info.risd.edu

RISD Dining

RISD Dining is a self-operated Dining Department with a mission to provide an exceptional dining experience. We are committed to four core values: Relationships, Ingredients, Sustainability and Design. These, in combination, direct the goals and initiatives of RISD Dining & RISD Caters.

Relationships
RISD Dining believes that the relationships built by and within our department are the key to our success. We begin internally, by focusing on home/work life balance and contentment for our staff, then branch outward to our students, campus partners, local vendors, farmers, and charitable organizations. This network allows our department to provide space for a break from the daily grind and an opportunity to focus on the warmth that commensality and enlightened hospitality brings to everyone’s busy schedules.

Ingredients
RISD Dining is an ingredient-based department with a commitment to buying from New England farms, vendors, and start-ups. We write seasonally-inspired menus that showcase produce from New England, clean ingredients, classical culinary techniques, and global flavors. We are proud to be a founding member and longstanding partner of Farm Fresh RI.

Sustainability
Our decision making is rooted in the sustainability of both the greater RISD and New England communities. RISD Dining prioritizes products and practices that have a minimal environmental impact at every level of our operation.

Design
The role of RISD Dining within the community relies heavily on the symbiosis of art, design and food. As such, we regularly critique the structure of our meal plans, the presentation of our menu items, the service style and offerings of our venues, and the aesthetic of our spaces to ensure they are in alignment with the needs and expectations of our student body.

RISD Caters

To view menu options and place an order with RISD Caters, use our online ordering system.

After you submit your order, our team will reach out to confirm availability, the menu, and the service details for your event. We are happy to talk you through the details of planning your event, whether it’s on or off campus.

The Catering team is here to help with anything you may need–from a custom menu, feedback about smaller details or guidance on spaces. Please contact us at catering@risd.edu or at 401 709-8500.

Dining: Our venues

RISD Dining operates several on-campus venues for you to choose from. The Met is home to a variety of menu stations in an all-you-care-to-eat format, and offers expanded outdoor seating. Portfolio Café is centrally located at 15 West, and features an omnivore and vegan/vegetarian entrée of the day, consistent offerings on other stations, grab-and-go options, and ingredients to stock students’ fridges.

The Watermark Café provides freshly prepared sushi, pastries, snacks and Borealis coffee as well as other beverages. Coffee and grab-and-go fare are also available at Carr Haus Café. The Jolly Roger Café is our rice and noodle bowl concept located on South Main Street.

Dining: Venue hours

Wintersession venue hours

The Met

Thursday, December 12: 7 am–noon
Friday, December 13 – Wednesday, January 1: closed
Thursday, January 2: 8 am–8 pm
Wintersession hours: Mon–Fri, 7 am–9 pm; Sat–Sun, 8 am–8:30 pm
Monday, January 13: late night resumes Mondays and Wednesdays 9:30–11 pm
Monday, January 20: 8 am–9 pm

Portfolio Café

Thursday, December 12: 7:30 am–noon
Friday, December 13 – Thursday, January 2: closed
Friday, January 3: 10 am–9 pm
Wintersession hours: Mon–Thu, 7:30 am–9:30 pm; Friday 7:30 am–9 pm; Sat–Sun 10 am–8:30 pm
Monday, January 20: closed

Watermark Café

Thursday, December 12 – Friday, December 13: closed
Monday, December 16 – Thursday, December 19: 11 am–4 pm
Friday, December 20 – Friday, January 3: closed
Monday, January 6: 11 am–5 pm
Wintersession hours: Mon–Fri, 11 am–5 pm
Monday, January 20: closed

Jolly Roger Café

Thursday, December 12 – Friday, January 3: closed
Monday, January 6: 11 am–5 pm
Wintersession hours: Mon–Fri, 11 am–5 pm
Monday, January 20: closed

Carr Haus Café

Tuesday, November 26 – Friday, January 10: closed
Monday, January 13: 8 am–8 pm
Wintersession hours: Mon-Fri, 11 am–5 pm
Monday, January 20: closed

RISD Caters

Thursday, December 12 – Sunday, January 5: closed

Monday, January 6: reopens for deliveries

Dining: FAQ

Do I need to choose a meal plan if I live on campus?
In support of the residential experience, dining allotments are included with campus housing—no need to choose a plan.

You can find RISD housing package details and expanded dining plan information at Housing Rates.

When does student dining start (on- and off-campus students)?
Fall 2024 residential dining allotment and off-campus dining plans are activated on September 1.

What is The Met?
The Met is our unlimited access Dining venue conveniently located in the quad.

