FLEX PLAN FAQ
What is the Flex Plan?
You paid 1, 684 for the Flex Plan, what you get is 512 Flex Dollars
for the semester loaded onto your student ID card plus 30 Vending
Dollars. What you’ve paid for is the 512 Flex Dollars, 30 Vending
Dollars, an operations fee, plus the discounts associated with the
Flex Dollars: you will receive 50% off your order at any retail (fast
food) location and up to 70% off at or all-you-care-to-eat locations
(Dalton or lunch at the Grille House). To put it simply, you’ve prepaid for the discounts associated with the Flex Dollars.
Why is this plan so confusing? Can’t you make it easier?
Yes, we could but doing so could mean putting restrictions on your
spending habits. This plan is designed to be flexible to your needs.
You can spend it anytime, anywhere (on-campus of course) and
use any amount. For a more structured plan, try one of our 15 or 19
Block meal plans, you won’t get the discounts or the flexibility that
the Flex Plan has but it may be a better fit for your eating habits.
What if I don’t like the dining hall and want to eat all in retail?
You can! Keep in mind though that even with the 50% off discount
in retail it can be more expensive than eating in the dining hall
depending on how much you spend per meal. If you are a frequent
or heavy eater you may find your flex dollars running out before
the end of the semester.
How can I check my balance?
Your balance will be displayed at the register every time you make
a purchase or you can ask any cashier to check your balance for
you without making a purchase. You can also manage your account
online through the portal by looking at your RU Express account.
What if I run out of $ before the end of the semester?
You can always add more flex dollars to your meal plan either online or by visiting the RU Express office in Heth Hall. Additional
Flex Dollars can be added in any increment and will receive the
same 50-70% off discounts.
More questions? Call the RU Dining Services Office at
540.831.5351
To purchase a meal plan go online to www.DineOnCampus.com/
Radford
or visit the RU Express Office in Heth Hall.
Flex Plan Sample Budget
The flex plan was designed to give you 10-11
meals per week to spend in any location you
wished. To help make it through the semester we
recommend doing a 50/50 split. Meaning you
spend half your dollars in retail (any fast-food joint)
and half in the all-you-care-to-eat dining halls
(Dalton or New River Grille House for lunch).
To help students gauge where they are with their
spending through the semester we put together
the following sample budget model based on
these spending habits:
5 meals in retail (spending $7.37 per meal)
5 meals in the dining hall (2 lunches, 3 dinners)
Where my
Flex balance
should be by
the end of :
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
477.91
443.82
409.73
375.64
341.55
307.46
273.37
239.28
205.19
171.10
137.01
102.92
68.83
34.74
0.65
That’s it!
You made it
to the end of
the semester
and have .65
cents left on
your Flex
Plan!
*Spring Break (Spring semester)
and Thanksgiving Break (Fall
semester) are not included as the
dining halls are closed.
Important: The Flex Plan is flexible and
you are free to spend it any way that you’d like.
This chart is to be used as a guide, following the
50/50 budget giving you 10 meals a week. Plan
balances can vary week-to-week based on your
own personal spending habits and uses.
Still confused?
Call us at: (540)831-5351