HONOLULU (KHON2) — At the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, figuring out how to make a meal plan last can be as important as choosing classes. Dining costs add up quickly, but planning ahead makes a big difference.
Marc Arakaki, spokesperson for UH Mānoa, explained that the residence dining halls — Gateway Café and Hale Aloha Café — are open to more than just students living on campus.
“You don’t have to be a student or a student housing resident on a meal plan to be able to eat here so faculty, staff, commuting students can also take advantage of,” Arakaki explained. “So, we call it ‘all you care to eat dining’.”
Understanding swipes and points
Meal plans are built around two parts: swipes and dining dollars. One swipe gets you into a dining hall for unlimited servings.
“One meal swipe gets you one entry into the residence dining hall where there are all you care to eat options,” Arakaki said.
Plans range from Prime 19, which covers 19 meals per week, to Basic 7, which covers seven.
Prices for fall 2025 start at $3,282 for Prime 19 and $2,085 for Basic 7. Students in residence halls are automatically enrolled in Choice 14, which costs $2,845.
Dining dollars act more like cash and can be spent at Campus Center food spots, excluding Subway.
“The dining dollars like a debit card,” Arakaki said. Each plan comes with a different amount of points, from $100 in Prime 19 to $250 in Basic 7. These points roll through the semester but disappear after spring.
Getting the most value
Arakaki said that the key to saving money is balance.
“The more meals that you order that you put on your meal plan, the cheaper it becomes per meal,” Arakaki said. Students can use swipes for filling meals at the dining halls and save points for smaller purchases.
Arakaki also pointed to lists of “value options,” meals under $6, available at Campus Center. With points worth $6 cash equivalency, stacking swipes with these lower-priced items stretches buying power further.
You can click here for tables and information on how to access meal cards at UH.
Whether grabbing brunch at Gateway or a quick bite at Campus Center, careful use of swipes and points helps students maximize every dollar.