What is a Dining Point?
Dining Points are equivalent to cash: one point = $1.00

What are Dining Points used for?
You can use Dining Points at Portfolio Café, Watermark Café, Jolly Roger Café and Carr Haus Café.

What are Café Credits?
When you make a purchase at Portfolio, Watermark or Jolly Roger, or by ordering online, you trade one meal swipe for a designated amount of credits towards your chosen item(s). Your Café Credit can be used towards the purchase of any items from a wide variety of options. This is to ensure that students have access to both prepared meals and ingredients as well as local pop up vendors.

What is unlimited Met access?
This feature allows you to come and go from the Met as often as you need to.

Can I still eat at The Met without a Met Swipe?
You can pay for a meal for yourself or a guest by paying the Met door rate with Dining Points, risdbucks, or credit card. The price associated with our Met door rate depends on the type of payment. Below are the credit card rates:

Breakfast: (Opening - 10:59am) $12
Lunch / Brunch: (11am - 4:59pm) $14
Dinner: (5pm - 8:59pm) $16
Late Night: (9pm - Close) $14

If you pay with risdbucks or Dining Points, there is a discounted rate of 5% off with risdbucks and 25% off with Dining Points.

What is the difference between a Met Swipe and a Café Credit?
You may use a Met Swipe for access to the Met. A Café Credit is a designated amount that you can use at Portfolio, Watermark or Jolly Roger, to be applied to the cost of your purchase.

What if my purchase costs more than the Café Credit?
The item(s) you choose at a café may exceed the Café Credit. You can use Dining Points, risdbucks, credit card, or a second Café Credit to offset any difference. You can use up to 2 Café Credits per meal period.

Do meals and Dining Points roll over from semester to semester for on-campus students with dining allotments?
Meals and Dining Points do not roll over from semester to semester. For 2024–25, dining values will reset on January 17, 2025.

What are the meal plan options for off-campus students?
As a convenient way to access dining venues and options, the commuter dining plans for off-campus students are ideal for graduate students and commuters who want to take advantage of the value associated with having a student dining plan.

Off-campus students on the plan can use Met Swipes for entry into the Met, RISD’s largest dining facility. You can also use Café Credits for food and beverage purchases at Portfolio, Watermark or Jolly Roger. Dining Points are great for coffee and something sweet from the Carr Haus Cafe. They can be used at any of the cafés.

See dining plans below for pricing and options.

How will I be billed for the commuter dining plan?
The commuter dining plan is for the full academic year, billed twice per year.

What is a dining block add-on?
Dining meal blocks provide a convenient way to add additional meals to the available allotment associated with housing. Students who arrive on campus early or stay late may be required to purchase dining block add-ons. Costs are as follows:

80 Meal Block: $920
50 Meal Block: $575
30 Meal Block: $345

Meals purchased in a block can be used throughout the academic year (July 1–June 30) on the StarRez student portal under Dining Additional Options.

Can I purchase a dining block add-on if I don’t have a dining allotment or commuter dining plan?
Only for non-academic timeframes—i.e., early arrival to campus or summer stays. Brown|RISD Dual Degree students on a Brown meal plan can purchase blocks at any time.

Can dining blocks be purchased throughout the academic year?
Yes. Students may go to the Dining Accounts Office at 48 Waterman Street to purchase blocks with a credit card or via the StarRez student portal. A direct charge will be added and processed by Student Accounts.

I am a first-year Brown|RISD Dual Degree student. Where do I sign up for a dining allotment?
First-year Dual Degree students are assigned a dining allotment based on room assignment.

Can I bring a guest with me to RISD Dining venues?
Meal plans include three guest meals per semester. You must follow on-campus guest policies and protocols when you bring a guest to the Met.

Can I donate a guest meal to a student in need?
Yes, you can donate one guest meal per semester to the Swipe it Forward program, which combats food insecurity on campus. Simply request to donate at any RISD Dining register; the cashier will swipe your ID card and the guest meal can be added to the bank of meals and then provided to a RISD student in need.

What If I have a food allergy?
Please make sure to register this information with Health Services and then set up a time to meet with Maureen Young (myoung01@risd.edu) to review your specific diet needs and campus dining options. We encourage you to notify RISD Dining prior to arriving on campus ahead of the semester.

How do I know about any programming RISD Dining has scheduled?
We regularly update our social media: @risddining Instagram.

How do I check my balance?
A cashier can provide you with your available Met Swipes, Café Credits and Dining Points balance. You can check also check at risdbucks.risd.edu.

