Frequently Asked Questions
Dining Centers
- How is the quality of food here at UNI?
- Do you use brand name foods?
- What does eating at Rialto or Piazza offer that I cannot get on my own?
- Is UNI Dining Services taking steps to be easier on the environment and less wasteful?
- Are UNI Dining Facilities a nice place to socialize and enjoy a meal?
- Where can I find nutritional information on the dining center's food?
- How do I reserve a room in a dining center for a special event or meeting?
Meal Plans
- Where/when/how can I change my meal plan?
- Why do I have to purchase a meal plan if I live on campus?
- What constitutes a meal service week?
- How does the Dining Dollars system work?
- How do you maintain the cost of a meal plan?
General Questions
- Do I get a special card that gives me access to just Rialto or Piazza?
- What do I do if I lose my uCard?
- What are the employment opportunites with dining services?
- What if I have special dietary needs?
- What do I do if I don't have time to sit down to eat today?
- What if I'm sick and can't make it to Rialto or Piazza for a meal?
- Can guests join me for any meals?
- How can I provide comments/concerns?
- How do I order a pizza from a dining center?
1. How is the quality of food here at UNI?
The quality of the food at UNI is excellent. Here are a few of the highlights of UNI dining:
- Many of the baked goods are prepared fresh daily in Fresh Beginnings, the UNI bakery.
- Locally grown produce is purchased from nearby farmers when the crops are in season and bountiful.
- Special focus on Iowa grown or manufactured foods.
- Professional chefs are on staff.
- Staff trained by the Culinary Institute of America.
- Use of real milk and eggs in products.
- Time-tested recipes for quality and consistency.
- Made-from-scratch philosophy.
- Centralized preparation to provide consistently high quality.
- Cooking to order and display cooking are available.
- Nationally recognized and award winning professional management team.
- Staff trained in sanitation and safe food handling.
2. Do you use brand name foods?
Yes, we feature your favorite brands here at UNI.
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3. What does eating at Rialto or Piazza offer that I cannot get on my own?
- Menus vary from dining center to dining center to provide you with even more options.
- Menus are posted on the web, along with the nutritional information.
- Healthy entree options have less than 30 percent of their total calories from fat. They're marked with a heart symbol in the online nutritional information.
- Menu suggestions are always welcome. Please contact a manager with a menu idea, or better yet, give us a favorite family recipe.
4. Is UNI Dining Services taking steps to be easier on the environment and less wasteful?
Yes, Dining Services is making it their responsibility to be easier on the environment. We work year round to assist the university in reducing waste, recycling, and conservation.
Here are some of the steps we are taking to be easier on the environment:
- Donate leftovers to the Salvation Army, Cedar Valley Food Bank, etc.
- Implemented a refillable mug program.
- Reduced napkin size and consumption, using baskets on dining tables.
- Eliminated use of paper tablecloths for special events.
- Eliminated the use of disposable items in many of our facilities with reusable items such as dishes, glassware, silverware, linens and mugs.
- Purchase 100 percent recycled napkins.
- Reduced the size of table tents to 4 1/4 x 11 inches.
- Maintain an ongoing program to recycle cardboard, glass, plastics, newspapers, magazines, and tin. These items are collected in the dining centers and residence halls and picked up each week by staff for recycling.
- Beverage bottles and cans are returned for recycling.
- Paper used in printers is used twice.
- A primary vendor provides the foods and supplies decreasing fuel consumption through a reduction in the numbers of trucks making deliveries.
- Increased the use of paperless systems by putting menus on the web, electronic time recording, etc.
- Centralized processing of vegetables, reducing the waste of foods, water for processing, and staff labor.
5. Are UNI Dining Facilities a nice place to socialize and enjoy a meal?
YES!! The dining facilities here at UNI are a great place to meet and socialize with friends, meet with professors, and take time out of a busy day to enjoy a great meal.
6. Where can I find nutritional information on the dining center's food?
Go to Today's Menu. Next click on the dining establishment where you will be eating. Finally click on the apple next to the meal to display the nutritional facts.
7. How do I reserve a room in Rialto or Piazza for a special event or meeting?
The Piazza and Rialto both have great meeting rooms you can reserve. They are both hardwired for ResNet connectivity and university wireless connectivitity. Simply contact the dining center staff to reserve the room for your group.
8. Where/when/how can I change my meal plan?
You can change your meal plan by either going to the Department of Residence office in Redeker Center or it can be changed online. Please click here for further information about the policies for changing your meal plan
9. Why do I have to purchase a meal plan if I live on campus?
On campus meal plans allow busy students to spend time on more important things than food budgeting, shopping, cooking and cleaning. Plus, eating at a dining center is a great way to get to know other students and spend time with friends.
10. What constitutes a meal service week?
The meal service week begins Friday at dinner and ends the next week at lunch on Friday.
11. How does the dining dollars system work?
Dining Dollars are part of many meal plans. They can also be purchased by students or staff. Dining Dollars may be charged to the university bill. Your u-card is needed to access Dining Dollars.
