Upperclass Dining Options

Upperclassmen may select one of the following dining options:

  • • A University dining contract, by which students may eat in any dining hall. Four year residential colleges provide opportunities for students to live and dine in a college. (Purchasing a “split” contract so that residents may eat some meals in a college and some meals in their eating club is also an option.)
  • • Being an independent. Students may sign an “independent agreement” allowing them special preference in the independent room draw in order to secure rooms in dormitories with kitchens or in Spelman Hall. Many students interested in cooking for themselves or others like this option because it allows them to set their own meal hours, cook to their own tastes, and often save some money in the process.
  • • Co-op Dining. Some students prefer to join the food co-op at 2 Dickenson Place and cook and dine in a co-op atmosphere.
  • • Purchase DFS Points and eat in the Frist Campus Center.
  • • Center for Jewish Life, which offers kosher dining. Student meal cards are honored and all are welcome to dine at the center.
  • • Join an off-campus eating club.

All juniors and seniors receive two free meals per week in the residential colleges, regardless of the dining option they choose.

Whether you join an eating club or select one of the other upperclass dining options, it is important to explore all the options before you choose. (facilities.princeton.edu/dining)

Eating Clubs

About 75 percent of juniors and seniors dine in one of the nonresidential coed eating clubs. Operated by student officers under the auspices of independent alumni boards, the clubs offer social, athletic, and educational programs. Each club has from 120 to 180 student members. Some clubs have open membership (students sign up to join), and others conduct a selection process, known as “bicker.”

The open membership or “sign-in” clubs conduct a lottery for interested members following intersession break in February. The bicker process also occurs in early February. Sophomores interested in joining a bicker club attend parties sponsored by the clubs they wish to join in order to get to know the members. At the end of the bicker week, the clubs select their new members. This can be an exciting time for those invited as new members, but it can also be a disappointing experience for those who are not selected. Students choosing to participate in the bicker process are wise to consider carefully the potential impact on friendships and junior-year housing choices.

Club membership fees vary. The University financial aid package accounts for eating club board costs, enabling students on aid to more easily afford club membership. While University financial aid grants are not given to support club social fees, students may seek loans in order to help them cover these costs. The eating clubs are independently owned and operated by graduate alumni boards.

top | July 2007