Can I use Dining Points for vending machine purchases?
Vending machines only take credit cards and risdbucks. Go to risdbucks.risd.edu for more details.

How do I request a refund if I withdraw or take a leave of absence from RISD?
For more information, please go to the Student Financial Services section of risd.edu.

Can I cancel a commuter dining plan?

Commuter contracts are effective for the full academic year and cannot be canceled after the first two weeks of the fall semester. Refunds are based on the policy managed by Student Accounts.

Dining: Dining plans

Dining Plans 2024–25

Dining for on-campus residents

Please see Housing Rates for information.

Off-campus dining plan

This plan is ideal for graduate students and commuters who want convenient access to all of our excellent venues and options at a reduced rate. Met Swipes can only be used as entry into the Met, RISD’s largest dining facility. Cafe Credits are dollar values applied to food and beverage purchases at Portfolio or Jolly Roger. Dining Points are great for grab and go items from the Carr Haus Cafe, or for a quick cup of coffee from Watermark.

Meals and dining points do not roll over from semester to semester or from year to year.

Dining blocks

Dining meal blocks are a convenient way to add additional meals to the available allotment associated with housing, or for students arriving early or staying beyond the semester end date, and for off-campus and graduate students.

80 Meal Block: $920

50 Meal Block: $575

30 Meal Block: $345

Block plans can be used throughout the academic year (July 1–June 30).

Dining notes

• For full-time students who withdraw or take a leave from RISD after the semester begins, please go to the Student Financial Services’ section of risd.edu for more information.
  
• Commuter meal plan contracts are billed twice during the academic year.
  
• The fall 2024 residential meal allotment starts on September 1, 2024. Allotments reset on January 17, 2025.
  
• Block plans are available for purchase throughout the year.
  
• A maximum of two Café Credits may be used per meal period.
• Dining licenses are effective for the full academic year and cannot be canceled.
  
• Dining guest participants must abide by the same rules of conduct outlined in the Residential Life Handbook. Any violation may result in a nonrefundable termination of the plan or other disciplinary action.
  
• Brown | RISD Dual Degree students in years 2–5 of the program may purchase meal plans through the Brown portal.
  
• Please direct any meal plan questions to Dining Services at dining@risd.edu or 401 454-6642.

Dining: Dining Points balance estimate calculator

To estimate your weekly dining balance during the current semester, please use our Dining Points balance estimate calculator.

Dining: Room and board package details

Find room and board package details on housing.risd.edu.

​Dining: ID cards and the risdbucks programs

Meal plans are not transferable and all students are required to present their ID cards for service. Any violation may result in termination of the plan or other disciplinary action.

risdbucks is an optional prepaid debit account developed to be a convenient and safe way for students to make purchases of products and services both on and off campus (wherever you see the risdbucks logo).

Dining: Emotional support, therapy and service animal policy

As stated by law, only service animals are allowed in Dining facilities on campus. Service animals must be accompanied by the student at all times, and may be denied access to the facility if their behavior presents a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

Students may not bring support or therapy animals into venues and will be asked to remove the animal if present. Please see RISD’s animals on campus policy for details.

Dining: Service guidelines

1. All RISD rules, policies and procedures apply within all of the RISD Dining facilities.
2. Off-campus meal plans are billed twice a year. Cancellations are possible only during the first two weeks of school.
3. Students must present their RISD ID card when making a meal plan purchase. ID cards presented by someone other than the person pictured on the card will be confiscated.
4. Met Swipes, Café Credits and Dining Points are non-transferable; students wishing to “treat a guest” must be present and use a guest meal.
5. Café meals and Dining Points may not be transferred or donated to any individual or organization unless otherwise stated by Dining Services. One guest meal per semester may be donated through the Swipe It Forward program.
6. You may use up to two Café Credits per meal (breakfast, lunch/brunch, dinner and late-night).
7. The removal of any Dining hall property from any of the dining halls, including but not limited to plates, cups, forks and knives, is prohibited from any dining facility and is considered a conduct violation.
8. Food and beverage removed beyond the cashier stand without payment is considered theft. Students charged with theft will be referred to Student Conduct and Community Standards to address the issue.
9. Only RISD-recognized groups are allowed to distribute written materials or make presentations in the dining areas, with permission from the director of Dining Services (See posting policy for specific regulations Section III D).
10. Non-employees are not permitted in kitchen and food preparation areas unless under the supervision of a RISD Dining employee

Dining: Employment

RISD Dining operates on-campus eateries and a full-service catering company. Flexible scheduling makes RISD Dining an ideal part-time position for students and other busy folks. Teamwork, diversity and creativity make RISD Dining a rewarding experience for everyone. Do you possess a strong work ethic and commitment to growth, integrity and thoughtfulness? If so, please email us at dining@risd.edu to get in touch.

