<p>the idea is they collect this upfront and then charge very low prices for the food itself. if someone who isn’t on a meal plan eats at a dining hall, they are charged 2.5 times the meal plan price to reflect the fact that the non-meal plan diner hasn’t already paid towards overhead. </p>
<p>i’m not defending it – the plan is what it is. it’s been that way for years. but i don’t think you can call it deceptive. they are very open about what they are doing. all the terms are clearly spelled out at the website – how much comes out for operating expenses, which facilities are retail.</p>