Meals

Food in College

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all available in College during term time. Meals are eaten in the fourteenth century hall (which is why mealtimes are often referred to as ‘Hall’).

Mealtimes in Hall:

Formal Hall

You don’t need to be ‘smart’ for normal Formal Hall, but you must wear your gown over what you’re wearing. The food is the same as Informal Hall, but served to you by catering staff. Formal Hall is not available on Saturdays, and Friday nights are reserved for Guest Nights.

Guest Nights

Fridays alternate between JCR and MCR ‘guest nights’, a more formal and social occasion than regular Formal Hall. Dress is smart (no gowns required) and guests are allowed. A more expensive menu is served, and most groups choose to bring wine (bottles are also available from the College bar). You will need to sign on in advance of guest night if you wish to attend and the charge is £14.20

The number of places at Guest Night Dinner is limited to 140, so early booking is recommended. The system will penalise you if you cancel after 10am on the Thursday before, so please make sure you only reserve places you know you will fill.

High Table (graduates only)

Up to four MCR members at a time are permitted to dine on high table at their own expense on battels for food (drinks extra - turn glass over if you don’t want wine) on Thursday in full term. You may use the SCR before/after dinner but may not invite guests. Sign-up is by email to the SCR Butler, Hassan Hamed, by 10am on the Thursday in question.

The Tutor for Graduates dines at high table every even Wednesday within Full Term, and on these occasions will be delighted to entertain first-year graduates free of charge. Because high table has limited space, he will take up to four guests per session. If you would like to come, please email student.services@new.ox.ac.uk, stating any dietary requirement, and the Student Services Administrator will add you to the list if there is room. If you are able to attend, the Tutor will be pleased to offer you a pre-dinner drink in his rooms from 6.45 for 7.15 pm on the Wednesday in question.

How to pay

Undergraduates

If you are an undergraduate living in College, the cost of evening meals is included in your battels, paid for in advance each term. You will need to bring your university card with you to meals.

The meals prepayment (£231.42 a term for 2012/2013) is credited to your meals account, and the charges for meals actually taken are offset against this. This prepayment cannot be used to finance other student purchases (such as at the bar), and is always shown as a separate component of your account. Any remaining balance on the meals prepayment at the end of Michaelmas and Hilary terms is offset against the prepayment charge for the following term.

Payment for lunch and breakfast is on a pay-as-you-go basis using the barcode on your University card.  Cash purchases are also permitted in the Bar but are subject to a 10% surcharge.

Graduates

Graduates must book their meals before 10am on the day they want to go to dinner in Hall, using the the meal booking system. Payment for lunch and breakfast is organised electronically through your university card ('Bod card'). You will need to bring it with you to meals.

Signing on and signing off for meals

You can book attendance at dinners for up to seven days in advance, and change your default settings, using the meal booking system.

During term, undergraduates living in College accommodation that is not classified as self-catering are automatically booked to attend dinners. The default setting is for the early (‘informal’) sitting. It is up to you to sign off if you don’t wish to attend. All other students are required to book-on for dinners as required. You need to do this by 10am of the day in question.

Up to four guests can be registered in advance for any meal.

Dietary requirements

You can specify what type of meal is required (eg standard, vegetarian, vegan, etc) for you and each of your guests, in advance, using the meal booking system. You can also set your default meal to match your preference. Should you have any particular needs, you should discuss this in advance with the Catering Manager.

Food Code of Practice

You can view the College's Food Code of Practice in our policy documents section..