UAB has three dining options

On campus which of course take dining dollars, off campus which are a little farther away and don’t take dining dollars (ie. Waffle House, Milos, and Chick-fil-a), and seriously you are right across the street from my dorm WHY WON’T YOU TAKE MY DINING DOLLARS?!?! For example, Subway, Hungry Howie’s, and Papa Jhons which are across the street from the upperclassmen dorms and closer to the heart of UAB's academic campus than Zime, which on campus.

Meal Plans

For on campus residence your meal plan is made up of prepaid dining swipes and dining dollars. Think non-transferable gift card that only works at certain stores. Commuters are required to buy a meal plan also. Its smaller and is likely to get spent at one of the two on campus Starbucks's.

Getting to the Commons early for Fried Chicken Thursdays

Fried Chicken Thursdays are very special for UAB and could potentially include strolling greeks, karaoke, a DJ, or it could just be a quiet meal for friends. Regardless of what is going on the FOMO is real and the Commons gets packed.

“Lunch” at the Hill.

Panera, Full Moon, and Mein Bowl make up the Bermuda Food Triangle *no one calls it that* Because they face each other in a triangle the lines get tangled and you could get lost or worse ... hungrier.

Giving up on the hill and getting bookstore food.

FYI the bookstore doesn’t take dining dollars

Overspending dining dollars

You probably did a great job of planning them but did you know Tapingo charged a 50¢ service fee for every order you placed

Under spending dining dollars

No matter how impossible it sounds it does happen and at UAB the left over dining dollars don’t always roll over. Solution: if your family comes to visit treat them to an on campus dinner or buy Starbucks cups as presents.

Having/being that one friend that cooks

Because everyone has had their fill of the commons and variety is the spice of life

Going to WOW late on a Friday night for some wings..

Sike they close early on the weekends

Getting up early to get Einstein’s before class

Yes, UAB does have an Einstein Bros. Bagels on campus. No, it is not as far away as you think.

Deleting Tapingo because there’s always some type of problem.

There nothing wrong with the app. The issue is waiting 30 minutes at The Den for your "finished" tapingo order. Only to find out that some other hungry college student stole it.

Peeping into the commons, then getting a Simply-To-Go because the plug was looking out.

Simply-To-Gos come with an entree, a side, and a drink. They can also be purchased at the CStore

The CStore has a F’real machine.

The CStore is a magical place with sushi and popsicles and toiletries. F’real machines tend be few and far between. They can make milkshakes and smoothies with the touch of a screen and like $4

Never eating on the commons patio because you'll have to swipe back in for more food.

They really don’t want you to steal the food or sneak your friends in.

Bonus: The Meal Plans Seem to Change Every Year

While writing this article It came to my attention that there will be new dining options for the 2018-2019 school year.  Article coming soon.