expire at the end of the academic year.
STANDARD PLAN
Total cost per semester: $1,954.50
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 210 (14 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $285 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Parent Passes (per year) *Freshman meal plans ONLY | 2 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Premium Plan
*New in 2023-24: 3 daily Meal Exchanges!
Total cost per semester: $2,476.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | Unlimited daily swipes in the Caf |
Birdie Bucks |
$150 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Parent Passes (per year) *Freshman meal plans ONLY | 2 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges* | 3 per day* |
*3 daily Meal Exchanges are allowed. Limit one Meal Exchange per period. Daily meal periods are as follows:
Period 1 — 7-10:59 a.m.
Period 2 — 11 a.m.-4:29 p.m.
Period 3 — 4:30-7:29 p.m.
Period 4 — 7:30 p.m.-close
- Residential meal plans are purchased for an entire academic year and are based on a 15-week semester.
- Meal Swipes are deposited weekly on Sundays; unused swipes expire on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m.
- Birdie Bucks included in meal plans are deposited on the first day of each semester; unused Birdie Bucks expire at the end of the academic year.
- Guest Passes expire at the end of each semester; Parent Passes expire at the end of the academic year.
STANDARD PLAN
Total cost per semester: $1,954.50
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 210 (14 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $285 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Flex 1 plan
*New in 2023-24: $120 more Birdie Bucks!
Total cost per semester: $1,954.50
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 150 (10 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $645 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Flex 2 Plan
*New in 2023-24: $506 more Birdie Bucks!
Total cost per semester: $1,954.50
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 105 (7 per week) |
| Birdie Bucks | $1,003 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 1 per day |
Premium Plan
*New in 2023-24: 3 daily Meal Exchanges!
Total cost per semester: $2,476.00
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | Unlimited daily swipes in the Caf |
| Birdie Bucks | $150 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 3 per day* |
*3 daily Meal Exchanges are allowed. Limit one Meal Exchange per period. Daily meal periods are as follows:
Period 1 — 7-10:59 a.m.
Period 2 — 11 a.m.-4:29 p.m.
Period 3 — 4:30-7:29 p.m.
Period 4 — 7:30 p.m.-close
Birdie Bucks Plan — Seniors only
*New in 2023-24!
Total cost per semester: $1,954.50
WHAT YOU GET EACH SEMESTER
| Meal Swipes | 0 |
| Birdie Bucks | $1,837 in Birdie Bucks |
| Guest Passes (per year) | 4 (can be used in fall or spring) |
| Meal Exchanges | 0 |
| Commuter Plan A | 25 Meal Swipes for $250 |
| Commuter Plan B | 50 Meal Swipes for $450 |
Commuter Meal Plans can be purchased as needed in blocks of 25 or 50 throughout the academic year. Commuter Plan Meal Swipes can be used in The Caf. Commuter Plan Meal Swipes expire at the end of the academic year. Birdie Bucks can be added to commuter student ID anytime via the GET App. Birdie Bucks are accepted at all dining locations on campus, including Starbucks.
Carthage’s J-Term is held every January between the fall and spring semesters. Carthage will provide all residential students enrolled in an on-campus J-Term course with the Standard Meal Plan (14 meal swipes a week) free of charge. Students may also use any remaining Birdie Bucks from the fall semester during J-Term.
- Premium, Flex 1, Flex 2, and Birdie Buck Plans are unavailable during J-Term; residential students on those plans will be switched to the Standard Plan during J-Term. These students will resume their normal plan when the Spring term begins.
- Weekly swipes deposits are on Sundays; unused swipes expire on Saturdays at 11:59 p.m.
- Residential and Commuter students can add additional Birdie Bucks using the GET App anytime.
- Students can still redeem 1 daily Meal Exchange during J-Term.
- Due to a smaller student population during J-Term, Caf, CSU outlets, and Starbucks hours will vary.
Need to grab a meal to go? No problem! Every meal plan comes with a “Green Box” virtual token good for a to-go container you can fill with your selections. Check out a “Green Box” from the Caf. Then just return the container to refresh your token and use again.
Faculty and staff meal plans can be purchased in a block of 10 meals for $55.00 plus tax. Faculty are allowed one daily Meal Exchange (see glossary above for more information). Faculty and staff can also add Birdie Bucks (formerly Carthage Cash) to their cards to use at any campus dining location or the bookstore.
Monitor your meal plan
Monitor your meal plan balances through the GET app.