This post was updated July 27 at 8:06 p.m.

Meal swipes will no longer be accepted at non-ASUCLA-operated restaurants beginning fall 2025. 

UCLA Housing announced Thursday that meal swipes can no longer be used at any third-party vendor locations – such as Panda Express, Taco Bell, Subway and Veggie Grill, according to its website. Meal swipes can also no longer be used at the ASUCLA Bookstore, it added in the email. 

Students can still use their meal swipes at food trucks on the Hill, the email said.

UCLA Housing said in the email that it expanded residential restaurant hours and offerings in line with the policy change. The change includes adding three residential restaurants to the lunch meal period and expanding “grab-and-go” options for students, UCLA Dining said in an emailed statement.

Bruin Bowl, a dining option previously located in De Neve Plaza before closing in 2021, will also be opened for the 2025-26 academic year, UCLA Dining added in the statement.

Feast at Rieber – also known as Spice Kitchen at Feast – relocated to De Neve Plaza in May following reports of rodent activity at its Rieber Hall location. 

[Related: Rat infestation leads to relocation of Feast at Rieber]

“We’re preparing to accommodate students across multiple fronts—by opening additional dining locations, expanding hours and meal periods, and increasing the capacity for grab-and-go options,” UCLA Dining said in the statement. “In addition, several ASUCLA restaurants will continue to accept swipe exchanges, helping to balance demand across campus.”

The value of a meal swipe will also be raised to $10 per swipe for students dining at ASUCLA-run restaurants, UCLA Housing added in the email.

During the 2024-2025 academic year, meal swipes – which were valued at $9 per swipe – were permitted for use at ASUCLA restaurants only during weekday lunch hours, which fell between 11 a.m. and 3:59 p.m. 

[Related: UCLA announces ASUCLA meal swipes will only be accepted at lunch hours weekdays]

The UCLA Store Market, located in the ASUCLA Bookstore, also previously allowed students to trade a $9 meal swipe for a meal voucher to be used at the Market or Joe n’ Go for food and beverages. 

UCLA Housing told the Daily Bruin in April 2024 that it would reduce the value of its meal swipes to $4.33 when the system reverted to “pre-pandemic staffing levels.” While UCLA Dining said in a Thursday emailed statement that it recently reached pre-pandemic staffing numbers, it is unclear if the devaluation will be made long-term.

“The success of many recruitment initiatives undertaken to rebuild our staffing levels enables the dining program to open more venues in the Fall, which allows capacity for increasing the swipes that can be accommodated on the Hill,” UCLA Dining said in the Thursday statement. “By limiting swipe exchanges to ASUCLA-operated restaurants, we are ensuring that meal plan dollars support UCLA students and staff—rather than external vendors.”

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 – which represents service, patient care and skilled craft workers, including dining hall workers – struck four times during the 2024-25 academic year, alleging unfair labor practices and staffing shortages. 

[Related: UPTE-CWA 9119, AFSCME Local 3299 negotiations with UC remains ongoing]

The new dining policy comes as part of the university’s plans to create a “student-focused dining system” for residential restaurants on the Hill, and simplify the Meal Swipe Exchange System to stabilize costs, UCLA Housing said in the email. 

“You’ll now have more flexibility and access to meals right in your community,” the email said. “By focusing swipe exchanges on ASUCLA-operated locations, we ensure that resources are going directly back into UCLA services and student jobs.”

Aidan Huang, a rising second-year public health student, said he believes the new policy will cause long lines and high occupancy levels at residential dining halls. He added that he believes the dining experience will “go down” – as students may be inclined to skip meals, or spend more time walking from campus to dining halls located on the Hill.

Huang, who said he ate at Panda Express and Taco Bell every week, added that he is considering downgrading his meal plan because of the new policy change. 

“Please stop being so stingy with us,” he said. “Food’s good, but the convenience is a really big factor in that. Our time is important.”