I remember those poor days of being a freshman, when all the microwavable food in the world could never satisfy my cravings for a decent meal and Suwannee was getting really old. Thankfully, those days of subjecting yourself to yet another meal and figuring out how many swipes you have left at the dining hall are over. Elevate Meal Plan is probably the most ingenious and affordable alternative to a school meal plan that's ever crossed my radar...and if you're already eating out all the time anyway, it will definitely save you boatloads of money.

With the Elevate Meal Plan, students can pick and choose from a variety of participating restaurants around campus to customize a meal plan that best suits them. This way, students can avoid the unhealthy, over-processed foods that are often served in schools' dining halls. Plus, students who have special dietary restrictions can always ensure that they'll get a quality, tasty meal that's not dependent on whatever the dining hall is serving that day. And by buying a plan with Elevate instead of buying individual meals from restaurants, students save an average of 10-20% on each meal.

Elevate works by allowing students to choose a pre-determined number of meals when they purchase a plan. The meal credits never expire, so if you don't use them all during the semester of purchase they will roll over into the next semester. Plus, if you have to stick around Tallahassee during breaks (when the dining hall at FSU is closed!), you can use your meals then, too. One of the most convenient parts of Elevate is the feature that enables you to order ahead at every restaurant on the plan, so you never have to wait in line or sit around while your food is made. And if you're still unsure of the benefits, Elevate will refund you for any meal credit you haven't used if you're not 100% satisfied with the service you receive. 

Currently, Elevate has partnered with fourteen restaurants in Tallahassee, and their team is working to expand their restaurant partnerships to bring meal plan members even more dining options in the future. Below is the current list of restaurants you can enjoy on the Elevate Meal Plan, but make sure to check their website for continuous updates! Here are all the restaurants that are currently available: 

Catalina Café

Bento

Brooklyn Water Bagel

The Wilbury

Burrito Boarder

Kubano's

Muscle Maker Grill

Gaines Street Pies

Fujiyama Sushiritto

Empire Cafe

Pita Pit

Donut Kingdom

Grits n Greenz

Yostie's 

There you have it, folks. Like I said before, Elevate is continuously adding restaurants to their meal plan so they can provide their customers with more delicious options like these. So go ahead and try it out, because who doesn't love to save an extra few bucks? Nobody, that's who.