'I used my meal plan to feed over 120 less fortunate people': College student gets back at uptight university and their scamming meal system by feeding the less fortunate

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Oct 25, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

Student meal halls are a pretty strange aspect of the university experience; while they're not really a scam, they're obviously designed to take advantage of students' funds suspiciously like one—as if you weren't paying enough already. See, usually, you have to pay a set amount at the start of each semester based on how much you think you'll spend at the student dining hall. Usually, this will come in the form of paying real money onto your student card in exchange for fake credits or some other form of Monopoly money that expires at the end of each semester. 

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  • As with anything, we humans have a tendency to not want to go without, especially when it comes to food, so you always end up overpaying. By the end of each semester, you're usually desperately trying to use your remaining funds, and I have fond memories of wealthier friends spotting meals for everyone on the leftovers of their prepaid meal dime.

    This student describes something similar, except their university took things a step further by forcing students to buy meal plans even if they lived off campus. When they ended up with a sizeable number of meals expiring at the end of the semester, they hatched up a plan to get even with the school. What better way to exact revenge than to do something for the less fortunate? That's sort of like being the Robin Hood of karma. 

  • 01
    Font - Posted by u/Rotom Roomba I used my meal plan to feed over 120 less fortunate people M OC This happened my freshman year of college about 20 years ago. My university had just invested in a big new dining hall, and to help pay for their investment, required all new students to buy a 150 meal plan both semesters. This was a big financial burden being from a lower middle class family, but my parents pooled funds to help me out and make it happen.
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  • 02
    Font - Shortly in to my first semester I found out from friends that the meals you didn't use didn't roll over. Since I lived off campus I knew I wouldn't be able to use them all. Heading into November I realized I would end up with 60-75 meals leftover, and I complained about this a lot to family and friends because it seemed like such a waste.
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  • 03
    Font - In comes the plan. My freshman year of college was also my cousin's senior year and we hung out pretty often. He was the biggest trickster / prankster type you ever met. One night while we were drinking he says, "What if you brought a bunch of homeless people to use up your meals! How much would that pO off those self righteous bast****!" We laughed all night, but the more I thought about the idea, the more I really started to like it. We talked all weekend about it and hatched a plan.
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  • 04
    Font - On Monday morning we went down to the local salvation army around the corner. I have grown to really despise this organization, but in the early 2000s in small town USA its what we had. We told the lady at the desk I would like to feed people in need with my meal plan. She was hesitant at first but said she was working with people that this would be a huge blessing to, especially during the holiday season. She helped me organize 2 days the following week where around 30 people would meet
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  • 05
    Font - The day finally arrived and all kinds of people were there. There were homeless people in tattered clothes. There were families with kids that seemed excited to eat out. There was even one family I will always remember that seemed embarrassed to take a handout, but I made an effort to talk to everybody and make them feel welcomed.
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  • 06
    Font - At noon we headed into the dining hall. I walked up to the lady at the entrance and said, "These people are with me. They are my friends. I would like to swipe them in." She looked confused but reluctantly said okay.
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  • 07
    Font - To say we got every reaction humanly possible would be an understatement. There were staff that were obviously annoyed with the influx of diners. There were students that were laughing. There were students that were giving me the silent clap. There were snobbish faculty members that seemed to be disgusted at the type of people coming into the dining hall. I didn't care at all. Eventually, a head staff member
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  • 08
    Font - came up and said they knew what I was doing and they didn't like it. I said, "These are my friends eating with me. I paid for these meals. Am I doing anything wrong?" She was stumped. The next day the same situation happened with the same reactions. It seemed that I had caused quite a stir on campus, and it just so happened that the university president was eating there that day. She
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  • 09
    Font - came up to me and said even though she would ask that I not tell me friends to do the same thing with their meals as the staff couldn't handle the influx of diners, she was proud that her students had the heart to do something for others like that. The following semester I did the exact same thing. I even used my meals sparingly so I
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  • 10
    Font - could bring more people. The one memory that will always stick out in my head is the family with the little kids so excited to go to the pizza bar and soft serve ice cream machine giggling the whole time. To this day it's still one of the proudest moments of my life. Me and my friends and family still have a drink and chuckle over the story and the snoody, angry reactions I got.
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  • 11
    Font - taloncard815 Heartwarming compliance? Reply Share 4.3k
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  • 12
    Font - PhDTARDIS My university offers meal plans to employees at a discount - but you had to buy 50 of them and it was payroll deducted. I did so, because i worked there the second year of my doctoral program, and the meals never expire.
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  • 13
    Font - Five years ago, I had to take a medical leave from my studies - I still have about 30 meals left. I'm inspired by this idea, especially because I'll be taking my last two classes online and I work 50 miles away now. No Salvation Army, but I can find others right off campus who could use the good meal. I can make it a point of doing that on the occasions I'm meeting with my major professor when I return to school next fall. 570 Reply Share
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  • 14
    Font - RotomRoomba OP 2 days ago That's an awesome idea! Best of luck in your doctoral program! 158 Reply Share
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  • 15
    Font - artificialavocado This choked me up a little bit especially the part about the little ones getting pizza and ice cream. Reply Share 1.5k RotomRoomba OP Easily ends up being my favorite part of the story too! 597 Reply Share
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  • 16
    Font - mrxtheshadowlurker Bro, you're a legend! I wish more people in the world had the same type of compassion as you. I'm pretty sure you made unforgettable memories for many people that day. I really hope life blesses you for this moment 349 Reply Share 185 ●●● RotomRoomba OP I've always liked how compassion came out of joking around and trying to stick it to the man. Truly unintended result! Lol Reply Share
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  • 17
    Font - Hempsox Nicely done fellow human. If we still had awards, you'd get one for this fine gesture. 337 Reply Share
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  • 18
    Font - yokozouna_ed That's chaotic good if I've ever seen it right there. 345 Reply Share Ampersandbox Technically still works as Lawful Good, but I agree with you! Reply Share 98
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  • 19
    Font - katy1111111 At my school, they actually had a food drive every year where students could donate their leftover meals. You did an amazing thing. You should feel proud. 236 Reply Share RotomRoomba OP I'm glad some schools have actually realized what was going on and tried to fix it. That makes me happy! 137 Reply Share
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  • 20
    Font - Urb4nNord Ha! Feeding those in need while forcing snobs to see their precious dining hall desecrated by "the poor", beautiful work OP. 482 Reply Share
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student university students malicious compliance revenge-stories college students petty revenge malicious compliance reddit college student
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