The Residential Dining Plan is designed for students who live in the Residential Dining Halls.
UWM has three Residence Halls for University Housing Students: Sandburg Hall, Cambridge Commons, and RiverView Hall. There are two Residential Dining Cafés: one in Sandburg Hall, and one in Cambridge Commons.
UWM operates on a “swipe” meal plan system. One swipe of a residential student’s Panther Card ID allows for entry into any Residential Dining Café (Sandburg Café or Cambridge Café). Students can take as much or as little food as they like with each swipe.
Meal swipes can be used as desired by students throughout the semester, at any time the Residential Dining Cafés are open.
All University Housing Students are required to be on a Residential Dining Plan.
2025 – 2026 Dining Plan Rates
Includes:
225 Meal Swipes per semester
7 Guest Passes per semester
200 Dining Dollars per semester
Includes:
4 Meal Swipes per day (per semester)
10 Guest Passes per semester
300 Dining Dollars per semester
Includes:
110 Meal Swipes per semester
3 Guest Passes per semester
100 Dining Dollars per semester
¹ If a University Housing Student does not choose a Residential Meal Plan, they will default to the “225” plan.
² The “Supplemental” plan is only available to students who reside in Sandburg Hall East Tower, Cambridge Commons’ Upgraded Suites, or RiverView Hall.
Additional meal swipes will be available for purchase.
Guest Pass
Enjoy a meal with family and friends at one of the Residential Dining Cafés by using a Guest Pass!
- Guest Passes allow residential students to invite their UWM Housing-approved guest(s) into the Residential Dining Halls.
- Guest Passes are distributed to every student that has a Residential Dining Plan. The amount received is determined by the Dining Plan selected. Additional Guest Passes can be purchased individually via the Panther Card Office.
- All Guest Passes must be purchased prior to the guest’s arrival and are to be redeemed at the site of entry into the Dining Hall.
Dining Dollars
Dining Dollars are funds used to make purchases at on-campus food outlets, restaurants, Grind coffee shops, and Taste MKE locations.³ All residential students will have a Flex Dining account set up for them automatically, with a Dining Dollar balance determined by the Dining Plan they selected.
By using Dining Dollars, students receive tax-free purchasing and a 5% discount, for a total savings of 13.4% (at on-campus locations only).
Students can check their Dining Dollar balance on the UWM GET Mobile App or webpage.
Dining Dollars are separate from the Residential Dining Plan and can only be used for food and non-alcoholic beverage purchases.
³ Flex/Dining Dollar accounts are already active on all Residential Dining Plans. Food and non-alcoholic beverages bought by students from a University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee food outlet(s) are eligible for exemption from WI/Milwaukee sales tax (rate as of Aug./2026). A flat fee of $2 will be charged by the UWM GET Mobile app.