6/18 Weekly Update: Meal Plans and Dining

Bottom Line, Up Front

• Upcoming key dates or action items for families and/or students
• Meal Plans
• Dining on campus

Dear parents and families of incoming students,

We’re bringing you our weekly email with FYIs, due dates, and other considerations for you as your student gets ever closer to beginning their Wake Forest experience. This week we are going to focus on dining and meal plans, but before we get there, let’s look at upcoming key dates and action items.

Upcoming key dates or action items for families and/or students

Here’s what you should know this week.

• [For students] 
  • CORRECTION: request by June 20 that your AP and/or IB scores be submitted to Wake Forest (scores will actually come out in early July).
  • If your student is still trying to decide whether they want to do a Pre-Orientation program, they need to act quickly, as Pre-Orientation registration closes June 30th.
  • For students planning to enroll in CHM 111 or MTH 111, they need to complete ALEKS PPL by June 25
  • Students must upload all immunization documentation(see detailed steps here) and completed health information forms in their Deacon Health portal by July 1. Notes:
    • We have seen a high number of new students incorrectly uploading their immunization documentation and health information forms. Students cannot simply upload a PDF of their immunization documentation and satisfy the immunization requirement. Every new student needs to input the dates of each immunization in the Immunization History form so that the immunizations can be added to your medical record and seen by healthcare providers during office visits.
    • As a reminder, all new students have 4 forms they must complete in the Deacon Health Portal:
      • Immunization History – after your student inputs the dates of all required vaccines in the form, then they attach the PDF of their official immunization record from their healthcare provider’s office
      • Medical History
      • Emergency Contact and Consent 
      • TB Screening

• 3-5 business days after your student has uploaded all forms, they must check the Secure Messages section of the Deacon Health Portal to ensure their documentation has not been returned for missing or incomplete information.
• Even if your student thinks they have done this correctly, we need ALL students to log in to the Deacon Health Portal and check their Secure Messages for any errors.

• [For families]: 
  • Be sure you have Downloaded the WakeSafe app and Opted-In to Campus Safety Alerts. This is the only way you will receive campus safety alert info; we do not email families.
  • Have you secured lodging for Family Weekend (Sept. 27-29)? If not, please visit the Visit Winston Salem website for current hotel listings in the area; also consider Airbnb, VRBO, etc. in the Piedmont Triad area (i.e., Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem).
    • Football tickets are on sale now! Buy yours today!
    • Remember that event registration will open July 10. Here is the tentative schedule for the weekend: Registration (i.e., packet pick up) for Family Weekend will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday morning, September 27. We will host our annual Deacon Family Festivities that afternoon, followed by the Night of Student Entertainment. There will be several dining options available both on and off-campus for your dining pleasure. Saturday the 28th will host a variety of pre-game activities which include access to the student tailgate area before the Wake Forest vs. Louisiana football game. Access to the student tailgate area will require the Family Weekend credential and a game ticket. On Sunday the 29th, we conclude the weekend with a farewell brunch (tickets sold separately). Other activities and experiences such as tours, lectures, presentations and the like are currently being planned. 

Dining on campus

• Deacon Dining has a host of venues and menus that will appeal to the diverse dietary needs of our students. Students can view menus and ingredients for all residential and retail locations, and have access to a dietitian who works with medical providers to help guide students on how to eat on campus with their specific food allergies, intolerances and preferences.
• We actively participate in the Global Foods Committee as well as other international student organizations to provide culturally authentic foods. We offer a variety of vegan, vegetarian, kosher and halal items across residential and retail dining locations.

