Meal Plans and Campus Food
Most Students Recommended: Red 9 (205 blocks, $800 flex dollars)
- Less likely to waste blocks (many don't finish their blocks, even on this plan)
- More flexibility in eating times
- More variety of food choices with flex dollars
- More opportunity to cook or eat off campus without wasting meal plan
A few upperclassmen recommend more blocks and less DinEx: "This was good for me, because I was forced to eat meals in the designated meal hours and I didn't eat a bunch of shitty snack food from entropy while I sat in my bed at night."
*If you're interested in changing your meal plan, you can up until the 9th day of classes. Find more info here.
Regardless of your meal plan, there will be times where you don't use it all, and"extra Blocks and DinEx are a great way to treat upperclassmen."
Popular Places to Eat Near Donner
The Exchange
- on the way between Donner and academic buildings
- delicious made-to-order sandwiches for breakfast and lunch
"Just be sure to beat the lunch rush! The lines can get long there."
Resnik
- on the way (the other way) between Donner and the rest of campus
- cafeteria-style with a bunch of different vendors to choose from
- most common dinner location for Donner residents because of convenience and variety
"Resnik is awesome for Donner residents because it is so close that it is easy to justify not putting on pants and
ordering a late night block in your underwear just the same way you did in high school when you went into the
kitchen at your house for a snack at night in your underwear. It's like you never left home."
Other location anecdotes:
"The best secret place is Zebra Cafe in CFA. Good little breakfast sandwiches and nice atmosphere."
"Taza D'Oro has great soups and paninis if you're willing to venture to Gates."
Tip for mornings: if you don't have time to go to La Prima to get coffee since it's a little far from Donner (Wean), the Exchange sells La Prima regular and decaf coffee.
The Exchange
- on the way between Donner and academic buildings
- delicious made-to-order sandwiches for breakfast and lunch
"Just be sure to beat the lunch rush! The lines can get long there."
Resnik
- on the way (the other way) between Donner and the rest of campus
- cafeteria-style with a bunch of different vendors to choose from
- most common dinner location for Donner residents because of convenience and variety
"Resnik is awesome for Donner residents because it is so close that it is easy to justify not putting on pants and
ordering a late night block in your underwear just the same way you did in high school when you went into the
kitchen at your house for a snack at night in your underwear. It's like you never left home."
Other location anecdotes:
"The best secret place is Zebra Cafe in CFA. Good little breakfast sandwiches and nice atmosphere."
"Taza D'Oro has great soups and paninis if you're willing to venture to Gates."
Tip for mornings: if you don't have time to go to La Prima to get coffee since it's a little far from Donner (Wean), the Exchange sells La Prima regular and decaf coffee.
Off-Campus Food Recommendations
Craig Street
Crepe Place
Eat Unique
Rose Tea Cafe (Inferior to its Squirrel Hill counterpart)
Subway - accepts DinEx from the meal plan
Union Grill
Oakland
The Black Bean (surprisingly good for both Cuban and Chinese food, have to ask for Cuban menu.)
Dave & Andy's Homemade Ice Cream (aka Dandy's)
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Pizza Sola
Waffallonia
Late Night Specials in Oakland
Fuel and Fuddle (Half Price Food after 11pm)Mad Mex (Half Price Food after 11pm)
The Porch (Half Price Pizzas after 9pm)
Squirrel Hill
Aladdin's
Eat and Park - accepts DinEx from the meal plan
Everyday Noodles
Murray Ave Grill
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Ramen Bar
Rose Tea Cafe
Silk Elephant
Sun Penang (Dim Sum!)
Waffallonia
Shadyside
Elbow Room
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Shady Grove Grill
Stack'd (Half Price Burgers on Tuesdays after 9pm)
East Liberty
BRGR
Ritter's Diner (Open 24 hours Wed-Sun)
South Side
BD's Mongolian Grill
Doublewide Grill
Fathead's
Hofbrauhaus
Urban Tap (really yummy brunch on Sundays)
Strip District
Kaya
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Peace, Love, and Little Donuts
Thin Man Sandwiches
Waterfront
Burgatory
Crepe Place
Eat Unique
Rose Tea Cafe (Inferior to its Squirrel Hill counterpart)
Subway - accepts DinEx from the meal plan
Union Grill
Oakland
The Black Bean (surprisingly good for both Cuban and Chinese food, have to ask for Cuban menu.)
Dave & Andy's Homemade Ice Cream (aka Dandy's)
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Pizza Sola
Waffallonia
Late Night Specials in Oakland
Fuel and Fuddle (Half Price Food after 11pm)Mad Mex (Half Price Food after 11pm)
The Porch (Half Price Pizzas after 9pm)
Squirrel Hill
Aladdin's
Eat and Park - accepts DinEx from the meal plan
Everyday Noodles
Murray Ave Grill
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Ramen Bar
Rose Tea Cafe
Silk Elephant
Sun Penang (Dim Sum!)
Waffallonia
Shadyside
Elbow Room
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Shady Grove Grill
Stack'd (Half Price Burgers on Tuesdays after 9pm)
East Liberty
BRGR
Ritter's Diner (Open 24 hours Wed-Sun)
South Side
BD's Mongolian Grill
Doublewide Grill
Fathead's
Hofbrauhaus
Urban Tap (really yummy brunch on Sundays)
Strip District
Kaya
Pamela's Diner - Famous Pittburgh Breakfast Spot
Peace, Love, and Little Donuts
Thin Man Sandwiches
Waterfront
Burgatory
Favorite Donner Memories
Donner was close enough for me to go back to nap or grab stuff during the middle of the day.
The Donner hammocks were a huge perk. Mid-afternoon naps are good for the soul.
WE HAVE GRILLS IN OUR BACKYARD – plenty of barbecuing opportunities to fill your hot dog and hamburger needs.
There is a gym above Resnik that is super close (steps next to CM Cafe) and no one knows about it so it's never busy.
I loved how close Donner was to the rest of campus! I also really liked the big rooms and how big and central the lounge is. It made it really easy to make friends on different floors.
The things that I loved about Donner was that it felt like one big family.
Painting the fence with your fellow dormmates is always a good time, you have to do it at least once!!
I think one of my favorite things was the Donner swag. I still have both of my Donner shirts and I wear them proudly.
I loved the relaxed, "home of the misfits" feel. It seemed like everyone had a place.
There would be days I would walk onto the second floor into the midst of a nerf gun fight... thats Donner for you :)
Pittsburgh Must-Dos
Schenley Park - Ice Skating in the winter, movies in the park in the early fall
Pittsburgh Pirates Game - discount tickets for students
Cathedral of Learning
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Art Pass Locations (CMU ID gets you in FREE!)
Carnegie Museum of Art
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Science Center
Sportsworks
The Andy Warhol Museum
The Mattress Factory
The National Aviary
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden
Pittsburgh Pirates Game - discount tickets for students
Cathedral of Learning
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Art Pass Locations (CMU ID gets you in FREE!)
Carnegie Museum of Art
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Science Center
Sportsworks
The Andy Warhol Museum
The Mattress Factory
The National Aviary
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden