Meal Bookings

Rhodes University Meal-Booking System


This page will give you answers to many of the most commonly asked questions about our system of booking meals at Rhodes.

We use a computerised Meal Booking System which allows each student to choose the meals that they want to eat and to select the diet that they prefer.

Students may only eat at the hall with which their residence is associated and students are registered at the computer at their hall and at no other halls. Students and their meal selections are recognized in each dining hall, by using a biometric recognition system.

Meals are created for students in residence, upon completing administrative registration at Eden Grove. Once registration is complete, the student's meals are booked and he or she can use Ross (Rhodes On-line Student System) to alter their meal choices.

What is a biometric recognition system?

The biometric recognition system is one where one's fingerprints are taken electronically (done at administrative registration; or during the year at the Hall secretaries' office or Residential Operations).

Biometric access is used at all residences and in the dininghalls.

How do I choose the meals that I want?

We have an online meal booking system (on Ross) created for the students so that they will be able to unbook, rebook, change diets or double book their meals any time of the day from a res PC or from one of the Computer labs. This must be done at least 48 hours in advance.

When can I change my meals?

The meal booking computers are on 24hrs a day so you can make changes that you want at any time. One important limitation is that you need to make changes 48hrs in advance of the meal in question. This is done because the kitchens need that time to order the correct amounts and sorts of food so that they can prepare the correct numbers and types of meals without running short of anything. If a student wants to go away for a weekend then all the meals must be unbooked by Thursday night.

The different diets

The University offers a variety of diets for students to choose from. These include
+ Normal
+ Vegetarian
+ Hindu/Halaal
+ Fast Food (of each of the above)
+ Health Platter
+ African Dish

Menus, which cover two week periods, are put up at the halls and students can then go and book the meals that they prefer to eat for the coming days. All students are booked from the beginning of the year according to the diet that they specified at registration. After this, any changes which they would like to make can be done on Ross or by contacting the Residence Systems Coordinator for assistance.

This system allows students to unbook meals when they go away for weekends or if they are going out to dinner etc. The value of the meals that they unbook are credited to their accounts at the end of each semester. 

Meal Refunds

The meal refunds will only be credited to the students' fees account at the end of June and at the end of November. Please check the fees booklet for the value of the maximum allowed per semester.



Last Modified: Fri, 15 Jun 2018 14:58:31 SAST