On behalf of the MECA Dining Services Team, welcome to the on-campus dining services, located on the second floor of the Porteous Building. We look forward to serving you and providing the best dining experience possible. The information in this dining guide can be used as a quick reference to all of our services. We look forward to serving the MECA community each and every day. We invite and encourage you to contact us at anytime with questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions. Your feedback, both positive and negative, is always welcome as it can only help us to serve you better. We guarantee a response to all comments, whether received via email, voice mail, or comment card, within a couple of days. Please give us your continual feedback so we may better serve you in the future. Please contact us at cafe@MECA.edu or 207.699.5066.

Lost Meal Cards
Please report lost meal cards to the Business Office. Replacement fee for lost cards is $25.

Using your Meal Card
Please treat your MECA ID card as a credit card. Do not lend it to anyone or borrow one from someone else. Fraudulent lending of your ID card will result in your ID being confiscated and forwarded for further disciplinary action.

Dietary Requirements
Do you have particular dietary needs? No problem! Our Campus Dining Services Program will try our best to accommodate your special dietary requirements. For more information, please contact us at cafe@MECA.edu.

Take-home Trays
Trays are available for resident students. If you are feeling under the weather visit the RA on duty or contact the Assistant Director of Student Affairs/Residential Education and Housing at 207.699.5067 to make arrangements to get a meal for you.

Campus Dining Policies & Procedures
One of our main goals is to provide a pleasant, clean, comfortable and satisfying dining experience. In order to the meet this goal, we need your help in adhering to the following procedures:

• Present your MECA ID to the cashier when using your meal plan or MECA Bucks account. 
• Please clear your table when you have finished dining and make the table available for others.
• Anyone caught pilfering food from the Cafe will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs for further disciplinary action.

Employment
Earn extra income while on campus, make friends and have fun by being a Campus Dining Services employee. We offer flexible hours to fit your class schedule., competitive wages and the benefit of working close to home. Interested students should stop by the Dining Services office in the Administrative Center of the Porteous. We would love to set up an appointment with you and discuss the opportunities available.

Hours

Monday - Friday                                   
7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Meal Plan Hours
Monday - Friday
Breakfast:  7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Lunch:  11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Dinner:   5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday
Brunch: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nutrition

Visit BalanceMindBodySoul.com for your nutritional information. You will find recipes, nutritional and wellness information as well as have the opportunity to "Ask The Dietitian." BalanceMindBodySoul.com provides reliable nutrition and health information that can easily be accessed any time of the day. Topics that students are concerned about such as eating healthy while away at school, vegetarian nutrition, and eating for fitness are presented in an informal, lively style.

What constitutes Mind?
MIND - information for maximizing the mind's power and pathways for clear thinking and decision making.

What about Body?
BODY- energizing ideas to incorporate sports and fitness into your day and information on developing eating habits for lifelong health.

What is Soul?
SOUL - Guidance on self-expression and self-care through creativity and reflection. It's also cultivating healthy relationships with communication.

Quick links

• Nutrition Calculator
  A useful tool that provides nutritional facts for many of our menu items
• The Dietitian is In
  Contact our Registered Dietitian for answers to your questions about food and
  Nutrition
• Nutrition Quiz
  Test your knowledge about nutrition
• USDA Food Guide Pyramid

STOP Hunger: Since 1999, the Sodexo Foundation has been committed to being a driving and creative force that contributes to a
hunger-free nation. In order to eliminate hunger that affects 36 million people in the U.S., we must fight its root causes… [ more ]

Manufacturing Partners: Sodexo has been an active member of industry coalitions which encourage legislators, manufacturers and consumers to jointly develop rational, not reactionary, strategies to today's environmental needs We select our manufacturing partners watchfully. Fort Howard, our largest contracted supplier of paper, napkins, tissue and towels, uses recycled fiber exclusively in the manufacturing process. Mobil Chemical, our primary contracted source for plastic can liners, uses from 30% to 90% recycled materials in their plastic liners.

