Meal Plan Options

About Meal Plans

To provide students with flexibility when dining on campus, we offer four different dining plans with varying amounts of meals and flex dollars. Additionally, we offer Redbucks that can be used in all our dining venues.

Meal Plan Options 

Meal Plans have two very important parts: Meals for the semester and Flex dollars for the
semester. At the beginning of the semester, your total Meals and Flex dollars are loaded onto your
Southeast Student Account. Within dining locations, your Southeast Student ID acts as your debit
card to access your dining funds.

The Meals with your meal plan are for use within the three Meal locations: Towers Landing inside
Towers Residence Hall, St. Vincent’s Commons at the River Campus, and Copper Dome Cafe inside
they University Center.

To choose the best plan to fit your lifestyle, think about where on campus you will spend most of
your time and the locations you most enjoy eating at. For those who enjoy eating at meal locations,
a meal plan high in meals might be best – and those who enjoy dining at flex locations on
campus might enjoy a meal plan with a higher balance of Flex dollars.

Students not living on campus, or living in Greek Village, are welcome to purchase a meal plan! To
purchase a meals-only contract, visit my.semo.edu/residencelife.

Meal Plans (24/25)

Name of PLan Meals per Semester Flex Dollars Per Semester Cost Per Semester cost academic year
Meal Plan 275 275 217.50 $1905 $3810
Meal Plan 180 180 408.50 $1650 $3300
Meal Plan 120 120 849 $1725 $3450
Meal Plan 75 75 1126 $1850 $3700

Flex Dollars 

Flex Dollars accompany most meal plans in varying amounts and are used at any retail location (Subway, Starbucks, Panda Express, Rowdy’s, or Redhawks Market). Flex dollars can also be used at any meal plan location (Towers Landing, Copper Dome Cafe, and St. Vincent’s Commons). They are held in a “declining balance account” that works on the same principle as a debit card. Each time you make a purchase, the amount is subtracted from your flex dollar balance. You can use your flex to purchase beverages, and snacks or to purchase a meal yourself or for a guest.   

Unused flex dollars from the fall semester carry over to the spring semester. Flex Dollars from the spring semester do not carry over to the summer semester or the following fall semester. Students who want to purchase more flex dollars can buy Redbucks that work the same way as flex dollars. If a student changes from a plan with flex to a plan without they will lose the ability to use flex. 

Redbucks

Redbucks are the declining dollar amounts that go right onto your student ID. They save you time, money, and the hassle of leaving campus to get something to eat.

Redbucks come in increments ranging from $50 to $800 and come with a 5% bonus. 

For every Redbucks order over $100, you receive 5% back as Bonus Bucks to your account.

Bonus Bucks operate the same as Redbucks with two exceptions. You must use through your Redbucks account before you can use Bonus Bucks as payment, and Bonus Bucks are only valid for the semester that you purchase them.  

Redbucks can always be added to a meal plan and will carry over from semester to semester and from one year to the next.

Purchase your Redbucks today!

How Do I Change My Meal Plan?

Meal plan changes can be done during the first 8 weeks of classes. Changing the meal plan does not start the new plan at the beginning balances. Once the semester starts the old plan and new plan will be prorated based on what was used and what would be left for the rest of the semester on the new plan.

Meal Plan Change Request

Meals Only Contract

Greek Village residents, commuter students, and faculty/staff are eligible to complete a Meals Only contract. You may request a Meals Only Contract by filling out the Meals Only Contract located on the Residence Life Housing Portal.

Meals Only Contract

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, students who live on campus are required to purchase one of our meal plan options.

Yes, students can change their meal plan within the first 8 weeks of the semester to any one of our other meal plans. Just submit a meal plan change request to the Office of Residence Life through the housing portal in your student portal.

Changing the meal plan does not start the new plan at the begining balance. Once the semester starts the old plan and new plan will be prorated by what was used and what would be left for the rest of the semester on the new plan.

Example: 

  • I have a 120 plan and change to a 75 plan half way through the semester.
    • The meals/flex balance will be adjusted based on the amount of meals and flex I have already used and the difference between my old plans flex and my new plans flex.
  • If I have used 600 of the 849 flex provided in the 120 plan, I will have 249 flex left. I used 45 meals
  • When I change to the 75 plan and move up to 1126 in flex then I will be adding 277 more flex dollars  to my account (1126-849=277). Since I am reducing my number of meals the used 45 meals will be taken out of the 75
  • Making my new balances 526 flex (249+277=526) and 30 meals (75-45=30), because I am adding flex and reducing meals with the plan change.

Only the person on the Student ID is allowed to access the students' meal plan. We understand that problems arise that confine you to your room. If you need a friend to pick up your meal because you are not feeling well, contact alicia.ticer@compass-usa.com.

Meals are used at Copper Dome Cafe in the University Center, St. Vincent Commons in the Dobbins River Campus Center, and Towers Landing in the Towers Complex.

When visiting a meal location, you check out with the cashier first and receive a ticket to take to
the restaurant of your choosing. In addition to your main meal from the restaurant, you will also
get a 32oz drink, and access to the pantry station, dessert station, and freebie station which has
small side salads and fresh-cut fruit.

No. Only flex, Redbucks, cash, or credit can be used at our flex (retail) locations on campus.

Not quite. Flex dollars are the declining dollar amount that is part of your meal plan package. Redbucks are a tax-free declining dollar amount that is purchased separately through the SEMO Dining office. Both flex and Redbucks can be used at any of our dining venues across campus.

Yes. Meals are not limited to just one meal per meal period.

You can purchase Redbucks through SEMO Dining. Redbucks roll over semester to semester and have a dollar-for-dollar value at all dining locations.

Unused flex dollars carry over from fall to spring semesters only but meals from your blocks do not. If you have unused meals at the end of the semester, consider changing to a plan with fewer meals in the block the next semester.

Anyone can purchase Redbucks online as long as they have the student’s Southeast ID number. When entering the Southeast ID number, the student’s account is automatically charged for the Redbucks purchase. This balance is then paid through Student Financial Services. If you would like to gift a student Redbucks, visit the SEMO Dining Main Office in the University Center, Room 219.

Students should think about their dining habits and where they live on campus. A student who intends to eat more of their meals at one of our retail (flex) locations should choose a plan with more flex dollars and fewer meals in their block. Students who plan to eat most of their meals at a meal location should select a plan with more meals and fewer flex dollars. Remember, meal plans can be changed within the first 8 weeks of the semester if students find out they are using their meals differently than they expected.

Meal plan and flex balances can be found on your student portal by going to your Student SS tab and selecting ‘Display Chartwells Balance’. You can also ask any of the SEMO Dining associates to check your balance at the register.
SEMO Dining Services
SEMO Dining Services

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