SDSU Dining – All of Your Questions Answered

Knowing where to grab your next meal isn’t a usual concern for most incoming college students, but it quickly becomes one while adjusting to life at college.

While most first or second-year students opt for an on-campus meal plan to help with the transition to college, even some third and fourth-year students find that meal plans are a convenient, cost-effective way to plan meals while avoiding the hassle and expense of grocery shopping and cooking. To help students know what to expect from the meal plan offerings at San Diego State University, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about dining options at SDSU.

What are the meal plan options at San Diego State?

San Diego State University offers three different meal plans for first-year students, second-year and upperclassmen, and commuters or those who live off-campus.

Most meal plans include a daily or weekly allotment of Declining Dollars, which act as a debit account for the cost of meals for that day or week. This requires ongoing balance management on the bill but teaches students how to budget for their food expenses. Declining dollars may or may not roll over depending on the plan selected, so students should consider on and off-campus dining plans when choosing a plan for the semester.

SDSU offers three different meal plans for first-year students and upperclassmen, second-year students, and commuters or those who live off-campus.

How much are meal plans at SDSU?

The cost of meal plans at SDSU varies depending on the mix of swipes and daily or weekly declining dollars included in the program.

SDSU does not project semester costs for all plans, so students will have to do the math on a few options to see how the allotment of declining dollars totals up to a semester’s expenses.

The meal plans available for the 2022-2023 school year are as follows:

First-Year Meal Plans

  • Flex 5
    • Dining for five days per week (Monday – Friday)
    • $29.65/day declining dollars on weekdays (Monday – Friday)
  • Flex 7
    • Dining seven days per week
    • $27.60/day declining dollars on weekdays (Monday – Friday)
    • $17.00/day declining dollars on weekends
  • Meals Plus
    • Three meals per week / 102 meals for the school year
    • $131.25 declining dollars deposited into your student account every week

Second-Year and Upper-Division Meal Plans

  • Any of the First-Year Plans are available OR
  • 2nd Year Plan
    • 2 meals per week / 68 meals for the school year
    • $72.75 declining dollars deposited into your student account every week

Commuter Meal Plans

  • Meals Plus
    • $3,344 per semester
    • 3 meals per week / 54 meals for the fall semester and 48 for the spring
    • $131.25 declining dollars deposited into your student account every week
  • Commuter Plan
    • $2,080 per semester
    • 2 meals per week / 36 meals for the fall semester and 32 for the spring
    • $72.75 declining dollars deposited into your student account every week

Can you change your meal plan during the semester at SDSU?

Yes, SDSU students can change their meal plans during select times over the semester.

Students cannot cancel a meal plan for any reason, but they can downgrade or upgrade plans by signing a new meal plan agreement with the SDSU dining office during set change windows.

The chance windows to upgrade or downgrade meal plans for the 2022-2023 school year are:

  • September 12-16, 2022 – Change becomes effective Monday, September 19, 2022
  • November 14-18, 2022 – Change becomes effective Monday, January 16, 2023
  • February 6-10, 2023 – Change becomes effective Monday, February 20, 2023

The cost of meal plans at SDSU can vary based on the number of swipes and declining dollars included.

Where are the dining halls at San Diego State?

There are two cafeteria-style dining halls at SDSU for meal plan swipes.

Those dining halls are:

The Garden Restaurant

  • Located at Cuicacalli Suites
  • Open during the following hours:
    • Monday – Friday: 11 am – 2 pm and 4 pm – 8 pm
    • Saturday and Sunday: 10 am – 2 pm

University Towers Kitchen (UTK)

Are there restaurants in the SDSU Aztec Student Union?

Yes, there are non-dining hall restaurants inside the Aztec Student Union for students to enjoy.

The restaurant options inside the student union include:

  1. Aztec Market
  2. Chipotle
  3. ShakeSmart
  4. The Habit Burger Grill
  5. Starbucks
  6. Oggie’s Pizza Express

Additional food options are available at the East Commons, whose offerings include:

  • Aztech Market
  • Salad Bistro
  • Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta Bar
  • The Halal Shack
  • Panda Express
  • Rubio’s Coastal Grill
  • Subway
  • So-Cal Chicken

Where are the closest restaurants to the SDSU campus?

There are several student-friendly restaurant choices near the SDSU campus along College Avenue on the southeast corner of campus.

Here students will find a Eureka! Burger spot, Broken Yolk cafe for breakfast and brunch, Epic Wings, Lolita’s Mexican Food, Senor Pancho Mexican Grill, Starbucks, Which Wich, Domino’s Pizza, and Jack in the Box.

What are the closest grocery stores to San Diego State?

The closest grocery store to the San Diego State University campus is Trader Joe’s, located at 5140 College Avenue. Located just south of the SDSU campus, this Trader Joe’s location is about a 7-minute walk from the center of campus and is very close to most on-campus residence halls and Greek houses.

The nearest full-service grocery store is Ralphs at 6670 Montezuma Road. This grocery store is a bit further from campus at just over 1.5 miles and requires a car for students living on-campus in one of the nearby off-campus communities.

Find your next home at San Diego State University

With winter break rapidly approaching, there’s no better time to start thinking about housing for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. And for SDSU students looking for an off-campus option close to campus, look no further than Iconic on Alvarado.

Iconic on Alvarado is a student housing midrise community located just a few blocks from the northern edge of the San Diego State University campus at 6625 Alvarado Rd. Iconic on Alvarado offers fully-furnished studio, two, and four-bedroom apartments designed explicitly for SDSU students.

Iconic on Alvarado offers residents two resort-style pools, an onsite 24-hour fitness center, study rooms, a computer lounge, and onsite management & maintenance team.

Residents of Iconic on Alvarado have easy access to campus by bike or driving just a few blocks west on Alvarado Road and have the best balance of on and off-campus life due to the proximity to the SDSU campus. For information on availability, roommate matching, and pricing, contact the team at Iconic on Alvarado today at (619) 286-3990!