Every student at The University of Alabama knows the value of dining dollars or the $350 each student receives each semester on their ACT Card to spend at local restaurants and food trucks. The university has used this as a way to support local businesses while giving students the leeway to eat out for $350 worth of meals each semester. Most students value these dining dollars like gold, knowing they can spend money their parents can’t see without breaking their own bank. And the list of spots that take dining dollars is great. It’s not limited to fast food or undesirable locations; the list includes Tuscaloosa staples like Glory Bound, Buffalo Phils, and Aijin. In addition to these staples, it covers the fast food spots in the student center, coffee shops on and around campus, and locations we’ve featured on other lists like The Standard and UPerk. Because of the options offered by dining dollars, this blog post will feature our top 3 restaurants for dining dollars and a guide for how best to spend them.
Because students have full autonomy on how they spend their dining dollars, it’s a lot like an actual wallet. Budgeting dining dollars and having a strategy for the semester is important. Some students will come back and spend all their dining dollars in the first month, while others will ration them. We recommend a saving-oriented strategy to make dining dollars last the full semester because there is nothing worse than seeing all your friends going to get food but not having enough money to join.Â
My personal strategy is to spend dining dollars like I only have $250 rather than the full $350. This is because come dead week, I don’t want to cook food or waste valuable cramming time going out to eat when I could just as easily order a Domino’s pizza on delivery with my dining dollars. That way I know at the end of the semester I’ll be eating good while studying, and I never have to leave the library unless I need to. The rest of the semester, there are only two occasions I use my dining dollars: Sunday brunch at Glory Bound and late-night food after a night out at The Standard. This keeps me accountable by scheduling the use of my dining dollars before the semester starts and leaves me enough wiggle room to go another route if I need to.
That said, we know our personal strategies aren’t right for everyone, so here are some important tips to know when using dining dollars.
- At the end of the semester, all dining dollars roll over into Bama Cash, allowing students to spend that money on a much wider variety of things including clothes, groceries, more restaurants, and some gas stations. At the end of each year, students have the option to take their Bama Cash and send it straight to their bank account giving students cold hard cash. Although this isn’t for everyone, it’s certainly an option to consider.
- For students who aren’t as interested in getting food on their dining dollars, they can get gift cards instead. Any restaurant that accepts dining dollars and offers gift cards allows students to buy gift cards on dining dollars. Once that gift card is obtained, there aren’t any restrictions as to what students can buy on it. Many students will go to The Standard or Glory Bound and get a gift card with their dining dollars to use at the bar, offering them drinks over food. Some students will use these gift cards to buy merch for their favorite restaurants, repping a hoodie or t-shirt instead of eating food.
With strategies, understanding, and tips out of the way, here are our top 3 places to eat with dining dollars.
Number 3: World of Beer
World of Beer is a relatively large chain across the country, but it is well respected and well-liked here at Bama. As with other locations like Glory Bound and Buffalo Phils, World of Beer is both a restaurant and a bar. The menu is a little bit pricier than a lot of other spots on this list, but the offerings are still great. They have snack foods like giant pretzels and flatbreads and quality dinners like burgers and sandwiches. You can also get a gift card to take full advantage of their weekly drink deals. One of the best parts about World of Beer is the events it hosts, including trivia and Monday night football. World of Beer is another great spot to hang out with friends given that they have activities and good food in a social environment. Whether it’s slow or busy doesn’t matter, World of Beer is the spot to be.
Number 2: UPerk
Although dining dollars are usually thought of as food money, getting a morning coffee can be just as important as dinner or a late-night snack. UPerk is another location we featured in our best coffee shop locations in Tuscaloosa, and we highly recommend it for a reason. UPerk is well known for its variety of coffees and flavors, productive environment for studying, and quality offered. For tests or assignments, this is a great place to go work knowing that your study drinks and food are taken care of on dining dollars.
Number 1: Glory Bound
Glory Bound has been featured on multiple of our other rankings, and for good reason. The food is great, and it’s conveniently located on The Strip. Just about every student on campus knows that for the price, it’s hard to beat. They sell gyros, pizza, salads, and more, and no matter what you order, you’re going to get good food. My personal favorite is the bacon, egg, and cheese gyro, but I frequently get pizzas on Monday for the half-price deal they run. More than having just great food, Glory Bound is always fast making it a great spot for takeout or a meal when you’re in a rush. Although they are fast, the atmosphere is perfect to sit with friends and just hang out. They have outdoor seating that is perfect for spending the afternoon hanging out with friends and getting a few drinks. Inside is louder, but still a great spot to hang out, especially if there is a game on. Although the competition with sports bars like Houndstooth and Innis and more commonly thought of restaurants like Buffalo Phils is tough, we still think Glory Bound is a great place to watch whatever game is on that night. Overall, Glory Bound is one of our favorite restaurants for any vibe, and their accepting dining dollars makes it that much better.Â
Dining dollars are a canon event for all UA students. Whether you try to game the system, budget for the semester ahead, or feast straight out the gate, it is undeniable the value they bring.
