Eating on campus at the University of Alberta doesn’t have to drain your budget. Between the SUB food court, HUB Mall, the residence dining halls, and a few free programs run by the Students’ Union, you can eat well for under $10 most days. This guide breaks down the cheapest options on North Campus, what they actually cost, and where to get a free meal when money is tight.
The cheapest spots on campus, at a glance
Most of the budget-friendly food on North Campus lives in two buildings: the Students’ Union Building (SUB) and HUB Mall. Both sit right in the middle of campus, so you’re never far from a cheap meal between classes.
| Spot | Building | What you’ll pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUBmart grab-and-go | SUB | Around $6 | Quick, hot meals |
| A&W value menu | HUB Mall | Under $4 | Burgers and breakfast |
| Tim Hortons | HUB Mall | Under $5 | Soup, sandwiches, coffee |
| Subway | SUB and HUB | $6 to $10 | Subs and salads |
| Filistix | SUB (lower level) | $8 to $12 | Filipino rice bowls |
| Dining hall walk-in | Lister / PLH | $15.50 to $21.99 | All-you-can-eat |
Prices shift, so treat these as a rough guide. The point is that a filling meal on campus rarely needs to cost more than $10.
SUB: the Students’ Union Building food court
SUB is the busiest food hub on campus, and it’s where you’ll find the widest range of cheap options. The Students’ Union runs several spots here directly, which keeps prices student-friendly.
SUBmart is the campus convenience store on the main floor. Beyond snacks and essentials, it sells grab-and-go meals for around $6. There are microwaves in the SUB food court, so you can heat one up a few steps from where you buy it. It’s one of the best value-per-dollar meals on campus.
Daily Grind is the UASU-run coffee shop, also on the main floor. It sells fair-trade coffee plus fresh-baked muffins, scones, bagels, and savory pastries. Good for a cheap breakfast or afternoon snack.
The SUB food court itself is home to a rotating set of restaurants. As of this writing you’ll find:
- barBurrito (burritos, bowls, tacos)
- Edo Japan (teriyaki bowls and bento boxes)
- Filistix (Filipino rice bowls, on the lower level)
- Hula Poke (poke bowls)
- Marco’s Famous (pizza by the slice)
- Opa! Of Greece (gyros and souvlaki)
- Subway (subs and salads)
Filistix is a student favourite for value. Maclean’s has called it the best cheap lunch on campus, and a rice bowl is filling enough to carry you through an afternoon of classes.
HUB Mall: the other food court
HUB Mall runs underneath campus and has its own lineup of fast-food staples. This is where you’ll find the classic cheap chains:
- A&W (the Buddy Burger is a long-time budget pick, and the value menu keeps items under $4)
- Tim Hortons (soup and sandwich combos, bagels, and coffee)
- Subway (a second location, handy if the SUB one is busy)
- Pizza 73 (pizza by the slice)
- La Pasta Italian Eatery (pasta and Italian dishes)
- Second Cup (coffee and baked goods)
- Burrito Libre (burritos and bowls)
A&W and Tim Hortons are the go-to cheap options here. A Buddy Burger or a soup-and-sandwich combo will set you back well under $10.
The residence dining halls: Lister and Peter Lougheed Hall
The two all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, Lister and Peter Lougheed Hall, are the biggest meal option on campus. If you live in residence, a meal plan is usually part of your contract, and it’s the most cost-effective way to eat if you use it regularly.
For everyone else, the walk-in rates are steep:
- Breakfast: $15.50
- Lunch: $19.50
- Dinner: $21.99
The dining halls are open daily during the Fall and Winter semesters (weekdays 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., weekends 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.) and closed during Spring and Summer. At those walk-in prices, the dining halls are only worth it if you plan to eat a lot in one sitting. For a quick cheap meal, the food courts are the better call.
Free and nearly-free food on campus
The University of Alberta has real support in place if your food budget is tight. You don’t need to go hungry to make ends meet.
Campus Food Bank (SUB 1-81, first floor beside the elevators) is the big one. It’s free for U of A students, staff, and recent alumni. Programs include:
- Supplementary Grocery Program (a grocery-store-style food pickup)
- Weekly Free Breakfast (Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. until supplies run out, in SUB or at Campus Saint-Jean)
- Community Pantry (grab food anonymously with any ONEcard, anytime Rutherford Library is open)
- WECAN Food Basket (a low-cost monthly basket of produce and meat)
- Grocery Bus (a monthly Saturday bus trip to NoFrills for cheaper groceries)
The Campus Food Bank is a student-run service, and it’s there to help. If you’re choosing between paying bills and eating, use it. That’s exactly what it’s for.
Food trucks also visit campus most days, with a rotating lineup of cuisines. They’re not always the cheapest option, but they’re worth checking for deals, and the schedule is posted online.
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 microwaves. SUBmart’s grab-and-go meals are cheap, and the microwaves in the SUB food court mean you can heat up leftovers or a meal you brought from home.
- Watch the value menus. A&W, Tim Hortons, and Subway all have budget items that stay well under $10.
- Skip the dining hall unless you’re in residence. At $19.50 for lunch, it’s the most expensive way to eat on campus unless you’re on a meal plan.
- Check the Campus Food Bank before you pay full price for groceries. The WECAN basket and grocery bus make healthy food more affordable.
The bottom line
The cheapest reliable meals at the U of A are the SUBmart grab-and-go (around $6), the A&W and Tim Hortons value menus in HUB Mall (under $5), and Subway (under $10). If money is really tight, the Campus Food Bank and its free Wednesday breakfast 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 U of A.
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.