Student Employment jobs
RISD Dining is always on the lookout for student help for our various venues on campus. At the beginning of the year, there are usually positions available at every facility on campus. Eligible students should email the managers at these venues or dining@risd.edu. and submit their resume or schedule an interview.

Job opportunities are posted on Artworks. Supervisor contact information is included with each job listing.

Preference will be given to Federal or RISD work study students. Student Employment and the 2023 Student Employment handbook can provide additional information about work eligibility.

Dining: Menu

RISD Dining menus are available to view online here for the Met, Portfolio Café and the Jolly Roger Café. Menus are updated weekly for the following week. Please note: menus are subject to change due to product availability from our farmers and suppliers.

Dining: Our standards

Kitchen principles
The following principles influence our decision making with respect to purchasing, menuing and culinary standards:

RISD Dining is an ingredient-guided, self-operated dining program that strives to provide our guests with an exceptional experience. We support local food interests in RI and provide mentoring to those with shared goals of preserving natural resources, supporting community businesses and farms within our region.

Culinary standards

• We create menus that are inspired by the seasons of New England, the cultural diversity of our student body and classical culinary technique.
• We are committed to the use of sustainable and locally sourced and produced products.
• We work to follow NOAA Fish Watch guidelines for choosing sustainably harvested seafood or appropriate alternatives, and source seafood through a RI family-owned company.
• The majority of our menu items are made from scratch in house.
• We are committed to providing delicious, thoughtful vegan and vegetarian options.
• Top 9 allergens are identified in our printed menus adjacent to stations in Dining venues.
• The use or sale of nuts or nut products is prohibited in The Met and Portfolio Café.
• We structure our recipes for à la minute preparation in batches to ensure entreés are served as fresh as operationally possible.

Ingredients

• Sourcing foods and ingredients from New England (farms, dairies, bakeries, start-up food businesses etc.) speak directly to our core values, and is a driving force behind our recipe development & offerings
• All natural NAE chicken, beef, pork and turkey: never given antibiotics or growth hormones; all vegetarian, non-GMO diets that are 100% free of pesticides and other chemicals
• Halal chicken & lamb; turkey coming soon
• Vegan pasta and filled pastas by Carla’s (Connecticut) and Joseph’s (Massachusetts)
• Organic tofu
• Sugar in house-baked recipes is naturally-filtered and vegan
• We cook with expeller pressed canola and olive oils with no trans fats

New England ingredients & makers

• Schartner Farm, Exeter, RI
• Ward’s Farm, Sharon, MA
• Kitchen Garden Farm, Sunderland, MA
• Our Kids Farm, Exeter, RI
• Four Town Farm, Seekonk, MA
• Queens Greens, Amherst, MA
• Full Bloom Apiary, North Franklin, CT
• RI Mushroom Co., West Kingston, RI
• Bats of Bedlam Maple Farm, Chaplin, CT
• Barden Orchards, Smithfield, RI
• Cato Corners Dairy, Colchester, CT
• Narragansett Creamery, Providence, RI
• RI Mushroom Co. West Kingston, RI
• Daniele Inc., Pascoag, RI
• Shri Bark Snacks, Pawtucket, RI
• Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, VT
• Cabot Creamery Cooperative, VT
• Chi Kitchen Kimchi, Pawtucket, RI
• Heiwa Tofu, Rockport, ME
• It'll Be Pizza, Scarborough, ME
• 88 Acre Seed + Oat Bars, Boston, MA
• Andre'z Dipped & Drizzled, North Providence, RI
• Black Leaf Tea, Providence, RI
• Diva's Dips and Gourmet Treats
• Ja Patty RI, Pawtucket, RI
• L'Artisan Cafe & Bakery, Providence RI
• Nettie's Kettle Corn, Providence RI
• Original Italian Bakery, Johnston, RI
• PVDonuts, Providence, RI
• The Ice Cream Barn, Swansea, MA
• Thrive Cakery, Warwick, RI
• Navad Bakers, East Providence, RI

Beverage program

• Coda Coffee is served in the Met and Portfolio.
• Borealis Coffee served in the Watermark Café, Carr Haus and Catering, roasted in Pawtucket, RI.
• Maine Root Soda, certified fair trade
• S.B. Windsor Dairy, Johnston, RI

Dining: Special diets

The health and safety of our student body is our top priority. RISD Dining provides reasonable accommodations for students with food allergies and for students following special diets for medical reasons or religious observance. All on-campus housing rates include a Dining allotment, which can be used to obtain customized meals.

