Creighton University students are paying more for meal plans this fall, and some say their money does not go as far when buying food on campus. 

The standard All Access meal plan cost $2,920 per semester in the 2023-2024 academic year and increased to $3,080 per semester in 2025-2026. The plan includes $150 Dining Dollars and five guest passes, giving students access to a variety of dining options across campus, according to Creighton’s undergraduate tuition and fees website. 

“It just does not balance out,” said David Williams, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “The prices went up, and the money we get to actually spend feels smaller. I know food costs change, but it feels like we are losing value overall.” 

Williams said he noticed the difference around mid-semester, when his dining balance began shrinking faster than usual. 

“I used to grab a coffee or sandwich between classes without thinking twice,” he said. “Now I check my balance every week.” 

Creighton Dining Services said meal plan rates are adjusted to reflect rising food and labor costs. Menu prices at the Skutt Student Center have also increased slightly due to inflation and ingredient costs. The price increases for 2023-2024 were outlined in a letter from Scott Bierman, assistant vice provost for student records and financial services. 

Students said the impact may seem small at first but adds up over the semester. 

“A plan that costs over $3,000 a semester hits hard when you’re budgeting carefully,” Williams said. 

The university has not indicated whether meal plan prices will change in the spring, but students hope that future adjustments reflect a fair balance between cost and value. 

“We just want it to feel fair,” he said. “If we’re paying more, the plan should reflect that.” 

Bierman’s letter has this to say about how this change to the dining plan came about.  

“The majority of the University’s expenses are subject to inflation and range from personnel (salaries and benefits for faculty and staff) to facilities (utilities, insurance, maintenance). The Consumer Price Index, the most widely followed inflation gauge, increased 9% from June 2021 to June 2022, its highest rate in nearly 40 years,” the letter reads. 

This goes to show that this change is not without reason but is still affecting the student body of Creighton University as a whole.