Frequently Asked Questions

• The Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market (RCGCM) is a brand new, state of the art, central dining hall opened in the new Community Commons in January 2021. It will have over 700 seats including the dining hall and patio.
• It will combine the three smaller dining halls: Nelson, Centennial and Nagel, into one centrally located facility with nine unique food eateries, offering over 600 combinations of meals.
• Meals offered in RCGCM will be Ala’carte. It creates an inclusive environment where everyone, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and visitors, are welcomed to choose a meal and pay for what they select.
• Meals are not required to be purchased to use the seating and patio.
• Students on a meal plan will be able to use a block plan “swipe” and receive a complete meal: entrée, three sides and a beverage.
  • Each of the eight eateries will offer a full meal, including: salad, protein(s), vegetables, fruit and dessert.
• Students may also elect to use Meal Plan Cash or Flex to purchase smaller items and are not required to use a meal swipe unless they wish to receive a full meal.
• Faculty, Staff, upper-class and graduate students will have the option to purchase Block Meal Plans offering the same complete meal: entrée, three sides and a beverage.
• Guests will have the option to eat in the beautiful dining hall with the gorgeous views or carry their meal with them in a compostable container.

The Community Commons building is located in the old Driscoll North location on Race and Evans. This perfect, centralized location means the entire campus has quick, easy access to all the Community Commons has to offer.

Even for the students living at Centennial Towers or on the Northeast side of campus, this location is an 8 - 10 minute walk and less than half a mile away. (Closer than a trip to Chipotle, Mustard's Last Stand or the gas station)

The Meal Equivalency Swipe is how a person would use a Swipe from a Block Meal Plan inside the Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market.

For each full meal swipe, you will receive

• 1 Entrée
  
• 3 Sides (select three from any of the following)
  

- Hot sides (such as Mashed Potatoes or Broccoli)

- Soup or Salad

- Fruit or Dessert

• 1 Fountain Beverage

We will now be launching the Seconds Program.

**You will now be able to visit 2 stations during the same meal period, and within 60 min from the time on your receipt. **

**Make sure to ask your cashier for a receipt upon check-out (don't leave and come back, as this will not be allowed). **

You will then be able to take that receipt to a second station within 60 min. These receipts are not good for a guest meal.

The Everyday app shows all of our menus and nutrition information. Visit Everyday.Sodexo.com to download

Other than using a meal swipe, every item in the Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market is available A La Carte. These items can be purchased using Meal Plan Cash, Flex or Credit Card.

Entrées are $5.99

Sides are $2.49

And beverages are $1.89

Absolutely! Several of our retail dining options are open on campus all quarter!

Front Porch Café:

Serving a full menu of Asian inspired meals including ramen, boba, sushi and more!

Einstein Bros Bagels:

Einstein Bagels and Caribou Coffee served all day

Starbucks:

Full service Starbucks coffee shop with a full hot and cold drink menu, plus a full food menu

Rollin N Bowlin:

Two locations, one in the community commons and one at The Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. Serving Smoothies, Acai Bowls and Gourmet Toasts

• Late Night Dining for 2020 – 2021 will continue to operate Monday – Thursday, 8:30pm – 10:00 pm.
  • Late Night Dining will be offered in the Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market
  • Starting in January 2021, meals will be offered as a “meal equivalency” with a meal swipe providing an entrée, 3 sides and a beverage.

• The dining hall will operate Monday through Friday, 7:00 am – 7:30 pm with continuous service.
• Saturday and Sunday will offer Brunch and Dinner, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm; 4:45 – 7:30 pm.
• Late night service will be offered until 10pm Monday through Thursday

• The university is moving away from the Unlimited Plan and offering three Block Meal Plans with $330 in Meal Plan Cash per quarter
  • The quarterly Block Plans will be: 175, 150 or 125 plus Meal Plan Cash
  • Block Meals may be used at student discretion based on their schedule and life style.
  • Every Block Meal can also be a guest meal.
  • The number of meals on the Block Plans were derived from statistical analysis of actual meal swipes currently being used on a weekly basis by our students on the current meal plans.
  • Students will be able to see their balance on their Pioneer Card account.
  • Students will be able to change their meal plan up to the first week of each quarter.
  • Block Meals and Meal Plan Cash expire at the end of each quarter.
• Additional Block Meals will be available to purchase from the Pioneer Card Office in increments of 10 Block Meals. You can purchase 10 Block Meals at a time or select as many as you feel necessary.

