DeKALB | Hungry non-Neptune Hall residence hall students looking to eat lunch at Neptune Hall will find their appetites unfulfilled and perhaps their Huskie Bucks account a little lighter.

Between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., only Neptune Hall students with meal plans are allowed to use their meal plan money to eat at the Neptune All-You-Care-To-Eat destination.

“Neptune Dining is restricted to residents and staff only for lunch Monday through Friday in the dining hall,” said Mark Gregory, unit manager of Neptune Dining.

“The reason for this is due to the proximity of the dining hall to buildings where classes are held.

“Students would naturally gravitate to Neptune Dining, causing an overloaded dining room, where space and service would be a concern.”

This rule is in effect is to give the residents of Neptune as great a service as possible.

“It would be unfair to offer declined service to the residents of Neptune in order to serve a wider population,” said Daniel Chou, Resident Hall Association president.

Students who are not residents of Neptune Hall are unable to pay when they try to eat there.

“The meal card checking machine will not take the NIU OneCards with meal plans from residents of other buildings,” Chou said. “Only Neptune residents will be allowed to pay and eat there.”

However, students and staff of Neptune can buy lunch for their guest.

“Students and staff of Neptune may purchase lunch for a guest with their meal plan for outside residents,” Gregory said.

These restrictions to Neptune are only for the 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. lunch slot.

“Non-Neptune residents can dine at Neptune during their breakfast and dinner hours,” Chou said.

Hungry students have an alternative: the Trident Grab ‘N Go.

“There are no restrictions for student purchases in the Trident Grab ‘N Go facility,” Gregory said. “Purchases may be made at any meal period from the Trident grab with their valid meal plan.”