- Accepted at 23rd Street Market, Biscotti's, Apple Cart, Commodities, Crunch Break and Maucker Union restaurants, Essentials, Piazza and Rialto.
- Used only for food and beverage purchases
- Can be used at the dining center to pay for a guest's or your own meal.
- Additional Dining Dollars may be purchased online or at any of the dining operations.
- Dining Dollar balances are available at any time by asking a cashier in a dining operation.
Dining Dollars are not intended to replace a meal plan or to provide a refund for any meal students may miss on a meal plan. Dining Dollars are not transferable, saleable or refundable. If you cancel your meal plan, you will be charged for the dining dollars you have used. Dining Dollar balances left at the end of the fall semester will carry over to spring semester. Dining Dollar balances left at the end of the spring semester will not carry over or be refunded.
12. How do you maintain the cost of a meal plan?
- Take what you want, eat what you take. Taking one portion at a time helps you manage the amount of food you can eat. You may go back for seconds as often as you wish. Throwing out food adds to the cost of the meal plan.
- Leave it here- the dishes, silverware, and glassware are provided for your use while you are in the dining centers. Taking these items is theft and prevents us from providing quality service to you. Replacement of these items adds many dollars to the cost of the meal plan.
- All you care to eat- while you are in Rialto or Piazza. There is a carryout program in Cafe on the Way and Dashes and we provide take out meals upon request. Taking food out of the dining center for later meals or snacks is not part of the meal plan.
- Return your dishes to the tray returns at the end of your meal.
13. Do I get a special card that gives me access to just Rialto or Piazza?
Your UNI id card(uCard):
- Serves as your meal access card to Rialto and Piazza.
- Serves as your charge card on campus.
- Carries the value of your Dining Dollars.
- Treat it like cash or other credit cards you own.
- Used each semester you are enrolled.
- Is not transferable, negotiable, or salable to others.
14. What do I do if I lose my uCard?
- Notify the DOR or dining center as soon as possible for protection from others using your card. The card will be invalid until the card is reinstated or a new card is purchased.
- If you loose your card and are unable to purchase a replacement card from the DOR before your next meal you may make arrangements for a lost card voucher.
- Lost card vouchers provide meal access only for a limited amount of time. Lost card vouchers are not transferable and cannot be used beyond the expiration date.
- To replace a lost card, go to the DOR office in Redeker Center, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (Summer business hours: 7:30 am - 4:30 pm). The replacement cost is $25 and will be assessed to your U-bill.
15. What are the employment opportunites with dining services?
The University of Northern Iowa Department of Residence Dining Service is the largest employer on campus, with over 750 students every semester. There are a variety of jobs available including: catering, retail, baking, office assistant, serving, driving, cleaning, etc. Some of the benefits of working in dining services are:
- Convenience of on-campus employment
- Flexible schedule that works around your classes
- Excellent wage and incentive plan
- Opportunities for advancement (supervision and management positions available)
- Management training positions available
- Weekend work based on a rotated schedule
- Great way to meet new friends
- Work up to 40 hours per week or as few as 6 hours per week
- Learn valuable skills for your future (customer service, teamwork, time management, public relations)
- Scholarships available to student employees
- Summer job opportunities available
For more information or to apply online, click here.
16. What if I have special dietary needs?
Please contact the Department of Residence at 319/273-2333 if you have any special dietary needs or concerns. A doctor's request will be necessary and an additional charge may be required to offset the expense of providing special or additional foods.
17. What if I don't have time to sit down to eat today?
Cafe on the Way and Dashes provide grab and go soups, sandwichs, hot entrees, salads, chips, fruit, cookies, and beverages. You may just pick up what you want and take it with you.
The Cart operations provide food in a few of the academic buildings on campus. They can be found in:
- Apple Cart-The Schindler Education Center
- Commodities-The Curris Business Building
- Crunch Break-The Wellness and Recreation Center
Click here to see when different dining locations are open.
18. What if I'm sick and can't make it to Rialto or Piazza?
We're happy to provide a light meal consisting of broth, gelatin, juice and ice cream. Just send your ID card with a friend and we'll prepare the tray. When you're just laid up and can't get to the dining center, we'll prepare a regular food tray for you. Contact your RA or hall coordinator to obtain a written authorization. Foods will come to you on dishes that need to be returned for your next meal.
19. Can guests join me for any meals?
Yes, guests can join you for any meal. Some meal plans include guest passes. Student may use a guest pass, dining dollars or U-bill charge to pay for their guest. Cash and check are also accepted at the dining centers.
20. How can I provide comments/concerns?
Managers are always happy to listen to any comments, concerns or suggestions you may have. You may also fill out an online comment card.
21. How can I order a pizza from Rialto or Piazza?
Call or stop by the restaurant where you'd like to order the pizza.
- Piazza: 319-273-2784 or 3-2784 if calling from an on-campus location
- Rialto: 319-273-2205 or 3-2205 if calling from an on-campus location