A dining plan will go into effect next fall giving students unlimited access to meals in the new dining hall at the Brown-Lupton University Union, said the general manager of Dining Services.

“The resident meal plan is going to be a big difference from the retail, declining-balance program we currently have,” said Rick Flores, general manager of Dining Services. Flores said the meal plan essentially gives students membership to the dining hall at the new student union.

To access the dining hall, students will swipe their ID cards at either of the two entry points. Once inside, students can have whatever meals they want, but they cannot take them to go, Flores said.

The idea behind this is to promote a sense of community by having students eat their meals together at the new dining hall instead of taking meals to their rooms, Flores said.

The cost of membership to the new dining hall has not yet been set, but it will be a single price in the range of $1,900 to $2,100 per semester, Flores said. All on-campus residents will be required to pay this amount, except Tom Brown-Pete Wright apartments residents, whose plan has not been determined, Flores said.

Current dining plans range from $600 to $1,800.

The new dining plan will feature retail points that will be added to the price of membership to the dining hall, Flores said. Retail points work like a debit card and will be offered in amounts of $100, $150 and $200. Add-ons can be made throughout the semester.

Flores said students will use their retail points to purchase items in other on-campus dining locations ­- Sub Connection, Bistro Burnett, NRG and Pond St. Grill. Edens and Deco Deli will not return next fall, but there will be stations with similar concepts in the new dining hall, Flores said.

A restaurant, a coffee station and a convenience store located in the new student union will also accept retail points, Flores said. The convenience store will replace Frog Bytes.

Optional block plans will be offered to commuters, faculty and staff, Flores said. Block plans give non-residents a number of accesses to the dining hall per semester. These plans will also feature retail points.

Non-residents who decide against a plan can pay door rates for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Flores said.

Kirk Kindy, a sophomore political science major and SGA chair of Dining Services, said the unlimited-access system will give students more options.

“Students don’t have to worry about running out of money,” Kindy said.

But other students have reservations about the new dining plan.

“To raise the price that much is unnecessary, especially with the cost of tuition and residence halls going up,” said Jake Roberts, a junior accounting major.

The new dining hall will hold more than 600 people, Flores said. Outdoor terrace seating will offer space for an additional 175 people, he added.

LCD monitors will display the menu at each entrance and inside the dining hall, Flores said.

“We’re giving students a lot more options and a gorgeous location to have their meals,” Flores said.