In past years, it’s been fairly easy to share meal swipes at the dining centers by passing back one card so that everyone can get in. 

But now, every student ID is locked for one hour after a swipe, making the “pass back” impossible. 

If the meal plan is already paid for, then why is it such a big deal for other people to use the meals?

“When people give other people their card, it actually increases the cost of the meal plans,” Iowa State Director of Dining Mohamed Ali said. 

The dining centers aren’t prepared for one person to use meals for all of their friends. If this happens, then the dining centers will use more food and more employees than expected, straining the dining budget and increasing the cost of meal plans for the rest of students.

“I’m here for the students,” Ali said. “If I want to take care of the students, I have to make sure that the dining centers work properly.”

Another major change to dining this year is the loss of late night meal bundles. 

For anyone who has never experienced these bundles, you really did miss out. Conversations Dining Center used to have late night meal bundles that were served to-go up until midnight. But now, “bundies” are a thing of the past. 

Ali explained that meal bundles weren’t only bad for business as they cost a lot of money to produce, they are also bad for the environment. In the past, the meal bundles were packaged in plastic to-go containers and put in a plastic grocery bag for students to take with them. The bundles would also come with plastic knives and forks. 

Whereas in a dining center, students eat off of plastic plates and with metal cutlery that can be washed and used again, cutting down on waste. 

ISU Dining realizes that the loss of meal bundles might be an inconvenience for students and have compensated by keeping some of the dining centers open later and having some open earlier.

“Now, Seasons is open until 10 p.m. So, people can go to Seasons and eat basically the same food, and Conversations is now open for breakfast on the weekends as well,” Ali said.

Iowa State also opened a brand new dining center in Friley.

So is it inconvenient for students to not be able to share their meal swipes or get late night meal bundles to go? Yes. 

But it’s important for all students to remember that these small inconveniences are what is keeping our dining centers running smoothly and keeping Iowa State students fed on quality food. 

And remember to be patient at the dining centers these first few weeks back at school as well, these changes are new for the employees, too.