Sweetheart Cup, Solo Cup, Amoco, Dart and Mobil all use pre-recycled material in the manufacture of foam plates, bowls and food containers. Sodexo will continue to form alliances with business organizations that are ecologically sound and responsible. We will continue to work with consumer organizations, governmental agencies and industry groups to implement new strategies and tactics as they evolve. We will actively participate in the long-range planning process at the local and national levels to ensure that our environment and economy are protected for future generations to come.

Sodexo's Environmental Action Program is complex and multifaceted, offering solid information and tools to make our customers, clients, employees, and society at large aware of environmental problems and how they can help.

Environmental Awareness Policy
Sodexo's Environmental Action Program is complex and multifaceted, offering solid information and tools to make our customers, clients, employees, and society at large aware of environmental problems and how they can help. This is a "living program" with an open-door policy: We will add to, amend, update and keep our programs current through publications, posters, newsletters and similar marketing and communication materials. Our program will be enhanced as new information is discovered and as we hear suggestions from our customers and clients.The following are key steps we follow to maximizing the impact we can make with our environmental programs:

1. Use a Waste Stream Audit to identify the key campus opportunities.
2. Review the audit summary with our customers and ask for your direction.
3. Solicit campus support. Develop an action plan to focus on the initial issues.
4. Draw together a task force of interested parties and delegate tasks.
5. Meet with the task force and review progress as necessary.
6. Support the objectives of the task force as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I am a resident student. What are my meal plan options?
A. All resident students living in the Oak Street Residence Hall are automatically enrolled in the 17-meal plan.  All resident students living in the Shepley or Miles Standish Apartments are automatically enrolled in the 7-meal plan and are welcome to upgrade to the 17-meal plan.  All resident students may also choose to purchase MECA Bucks for additional flexibility.   
        
Q. I live off-campus. What are my meal plan options?
A. All students and staff are eligible to purchase any meal plan.  Please contact the Business Office for more information.

Q. Can I have both a Block Plan and a MECA Bucks account?
A. Yes. Use MECA bucks for when you want less than a meal or are eating at the Cafe outside of the scheduled breakfast, lunch and dinner hours. Use your 50 Block Plan to purchase full meals. You may only use your 50 Block Plan during designated meal times

Q. What is the difference between a 50 or 25 Block Plan and a MECA Bucks account?
A. In the 50 Block Plan, you are buying a block of meals. With MECA Bucks, you pay for each item individually, i.e. one cup of coffee, one bagel. You may only use your meal plan during designated meal times only. MECA Bucks are available for use at all times.

Q. What is the difference between a 7 or 17 meal plan and a 50 Block plan?
A. All plans must be used during the hours designated for meals. The 7 and 17 meal plans allows you to eat 7 or 17 meals weekly. The 50 Block Plan allows you to eat 50 meals within the academic year.

Q.  Where do I make changes to my meal plan or add MECA Bucks to my account?
A.  The Business Office in the Administrative Center.

Q. May I add additional funds to my meal plan if I run out of funds before the semester is over?
A.  Yes, you can add additional funds in the form of MECA Bucks in $50 increments or you can elect the 50 Block Plan at any time during the fall or spring semester.

Q. What happens with my unused meals or MECA Bucks?
A.  Unused meals or MECA Bucks roll over from the fall to spring semester, but any unused meals or MECA Bucks are forfeited at the end of the academic year. 

Q. May I treat guests with my meal plan?
A.  No, you may not treat guests with your meal plan.

Q. May I treat guests using my MECA Bucks?
A. Yes, you may use your MECA Bucks to pay for guests and/or family. 

Q. When does the meal plan week begin and end?
A. The Meal Plan week begins at breakfast on Friday and ends the following week after dinner on Thursday.  The Cafe cashier will be happy to remind you how many meals you have consumed on your plan as well as how many MECA Bucks are left on your account.

Q. Are there times during the year when my meal plan is not in effect?
A. Yes, the meal plan is not in effect during the winter break.  During the other short breaks (October break, spring break, and Thanksgiving) there will be cold options only.
 
Q.  Are there times of the day when I cannot use my meal plan?
A.  Yes, the Meal Plan can only be used during the following meal hours:

Weekday Meal Plan Hours

Breakfast : 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Lunch: 11am  to 1:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At all other times, the cashier will accept MECA Bucks, debit/credit cards and cash.