Meals and Dining

Pre-booking is not required for breakfast, brunch, lunch or informal hall. If you plan to bring a large number of guests to one of these meals, please notify our Catering team. Learn more about Formal Meals here.

Mealtimes over the Easter vacation

Over the 2026 Easter vacation, Hall will be open during the hours listed below. Please note that the SCR will only be serviced during opening hours. Regular hours resume on Sunday of week 0 (19 April 2026).

Week 9 (week commencing 15 March)

Monday-Friday: breakfast 8am-9am, lunch 12pm-1.30pm

Monday-Wednesday only: supper (informal hall) 5.30pm-6.30pm

Saturday: Closed

Week 10 (week commencing 22 March)

Sunday: Closed

Monday-Friday: Breakfast 8am-9am, lunch 12pm-1.30pm

Tuesday-Thursday only: Supper (informal hall) 5.30pm-7pm

Saturday: Closed

Week 11 (week commencing 29 March)

Kitchen closed

Week -2 (week commencing 5 April)

Closed for supper (informal hall) all week

Sunday-Tuesday at noon: Closed

Tuesday at noon-Friday: Lunch 12pm-1.30pm

Wednesday-Friday: Breakfast 8am-9am

Saturday: Closed

Week -1 (week commencing 12 April)

Sunday: Closed

Monday-Friday: Breakfast 8am-9am, lunch 12pm-1.30pm

Closed for supper

Saturday: Closed

Formal Hall (Dinner)

During term, Formal Halls are typically held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Formal Hall dinners begin promptly at 7.30pm unless otherwise advertised. We ask all attendees to arrive and be seated in a timely fashion. Please note that no latecomers will be admitted. A drinks reception for SCR members and their guests is available in the SCR from 7pm.

General information

Student meals begin at dinner on Sunday of Week 0 and end after breakfast on Saturday of Week 8 each term.

Breakfast

Menus only posted during term time. Please check our opening hours above.

No booking is required for breakfast or brunch. If you plan to bring a large number of guests, please notify our Catering team.

Available daily at breakfast: fresh whole and sliced fruit, yoghurt, toast, cereal bar, porridge oats.

Lunch

Menus only posted during term time. Please check our opening hours above.

No booking is required for lunch. If you plan to bring a large number of guests, please notify our Catering team.

Available daily at lunch: salad bar, soup of the day, jacket potatoes, assorted side vegetables and starches, dessert assortments, yoghurt pots, fresh whole and sliced fruit.

Informal Hall

Menus only posted during term time. Please check our opening hours above.

No booking is required for informal hall (supper). If you plan to bring a large number of guests, please notify our Catering team.

Available daily at informal hall: salad bar, soup of the day, jacket potatoes, assorted side vegetables and starches, dessert assortments, yoghurt pots, fresh whole and sliced fruit.

About Formal Hall

As this is a formal, plated meal, please note that Formal Hall tickets must be booked in advance.

Book a Formal Hall ticket (Students)

For SCR Members wishing to book a Formal Hall ticket, visit the College Intranet to access the booking form.

Not sure of the dress code or etiquette for Formal Hall? Check out the Student Handbook or the SCR Guide to learn more.

Formal Hall menus

Formal Hall menus for Hilary term 2026 are posted below.

If you require this information in a different format, email catering@spc.ox.ac.uk.

College Catering can make provision for many different dietary requirements and members are encouraged to liaise with the Catering team about any specific dietary requirements or questions.

Vegan and gluten-free options are routinely provided. Halal meat is available by advance request at Formal Hall: just add a note about your requirements when booking in. Occassionally, our informal meals will include a Halal meat option. We do not knowingly use nuts in our offer. All meals are supplied with full allergen information, including 'may contain' listings.

Contact catering

Pre-booking is not required for breakfast, brunch, lunch or informal hall. However, if you plan to bring a large number of guests to one of these meals, please notify our Catering team in advance. Learn more about Formal Meals here.

Students

Upay is our system for student meal payments and for booking into ticketed catering events, including Formal Hall. Top-up, check your balance or make a booking at the link below.

Upay

SCR and staff

SCR Members wishing to book into Formal Halls, visit the College Intranet to access the booking form.