• Yes, Gina Vega, RDN, will be on site to support students on special diets or with food allergies.
  • The RCGCM is designed to accommodate the most restricted diets, as well as, offer much more variety for students who are vegan or vegetarian.
  • Specific food platforms are designed for each of the items listed above, but you will also be able to find food that you like from multiple locations which meet your dietary needs.
  • Halal options will also be available at several concepts.

• The Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market is located on the entire 2nd floor.
• On the first floor, a full-service Starbucks Coffee Shop and a Rollin' N Bowlin'!
  • Rollin N Bowlin is a retail location serving smoothies, acai bowls and avocado toasts throughout the day
  • Fresh fruit and healthy snacks are the center of service at Rollin N Bowlin.
• On the fourth floor, with a panoramic rooftop view, the Fourth Floor Lounge
  • Featuring a bountiful buffet of delicious salads, fruits, vegetables and proteins, lunch will be served Monday – Friday from 11 am – 1:00 pm.
  • The unique setting is a special place you may wish to entertain a guest or treat a friend to a meal.
  • From 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, free hor’dourves will be available while a full-service bar will offer local craft beers and unique wines.
  • You must be 21 to consume alcohol but the space is open to all members of the campus community and purchases are not necessary.
  • Programming and private space will be available from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

• First and Second year students who live on campus must choose a meal plan from the 175 Block, 150 Block or 125 Block Plans.
  • Students have until the first week of each quarter to change their meal plan.
  • Your meal plan is on your DU ID card and is required at time of purchase. Meal plans are non-transferable.
  • Meals expire at the end of each quarter and do not carry over.

• The Meal Plan Cash included with each meal plan and can be used in any of the Denver Dining locations on campus.
  • One Meal Plan Cash dollar is equal to $1 in cash.
  • Meal Plan Cash purchases are exempt from sales tax.
  • Meal Plan Cash is a declining balance account. The amount attached to the meal plan selected is the balance at the beginning of the academic quarter; each purchase is deducted from that account.
  • Meal Plan Cash will now rollover! Any unused amount will be added to the next quarter, giving students the freedom to spend it when they want. MPC will rollover until the end of Spring quarter when it will then expire.

• Flex Dollars may be added to your Pioneer ID card at any time and be used at any dining location on campus.
  • When you use Flex Dollars at Denver Dining locations on campus, you will save by not having to pay sales tax.
  • Flex Dollars roll over and can be refunded upon graduation or at the end of an academic year. To add Flex Dollars to your card, please visit the Pioneer Web site.

Yes! Your friends and family are welcome to dine with you in any of our campus dining locations. With the block meal plans, every meal is a guest meal which means you may use one of your block meal swipes to purchase a meal for a guest any time you wish. When dining at a retail location or getting snacks from the Pioneer General store, use your Flex or Meal Plan Cash just like cash to purchase enough for yourself and a guest.

This new program is focused toward reducing food container waste. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions.

• Each person will receive 2 tokens
• Additional tokens can be purchased separately for $5.00 each
• O2GO containers are for those not eating in the Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market
• Containers are microwave safe
• Made of number 5 BPA free plastic
• After use, do not clean or wash containers, just insert into O2GO deposit machines to receive a new token for your next to go meal
• There are 3 deposit machines on campus for used containers; Community Commons, Nelson Hall, and Centennial Halls
• The machines with the used containers will be emptied at least twice a day, cleaned and sanitized for reuse

The majority of our stations will offer plant based vegan and vegetarian proteins. While our entire program will be at least 40% plant based foods.

Make sure to look out for the icons below to help you locate these options easier!

This icon signifies a Plant Based option

This icon signifies a Vegetarian option

This icon signifies a Vegan option