While RISD Dining does not maintain a certified top 9 allergy-free kitchen, we are able to accommodate a wide variety of special diets. The Met and Portfolio are positioned to separately prepare meals for students with food allergies and special diets.

RISD Dining strives to meet all of our guests’ needs by working one-on-one with students and custom preparing and serving students directly. For strict allergen concerns while at The Met, the associate at the cashier station can have a manager or supervisor assist you with ingredient information, serve you directly and custom prepare a meal that meets your special diet needs.

A team approach led by you, our informed consumer, is the best preparation for a safe school year. Meeting one-on-one with students who have individual dining needs helps us ensure that your dining experience is safe, delicious and social.

The Met and Portfolio Café are peanut- and tree nut-free and both offer vegan and vegetarian options daily.

We invite you to work directly with RISD Dining to develop a plan. Please let us know about your food allergy/special diet concern or if you require a special diet in accordance with religious practices (i.e. Kosher or Halal):

• Contact Maureen Young at myoung01@risd.edu or by calling 401 709-8508 to set up a meeting with Maureen and Executive Chef David Gould to discuss the specifics of your diet and a solution that works for you.
• Ordering options offered include:
  • Online pre-order form for meal pickup at The Met or Portfolio Café. This option works well for students following a gluten-free diet or for multiple allergens and/or diet restrictions. The form link will be provided directly to students who have registered with Dining.
  • Order on-demand when you arrive at The Met by speaking with the associate at the cashier station. The associate will provide you with a menu of options to choose and have the manager confirm your allergen and diet needs. The manager will have the culinary team custom prepare your meal according to your requirements.
• Custom meals are prepared per the student's diet specifications

We make every effort to identify nutrition data and allergen information. However, there are elements beyond our control. Manufacturers may change their product formulation without our knowledge and product availability may fluctuate. RISD Dining inputs ingredient and allergen statements from manufacturers' labels into our menu management system; this includes advisory statements such as “may contain…”, “processed in facility that also processes…”, “made on equipment with…”, etc.; that many manufacturers now list on their product labels. We recommend students with severe allergies carry their epi-pen with them at all times.

Students requiring special diets for medical reasons are directed to reach out to the office of Disability Support Services at disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu for guidance on submitting a request for medical accommodations. Students with approved medical accommodation for special diets may have early access to room selection and may choose to live closer to The Met for convenience.

Student housing rates, with included dining allotment, are detailed at https://students.risd.edu/living-risd/residence-life/housing-rates

Dining: Ingredients and allergens

Top allergens for menu items are identified per item on the online menus. Menu signs identifying the top allergens and the proteins for each menu item are posted at each station in all RISD Dining venues. Signs also note if an item is vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten-free. Kitchen managers and supervisors can answer ingredient questions and assist you while you are in Dining venues.

The Met and Portfolio Café are peanut- and tree nut-free.

If you need more information or would like to discuss your special diet concerns, please contact Maureen Young at myoung01@risd.edu.

Dining: Special events

Check out RISD Dining on social media for updates on planned and popup events:

Instagram: risddining

Dining: Celebration Treat

Students living on campus in essential housing can order a celebration treat on their birthdays through our Celebration Treat Order Form. It is included in their meal allotment. All other students on or off campus may purchase a treat using Dining Points or risdbucks!

Dining: Swipe It Forward

Swipe It Forward is a temporary assistance program that provides meals to students in need. Food insecurity is not uncommon across US college campuses, including at RISD. Students in need of meals can contact one of these campus partners:

Dining: RISD Student Food Pantry

RISD Student Food Pantry, a campus food pantry 100% supported by donations from the RISD community, aims to serve students experiencing food insecurity. With self-service, there is no need to make an appointment, simply stop by and take what you need.

Staff and faculty donations

You may donate items to the collection bin located in the lobby of 20 Washington Place.

Student donations

Students with a dining allotment associated with their campus housing or off campus meal plan may donate points at any RISD Dining venue and RISD Dining will stock the shelves with staple items that are in greatest need each week with items such as peanut butter, tuna fish, soups, rice and canned vegetables and beans. Simply let the cashier know you would like to donate points to the student food pantry; you may choose to donate 1, 3 or 5 points per donation up to four donations per year.

Location

The student food pantry is located on the third floor of 20 Washington Place, inside the break room. Take the elevator to the third floor, turn left out of the elevator and take your first left and then right into the break room.