It’s a Wednesday night and you stroll into the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat before your 6:30 English class. You order a cheeseburger and fries then, as you make your way to the register, you grab a cup of Pepsi to make your meal a combo.

As the soda dispenses into your cup you look over and see the meal plan dining guide to see where you stand this semester. You see that on Nov. 3, you are supposed to have $315. As the cashier rings up the combo at $6.29, your balance appears. It reads: $150.

Since you arrived on campus 10 weeks ago, you have gone through $775. This figure seems like a reasonable number, but as a student in this position you will have to add another $100 to $200 to your meal plan. This begs the question, is the meal plan here at Quinnipiac fair?

Zach Salsman, a sophomore media production major, has found the meal plan at Quinnipiac troubling since he arrived as a freshman. Salsman’s plan ran out over three weeks ago and he has almost gone through the $300 he added. He does not think the meal plan should be an issue to a student.

“I don’t think I should have to worry about it,” Salsman said. “For as much as I pay to go to this school I shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not I have enough money on my meal plan.”

However, the meal plan is a large issue for many QU students. On www.dineoncampus.com the Quinnipiac meal plan is laid out for students. According to this plan, students should eat 12 meals per week on campus.

Scott Rivera, a sophomore physical therapy major, doesn’t see how this meal plan can be healthy.

“How are they supposed to promote student health if you aren’t even supposed to eat three meals a day?” Rivera asked.

The plan is further broken down on the site. A student should eat breakfast four times a week at $3.50 a meal, lunch four times at $5.25, and dinner at $5.30. Over a 16 week period that brings the student to $899.20. This year Quinnipiac raised the semester meal plan from $900 to $925. Overall the student is expected to spend $8.25 a day on food.

Rivera thinks the students should be able to choose how much money is on their meal plan. Then, the meal plan will fit the student instead of the student fitting the meal plan.

When Salsman discovered that the meal plan calls for a student to spend $8.25 a day, he could not believe the figure.

“$8.25 a day, for three meals a day, that can’t even be legal,” Salsman said. “My average meal is like $12. I’m a growing boy, I need to eat.”

The next concern for the student is how much food they receive for the price they pay. Some foods that Salsman and Rivera thought were overpriced include the specialty salads at the Bobcat Den for $6.95 and the grilled chicken sandwich combo at $7.39.

However, there are some people on campus who are ahead on their meal plan. Michael Feldstein, a sophomore broadcast journalism major, said that he is ahead of the meal plan by a mere $12. Feldstein said it has not always been easy to stay with the meal plan.

“They have to help us,” Feldstein said. “I’m one who stays strict to the meal plan and I’m even struggling.”

Feldstein discussed how he uses dineoncampus.com to see what food choices are being offered at the Bobcat Den or the Cafe Q. He said the school needs to adjust the meal plan according to the inflation of food prices.

“So far the meal plan has not adapted to prices in the two years I’ve been here,” Feldstein said.

Melissa Yeo, a sophomore nursing major, also finds herself with enough money to last the semester. She plans on having about $100 left at the end of December.

“My overall thought on the mean plan is it’s not really beneficial,” Yeo said. “The amount of money is sufficient, but the cost of the food is way too much.”

Feldstein, Salsman and Rivera live in Perlroth where there is no kitchen area. Students that live in Larson, Perlroth or Troup cannot cook their own food unless they bring their food to another dorm to cook.

Rivera said that he cooked in the kitchens in Commons last year to relieve the stress put on his meal plan, but now there are only so many healthy choices that can be microwaved.

Quinnipiac has helped to widen the variety of foods students can choose from. The addition of Mondo Subs in the Bobcat Den has become a favorite for many students. Mondo offers the same quality subs you could buy at Subway or Quizno’s.

To add money to your meal plan or to see what the Bobcat Den and cafeteria are serving, visit dineoncampus.com/quinnipiac.