FAQ

You can find the hours for all our dining locations on our website at dining.rice.edu. We regularly update the hours there, including any changes for holidays.

We encourage all students with any food allergies and/or dietary restrictions to meet with us as they are coming onto campus at the beginning of the year, especially meeting with the chefs at their home college. Students with food allergies and/or dietary restrictions are routinely cooked separate meals depending on the complexity of the need. Students are also served by the chefs from the kitchen to alleviate the risk of cross contact of allergen items. Our on-site Dietitian will also be included to provide coordination and follow up with the student to ensure a safe and successful dining experience. To schedule a time to meet with our Registered Dietitian please use this link. In addition, we have an allergen free station currently at West servery that is free of all of the major 9 allergens.

Yes, all of our serveries offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options daily. Gluten-free options can also be made available upon request. If you have Celiac disease, we recommend scheduling a time to meet with our registered dietitian to arrange meals prepared separately for your safety.

Once you purchase a meal plan, it typically takes a couple of days for the funds to be credited to your account. If you don’t see the updated balance after two business days, please reach out to us at dining@rice.edu for assistance.

Tetra is a dollar-for-dollar currency accepted at all community dining vendors on campus. You can also use it to purchase curbside lunch at the Cohen House. Many students often use Tetra at the student bookstore too.

Rice University’s dining services prioritize sustainability and efficiency by employing batch cooking, which prepares smaller portions throughout the day to keep meals fresh and reduce waste. We analyze dining trends to accurately forecast demand and adjust food production accordingly, minimizing overproduction.

We strictly follow health and safety regulations, monitoring food time and temperature on the serving line. Any uneaten food is promptly removed and composted with a local vendor, Moonshot, turning scraps into nutrient-rich compost and reducing landfill waste.

You can submit your feedback and rate our facilities and dining options through our dining survey, which is open to all members of the community. We also regularly collect feedback through new student and graduate student surveys. We truly appreciate your input—it helps us make the dining experience even better for everyone!