Tim Tai

At the start of the school year, Commons shifted to charging 11 points per dish — a departure from the meal swipe system of previous years.

In seven interviews with the News, students expressed mixed opinions on the shift in dining policy and on their remaining point balances. Some were frustrated with the new points and limited access.

“I got to be pretty close to zero. I’ve been eating at commons for lunch most days out of the week,” Tony Whalen ’25 said, adding that he was “not too happy about that.”

Students on all meal plans received dining points at the beginning of the semester — 300 points for the Full meal plan, 600 for the Flex plan and 375 for Connect. Students can check their current point balances by logging onto the Eli Bucks section of the Yale Hospitality website.

A Hospitality spokesperson declined to comment on the usage rates of dining points across different meal plans.

“I used to go to Commons every single day because all my classes are on Science Hill,” Joana De La Torre ’26 said. As a first-year counselor, De La Torre especially found it frustrating when helping her frosh navigate course selection, given that some classes and labs run through the times that college dining halls are open for lunch.

Jehan Fernando ’28 said his schedule gives him only Commons as a lunch option for “a couple days a week.”

“The change in the point system is pretty frustrating as a student because the way my schedule worked out academically this year,” Fernando said.

Marco Gajic ’27 also said his class schedule sometimes forces him to eat at Commons, which is unfortunate because he has to use points instead of swipes.

Not every student interviewed by the News disliked this year’s meal plan changes, under which the Full plan allows multiple swipes across different residential college dining halls during a single meal time.

“I go to Commons way less now because I just abused the dining halls and go to them almost four times a meal sometimes. It’s a phenomenal system for people who like eating multiple meals, like myself,” Kevin Su ’28 said.

Eleanor Belinfanti ’29 estimated that she has about 120 dining points remaining this semester.

“I have to come here twice a week, because I don’t have time to come here because of the dining hall times,” she said.

Belinfanti isn’t alone, as other students are operating with around 100 to 200 points left.

Jack Ennis ’29 said he had roughly 187 points left after going to commons “once or twice” a week.

Commons has seen numerous updates throughout the semester, with menu changes released after October break and a round of student voting organized by the Yale College Council. As a result, the Lotus station offers fried chicken and tofu bowls and Pasta e Basta offers a creamy mushroom pasta dish.

The Elm, the Ivy and Commons are dining options in the Schwarzman Center.

Jerry Gao contributed reporting.