As the semester begins, students all across campus are beginning to think about their next meals, balancing their schedules and their own overall well-being. ETSU Dining has made a few new changes to meal plans all across campus to provide students with more access to a variety of meal options.

Starting Fall 2026, three meal swipes per week can be exchanged for a variety of retail dining meals across ETSU’s campus. These dining exchange locations include Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’, Taco Bell, Blended Pedaler, Mein Bowl, and Jimmy John’s.

Any details regarding specific information on meals that qualify for the exchange can be found on the ETSU Dining social media pages.

“We are constantly looking for ways to add real value to the student experience through dining,” said Dr. Sam Mayhew, associate vice president for ETSU Student Life and Enrollment. “Seeing a student get excited about using meal exchange at Chick-fil-A and Blended Pedaler is exactly the kind of moment that drives us.”

ETSU says it is striving to adapt to student needs and listen to student complaints that have arisen throughout the time the meal plans have existed.

“The small things can make a big difference in a student’s day. Between the new technology in the dining hall, our move to a cashless stadium experience, and full meal exchange at retail locations, we are proud of the progress and our partnership with Sodexo,” Mayhew said. “We will keep listening to students and enhancing a program that works for them.”

Students are viewing the change positively, but they still hope for further action to increase the versatility of the meal plans.

ETSU student and holder of a 40 Block Meal Plan, Reagan Harris, said, “I think that the meal exchanges are good and that we have needed it for a very long time. We are behind some other colleges and universities in our area in this regard, and I am glad that we have it. However, I don’t love that we only have access to it three times a week, and I don’t like to feel as if we are forced to use the dining hall.”

ETSU said it is constantly changing and evolving for the betterment of the student body, and with nearly half of the student population on a Silver All-Access Meal Plan, this change will hopefully benefit ETSU’s campus.

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