Tisch junior Juliana Bell used Campus Cash almost every day, most frequently at Peet’s Coffee and Paulson Center vending machines. She liked that the program, which allowed students to load their NYU IDs with funds for on-campus dining spots, didn’t require her to purchase a formal meal plan. 

But ahead of the fall semester, NYU announced that it discontinued the payment method. 

“I saw that email and my heart dropped,” Bell said. “People even texted me being like, ‘Oh my god, are you okay?’ Because I’m the only person at NYU that uses Campus Cash.”

NYU terminated the decadeslong program in August, citing low popularity and the convenience of digital payment methods. Ronni Mandell, the senior director of the division of campus services, told WSN that program usage decreased by about 35% over the past three years.

“During a meeting with our Dining Advisory Committee this past spring, one student asked why the program was still being used as so many mobile apps and other forms of digital payment were readily available,” Mandell said. “We took this advice to heart.”

Mandell added that all students with outstanding Campus Cash balances were reimbursed. 

Students could previously use Campus Cash at local vendors such as Whole Foods Market and Space Market, but those partnerships discontinued in 2018 due to lack of engagement. Campus Cash was also used for residence hall laundry machines until NYU transitioned to Hercules CP in 2021. Through summer 2025, the payment method could be used at the NYU Bookstore, on-campus vending machines, dining halls and select local businesses. 

“Of course, there are other alternative forms of payment at our students’ disposal,” Mandell said. “Students can use their NYU ID in any dining location by purchasing a meal plan.”  

Without Campus Cash, the cheapest meal plan available is the 95 Flex plan, which provides an average of six meals a week for around $16 per meal. The plan also comes with 200 Dining Dollars, which unlike Campus Cash, can only be used at dining halls and campus markets. The meal plan is fixed throughout the semester, while Campus Cash could be reloaded at any time. 

Bell, who calls herself “a loyal customer of Campus Cash,” said she “didn’t understand who it hurt” to keep it around. She told WSN that around a week after the announcement, she woke up in the middle of the night thinking about the discontinued dining option. 

“Now I’m not gonna go to any NYU dining establishments, because I’m not gonna pay real money,” Bell said. “Because even though it was real money that I uploaded to Campus Cash, once it’s uploaded, it’s not real money anymore. It’s Campus Cash, so it doesn’t even count.”

Contact Chantal Mann at [email protected].