Eating on campus at Mount Royal University doesn’t have to drain your budget. Between the Table Food Hall, the Wyckham House food court, the residence dining plans, and a set of free programs run by the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University (SAMRU), you can eat well for under $10 most days. This guide breaks down the cheapest options on campus, what they cost, and where to get a free meal when money is tight.
The cheapest spots on campus, at a glance
Most of the food on campus lives in two places: the Table Food Hall on the second level of Main Street, and the Wyckham House food court in the student centre. Both sit close to the middle of campus, so you’re never far from a cheap meal between classes.
| Spot | Where | What you’ll pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Table Food Hall | Main Street, level 2 | Pay per item | Hot meals, groceries, baked goods |
| Wyckham House food court | Wyckham House | Pay per item | Fast-food staples |
| Tim Hortons | Main Street, level 1 | Value menu | Coffee, soup, sandwiches |
| Starbucks | Main Street, level 1 | Coffee and baked goods | Coffee, pastries |
| Jugo Juice | Recreation and EA | Smoothies, snacks | Quick bites |
| Barrow Coffee Roasters | Riddell Library | Coffee and baked goods | Coffee, study fuel |
Menu prices shift, so treat this as a rough guide. The point is that a filling meal on campus rarely needs to cost more than $10.
The Table Food Hall
The Table Food Hall is the go-to food destination on campus, and it sits on the second level of Main Street. It runs a full-service dining setup with several stations: Create, Global Eats, Good Vibes Grill, Tim Hortons Express, and On-the-Go items. You’ll also find basic groceries, baked goods, and cold beverages there.
The setup is built for students, with lots of seating that doubles as a common area for meeting friends between classes. It’s the closest thing MRU has to a traditional dining hall, and it’s where the residence dining plans get the most use.
Wyckham House food court
Wyckham House is the student centre, and its food court is the other main hub. SAMRU runs it, and the tenant lineup covers the classic fast-food staples:
- Subway (subs and salads)
- Edo Japan (teriyaki bowls and bento boxes)
- Dairy Queen Grill & Chill (burgers and ice cream)
- Mucho Burrito (burritos and bowls)
- Thai Express (Thai dishes)
- Zen Vietnamese Grill (Vietnamese dishes)
- Mr. Souvlaki (souvlaki and Greek food)
- Wycked Korean Grill (Korean dishes)
- Cultures (sandwiches and salads)
- Chatime (bubble tea)
The food court is open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Saturday hours depending on the operator. Subway and the value chains are your best bet for a cheap, filling meal here.
Residence dining plans
If you live in residence or spend most of your day on campus, an MRU dining plan is the most cost-effective way to eat. The plans load dining dollars onto your OneCard and work at the Table Food Hall, Tim Hortons, Jugo Juice, Barrow Coffee Roasters, Starbucks, and the vending machines on campus.
MRU offers three plans:
- Classic Plan, $1,600. About $400 in dining dollars per month for the full semester. You get a 10% discount at the Table Food Hall, Barrow Coffee, and Jugo Juice, and the plan is GST exempt.
- On-The-Go Plan, $1,000. About $250 in dining dollars per month. Same 10% discount at the Table Food Hall, Barrow Coffee, and Jugo Juice.
- MRUeats Plan. Load any amount monthly or as a lump sum. Same 10% discount at the three preferred vendors.
Unused dining dollars carry over to the next semester. If you withdraw from MRU, remaining funds are refunded in April, minus a 10% administration fee, and bonus dollars are non-refundable.
The Classic Plan works out to roughly $13 a day across a four-month semester, which is hard to beat if you eat most meals on campus. The 10% discount at the Table Food Hall stacks on top of that.
Free and nearly-free food on campus
MRU has real support in place if your food budget is tight. You don’t need to go hungry to make ends meet. SAMRU runs a set of food security programs out of the Peer Support Centre in Wyckham House (room Z210).
Free Breakfast is the big one. The Peer Support Centre serves a free, nutritious breakfast from 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Monday through Friday during the Fall and Winter semesters. You’ll find fresh fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, bread, and coffee. It’s barrier-free, so no one asks questions. Just show up.
Care Cupboards are stocked around campus with free food and hygiene supplies. The main cupboard in the Peer Support Centre is a short-term option, available up to 3 times a month with an online intake form and proof of enrollment. Satellite cupboards sit in the EA Building, EB Building, Riddell Library, the second floor of B-wing, and the Cougars Concourse. They hold refrigerated and non-perishable food plus essentials, and they’re restocked 4 times a week.
Food Bank Referral connects you to the Calgary Food Bank. The Peer Support Centre is a registered referral agency, so you can drop by during core hours to fill out an application with a volunteer, then pick up a hamper from the Food Bank by appointment.
Good Food Box lets you buy fresh produce at a set price. It’s operated by the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary and delivered to SAMRU once a month. A small box (15 to 20 lbs) is $35, a medium box (25 to 30 lbs) is $40, and a large box (35 to 40 lbs) is $45. Order at SAMRU Reception (Z222) or through the online form.
Mobile Grocery Store brings fresh fruit and vegetables to campus. It runs in partnership with Fresh Routes on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Wyckham House during the Fall and Winter semesters. Bring your own bag; credit, debit, and cash are accepted.
SAMRU has run a Calgary Food Bank depot and non-perishable food and hygiene cupboards since the mid-1990s, and the free breakfast program has run for over a decade. These programs are funded by SAMRU fundraising, not member fees. If you’re choosing between paying bills and eating, use them. That’s exactly what they’re for.
How to spend less on campus food
A few habits stretch your food budget further than any single menu item:
- Bring your own. Packing a lunch is almost always cheaper than buying one. A thermos of coffee and a sandwich cost a fraction of what you’d pay on campus.
- Use the free breakfast. If you’re on campus in the morning, the SAMRU free breakfast covers one meal a day at no cost.
- Watch the value menus. Tim Hortons and Subway both have budget items that stay well under $10.
- Buy produce through the Good Food Box. At $35 for a small box, it’s a cheaper way to get fresh fruit and vegetables than the grocery store.
- Use the Care Cupboards before you pay full price. They’re free, anonymous, and restocked several times a week.
The bottom line
The cheapest reliable meals at MRU are the value menus at Tim Hortons and Subway, the pay-per-item stations at the Table Food Hall, and the Wyckham House food court. If you live in residence, the Classic dining plan at $1,600 works out to about $13 a day with a 10% discount on top. And if money is tight, SAMRU’s free breakfast, Care Cupboards, and Calgary Food Bank referral are there for you. Eating on campus cheaply is less about finding one magic spot and more about knowing which options give you the most for your dollar.
For more on stretching your money as a student, see our guides to budgeting on a student income and student housing at MRU.
This guide is general information for Canadian students, not personalized financial advice. Program rules and dollar amounts change, so confirm the details with the official government source before acting on them.
