Toward the end of each Spring semester, a question commonly heard around campus is, “What am I going to do with all my extra food points?”
Students living on campus must enroll in a dining plan, and the office of Housing, Dining and Residence Life does not refund unused food points at the end of the semester, according to the refund policy in the 2013-2014 First-Year Dining Plan Contract.
Consequently, students think of creative ways to get the most bang for their buck.
“I usually end up letting people order delivery with my food points at the end of the semester,” said senior Diane Shen.
With any food points that are left over, Shen buys food from the Lobby Shop and leaves it in the donation box they put out at the end of the year.
Shen originally tried to buy gift cards to Domino’s, Jimmy John’s and Panda Express with food points but, much to her chagrin, the vendors would not allow her to purchase gift cards with food points.
Another option is to buy meals for random strangers at on-campus eateries. On her last night at Duke before flying home for summer vacation, senior Alexa Choy realized that she still had over $200 in food points in her account.
“I just went to Pitchfork Provisions after a night out with some friends because I wanted to use my food points and I was leaving the next morning," she said. "I bought my friends' food first—there were at least five or six of us—and I still had food points left over, so I bought food for three or four people in line.”
Whether buying protein powder in bulk from Quenchers, stocking up on alcohol from the Food Factory or splurging on a multiple-course dinner at the Washington Duke Inn, students are sure to avoid letting their food points go to waste.
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