A variably priced menu is available for all meals except Formal Hall. Approximate meal costs for 2025-26:

Breakfast: approximately £4.45

Lunch: approximately £5.55

Supper (informal dinner): approximately £5.90

Formal Hall (Tuesday and Thursday evenings, optional): £13.30

New undergraduate and visiting students will be provided with all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for the first four days of Freshers’ Week (from dinner on Sunday 5 October until breakfast on Wednesday 8 October inclusive) for a single payment, which will be charged on Michaelmas term battels. They will therefore not need to use the Upay payment system until lunch on Wednesday 8 October.

The College operates a Hall pre-pay programme which is administered through Upay. The charges for the academic year 2025-26 are as follows:

• Freshers' week charge (freshers and visiting students only) - £36
• College main site residents (freshers) - £351 per term
• College main site residents (other students) - £219 per term
• College annexe residents - £132 per term
• All undergraduate students living out of College - £44 per term

Charges for 2026-27 are:

• Freshers' week charge (freshers and visiting students only): £38
• College main site residents (freshers) - £372 per term
• College main site (other students) - £232
• College annexes - £140
• All undergraduate students living out - £47

The effect of the pre-payment scheme is that, whilst dining is pay-as-you-go, participating students will spend a minimum amount in Hall each term. The Dean for Welfare will consider requests for full or partial dispensation from the pre-pay for medical or disability-related reasons and liaise with the Domestic Bursar as required. The Domestic Bursar will consider dispensation requests made on religious or other grounds.

How does it work?

Each time you come to Hall, the cost of the meal you eat will be deducted from your pre-pay credit.

When you have used up your pre-pay credit for the term, you can continue to eat in Hall by topping up the balance on your Upay account. Pay-as-you-go meals will be charged at exactly the same rate as meals on the pre-payment plan.

What do undergraduate freshers pay?

For 2025-26, undergraduate Freshers are paying £351 each term. There will be an additional charge of £36 through battels for Freshers' Week meals in Michaelmas term 2025.

What do undergraduates living out pay?

For 2025-26, undergraduates living out will pay £44 per term for their pre-pay plan.

What do third-years, fourth-years and graduate students pay?

For 2025-26, those non-Freshers living on the main College site are subject to a pre-pay charge of £219 per term; while those living in College annexes are subject to a pre-pay charge of £132 per term. Undergraduate students living out of College have a pre-pay charge of £44 per term. Graduate students are only subject to the pre-pay charge if they live in College accommodation.

What happens at the end of term?

To encourage all to use the Hall during term, all remaining balances on the token in the Upay app will expire at the start of week 0 of the following term (or at the end of week 10 in Trinity term). Your battels will be debited, and a new token issued, in time for the new term.

When and how can I top up my Upay credit?

Once your Upay account is activated, you attach a payment (credit/debit) card to it that is used to add credit. You can top up Upay as frequently as you wish via a web browser or the mobile Upay app. Click here to access Upay.

Will credit over and above the token ever be extinguished?

Never. Unused credit will always be returned to you. Only unused value on the pre-pay token will be extinguished.

How will the pre-pay affect graduate students?

All graduate students (e.g., PGR, PGT and GEM) not living in SPC accommodation are exempt.

Can I use my pre-pay sums to pay for Formal Hall?

Yes. The token can be used on any event set up on Upay that requires payment, including formal halls and/or special dinners.

Can I use my pre-pay sums to pay for a guest to come in for lunch or dinner with me?

Yes. The token can be used for guests and/or for yourself at any College meal at which guests are allowed.

Can I use my pre-pay sums to pay for breakfast?

Yes.

How will I know the balance left on my pre-pay token?

The token balance can be seen on the Upay app and on your Upay account and is shown separately from any top-up balance.

If I top up on my card will the token balance be used before the cash top up?

The token will always be used first before any cash or voucher balances.

If I have insufficient left on token to pay for the entire meal can I use a combination of token and cash top up?

Yes.

What happens if I have to leave Oxford part way through the term? Am I still charged the full pre-pay sum for that term?

Adjustments will be made for those who leave or are absent from College for long periods, as a result of, for example, medical, disciplinary, or wellbeing and welfare reasons.