Community Dining Program

List of 12 frequently asked questions.

• What are the benefits of a community dining model?

  The community dining program offers many benefits for MVS students and families, including:
  

  • Improved dining service: a wide variety of healthy meals for every student, every day.
  • Increased convenience for caregivers: no more packing lunches, and no more worrying about your student's lunch account! 
  • Community connections: students eat together and enjoy a shared dining experience.
  •  More diverse menu options: curated school menu, prepared by a registered dietitian, that accommodates dietary restrictions and allergies and also draws inspiration from local, regional, national, and international cultural traditions.

  Community dining service is the gold standard for school lunch at independent schools around the country. MVS is excited to offer students nutritious and tasty food each day.

• Why is a community dining model right for MVS?

  At MVS, food and community go hand-in-hand. With a beautiful made-from-scratch kitchen and improved dining hall built as part of the Fueling Minds, Igniting Innovation campaign, the school believes strongly that all students, faculty, and staff should have access to the fresh, nutritious meals that are now the standard at MVS. A community dining model ensures that all students can get a wholesome school lunch every day.

• Who is FISD?

  Flik Independent School Dining (FISD) is a national food service vendor that provides dining hall services to over 300 private and independent day and boarding schools nationwide. FISD sets itself apart through a focus on made-from-scratch cooking, nutrition education, and wellness programming. 
  
  FISD is a service of Flik Hospitality Group, founded in 1971 by the husband-and-wife team Rudiger and Julie Flik. Building the company through corporate dining and private catering, Rudi and Julie eventually started FISD to focus on the education market. The company is today one of America's leaders in school dining.

• What kind of food is served in the dining hall?

  Students have the ability to choose from a wide variety of nutritious, kid-friendly meal options, including options for those with food sensitivities or dietary restrictions. Students have the opportunity to explore exciting flavors and cuisines from all over the world, all prepared in-house by our partners at FISD.
  
  Each day, FISD provides hot vegetarian and non-vegetarian entrees as well as a soup, salad bar, deli bar, sides, and sweet offerings. See below for sample menus, or click here!

• What is the cost of the dining program?

  MVS sets a dining fee for the all-inclusive meal service in collaboration with the Board of Trustees. Dining fees vary depending on the age of the student (for example, the early childhood school dining fee is less than that for the upper school). The school does not make any profit from these dining fees. In fact, MVS subsidizes student dining fees with endowment funds in order to keep families' cost lower.  
   

  Note also that in many cases, the cost of the community lunch program is offset (in part, if not the whole) by savings, both in terms of financial cost and time saved from what a family might spend to feed their children through packed lunches or purchased lunches from the school's previous point-of-sale lunch program. FISD works with MVS to provide excellent hot lunches, both in terms of taste and nutrition, at competitive prices.
  
  There are multiple payment options available for families— the dining fee does not have to be paid all at once. Families are billed in accordance with their tuition payment plan, unless they indicate a different preference through a form that is available at the time of re-enrollment. There is no discount for early payment, and no added fee or interest for extended payment options. 
  
  For the 2025-2026 school year, annual dining fees are $1000 per student for the early childhood school, $1150 per student for the lower school, and $1250 per student in the middle and upper schools (approximately 5-7 dollars per meal, depending on the age of the child). This pricing compares favorably to MVS' previous cafeteria lunch (the school's former dining vendor estimated the average upper school student spent about $9-10 per meal under the point-of-sale model).
  
  For families who previously chose to pack lunch each day, the community dining model provides high-quality hot lunches and saves families valuable time. A community dining model means no more surprise charges on your lunch account, no rush to pack lunch in the morning, and peace of mind that your child is eating well at school. 

• Are faculty and staff included in the dining program? What cost is there to them?

  Yes, faculty and staff also enjoy the delicious food prepared by FISD!
  
  Under its previous point-of-sale food model, MVS was proud to offer free lunch for faculty and staff as part of the school's comprehensive employee benefits program. This remains the case with the community dining model: teachers and staff can enjoy lunch each day at no cost to them as a benefit of their employment.

• My family receives flexible reduced tuition. Is my child eligible to participate in the dining program?

  Yes! A student’s tuition status does not impact their ability to participate in the community dining program.
  
  All students pay the same fee for the dining program and enjoy the same diverse menu options---there is no reduced lunch.

• Can my family opt out of the community dining program?

  In order to budget responsibly for the program, it is not possible for families to opt out, although students are not required to eat food provided by the dining hall.

• Can my child still bring a lunch from home?

  Yes, students are still able to eat food prepared and brought from home, even though they will be enrolled in the community dining program.

• Will juniors and seniors still be allowed to go off-campus for lunch?

  Yes, juniors and seniors will still have the option to go off-campus for lunch, provided they meet the requirements for open campus privileges. These students will also be enrolled in the community dining program and can take advantage of the school's dining options during dining hours.

• My child has food allergies. How will they be accommodated?

  For students with severe food allergies, FISD prepares their food separately to avoid contamination. Additionally, a designated allergy expert on Flik’s staff is available at meal time to help students select the menu options that align with their dietary needs.
  
  MVS has its own Registered Dietitian assigned through FISD. The dietitian is available to consult with families and works closely with the school nurse on all accommodations. FISD's dietitians also focus on training throughout the year to ensure allergy awareness remains top-of-mind.

• How should I communicate if my child has a food allergy or dietary restriction?

  Be sure to report your child’s food allergy or dietary restriction to the school nurse via your health forms submitted through RamsConnect. The nurse will work directly with you and FISD to ensure your child receives daily accommodation for their meal.