It’s rarely a good deal. Ask most parents with older kids and they almost to a person but less of a plan after freshman year.
In most cases buy the smallest plan possible and none if it is offered. Both larger stare schools here do not require s meal plan. Instead most people I know just deposit $150 weekly into students bank account for food. If they want to go to cafeteria, they simply buy a pass that is $11 for a dinner.
Most students spend their money with greater care and have money for pizza/movies/beer/Chinese.