Dining Services

Student Housing

Fresh Daily Options

Dining on campus is a huge part of the college experience!

At Southwestern everything is prepared fresh daily by our culinary students attending the on-campus Oregon Coast Culinary Institute. We bring together expertise in culinary arts, wellness, sustainability, procurement and hospitality to develop a dining experience unique to our students.

Meal Plans

Meal Plans included in the cost of housing based on single or double room. Meals are loaded onto the Laker Card before breakfast Monday morning. Unused meals are forfeited.

110-Meals Per Term
This plan allows the student to eat a total of 110 meals per term. This is a declining balance meal plan, you will need to budget meals to ensure you do not run out during the term. This plan equates to 11 meals a week.

176-Meals Per Term
This plan allows the student to eat a total of 176 meals per term. This is a declining balance meal plan, allowing you to eat once during each meal period the cafeteria is open. This plan equates to 16 meals a week.

Commuter Plan
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Summer Meal Plan
80 meals. Unused meals forfeited at end of term.

H4 - Commodo quis imperdiet

Important information about dining at SWOCC

The dining hall (Empire Café) is located in Empire Hall and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday the dining hall opens in the afternoon for brunch and in the evening for dinner. If you live in Student Housing you are required to have a meal plan; the cost for this is already included in your room rate. Dining Services will do its best to accommodate the special dietary requirements of students. If you have special needs in this area, arrangements should be made with Dining Services prior to your arrival at Southwestern.

For the 2016/2017 Academic Year:

Meal Service Begins:


Summer: June 22 - Breakfast is the first meal served

Fall: September 25 - Dinner is the first meal served

Winter: January 1 - Dinner is the first meal served

Spring: March 26 – Dinner is the first meal served

Meal Service Ends:

Summer: August 13 - Dinner is the last meal served

Fall: December 11 - Lunch is the last meal served


Winter: March 17 - Lunch is the last meal served

Spring: June 9 – Lunch is the last meal served

  • No meal services during Thanksgiving, winter, spring and other breaks. Arrangements to stay in housing during breaks need to be made in writing through the Housing Office. Please check with the Housing Office for rates.
  • The 19 and 15 meal plan options are per week. Plans reset each week with no roll over.
  • The Flex Plan offers 88 meals and $125.00 in scrip money each term. This is an average of eight meals per week and scrip money for purchasing food and meals at the student's choice. Only Flex Plan participants may purchase additional scrip money in $110.00 increments at the cash price of $100.00. Unused scrip money only carries over from Fall to Winter and Winter to Spring terms as long as you continue on the Flex Plan. Unused meals do NOT carry from term to term. Upon completion of agreement unused scrip meals or money will not be refunded.
  • Summer term rates have an 80 meal block plan included.

Southwestern Dining Services Open Hours & Weekly Menu