Meal Plans

• Every first-year student is required to have a meal plan.
• Each meal plan consists of Meal Swipes, Old Gold Swipes and Food Dollars:
  • Food Dollars work like a debit account. Each time a purchase is made, the amount is deducted from the balance in your account. Food Dollars can be used at any campus dining location. Add Food Dollars to your account at any time at dining.wfu.edu or by visiting the dining office located in Reynolda Hall, Room 12.
    • NOTE: Food Dollars can be used only for food purchases. Deacon Dollars can be used at a variety of locations, including the Bookstore and the Deacon Shop, in addition to Wake Forest Dining venues.
  • Meal Swipes are used to access the The Harvest Table at Reynolda (The Pit), the Magnolia Room and the Hilltop Market. 
  • Old Gold Swipes are included in your total number of meals and serve as enhancements to the traditional meals. A portion of your Meal Swipes is considered Old Gold. In addition to their usage as traditional Meal Swipes at any residential dining hall, these swipes may be used to purchase combo meals in almost all of our retail locations.
• Note these important dates for meal plan changes:
  • August 1, 2024 – Last day to decrease your fall meal plan
  • August 21, 2024 – Fall 2024 meal plans begin
  • September 30, 2024 – Last day to increase/upgrade your fall meal plan

Dining on campus

• There are a wide variety of dining venues on campus that your student can use:
  • The Pit (aka The Table at Reynolda) – affectionately known as “the Pit” due to its location in the lowest level of Reynolda Hall, the Pit is our largest cafeteria-style dining venue. Enjoy all-you-care-to-eat dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All items in the Pit are made without peanuts and tree nuts; there is a vegan station as well.
  • Mag Room (aka The Magnolia Room) – for a more upscale, all-you-care-to-eat lunch Monday through Friday, come to the Mag Room on the second floor of Reynolda Hall. 
  • Subway and Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) Convenience Store – Subway and the attached P.O.D. convenience store are located on Hearn Plaza in Davis Hall and are open 24 hours a day.
  • Benson Food Court – on the 2nd floor of the Benson Center, the Food Court includes Chick-fil-A, La Sabrosa, Bento (freshly prepared sushi and Asian cuisine hot bar), Forest Greens (chopped salads, deli, Sambazon Acai Bowl) and the 336 Market.
  • Shorty’s Restaurant & Bar – Located on the second floor of Benson Center, Shorty’s is known for its delicious tavern menu and fun trivia nights.
  • Hilltop Market – In North Dining Hall, Hilltop Market is an all-you-care-to-eat dining option combining the style of a modern servery with the fresh and healthy choices of a traditional residential restaurant. The menu features a wide variety of chef-driven recipes featuring American favorites and global cuisine.
  • Village Juice, Peet’s & Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) Market – Village Juice offers made-to-order salad, grain, smoothie bowls and smoothies. The North Dining Hall’s Peet’s is a full-service venue serving breakfast and lunch selections. It is adjacent to the Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) Market convenience store. Village Juice is located upstairs in North Dining Hall next to Hilltop Market.
  • Smith’s Cafe – Located in the ZSR Library, Smith’s offers freshly baked pastries and locally roasted coffee.
  • Campus Grounds – In Taylor Hall, Campus Grounds is our student-run coffeeshop featuring freshly baked pastries and locally roasted coffee.
  • Billy D’s at Zick’s – Enjoy pizza and fried chicken in Poteat Hall on the Quad.
  • Einstein Bros. Bagels – Come to Farrell Hall for Einstein’s freshly baked bagels, coffee and espresso, deli sandwiches, breakfast egg sandwiches, and delicious baked snacks and sweets.

What if my student has special dietary needs or concerns?

• Visit our food allergies website for information on allergens and campus dining. If you have additional questions, please contact our registered dietitian. Our Registered Dietitian is available to provide guidance and nutrition counseling for those with additional nutritional needs to help foster a healthy lifestyle here on campus. We can aid guests with dietary allergies or preferences as well, and provide nutrition tours to familiarize the campus community with the dining opportunities.

Parting thoughts

We will continue sending weekly messages to our new P’28 families throughout the summer. In case you missed last week’s message, you can view our archive here.

With best wishes,

Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (‘92, MA ‘94)
Executive Director of Family Communications