Reusable To-Go Container

Taking Your Meal To-Go? Join the Reusable To-Go Container Program!

How it Works

Purchase

Customers may purchase a green Reusable To-Go Container from any checker stand in our residential Dining Courts (The District on West Green and Nelson Court). Containers have a one-time cost of $5 and can be used throughout your career at Ohio University. You are not required to hold a meal plan to buy into the program, and this payment may be made using Flex Points, Bobcat Cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover.

Fill

Once inside the Dining Court with your Reusable To-Go Container, fill your container with a variety of food options.  You are not permitted to eat a meal in the dining court and remove food in a to go container. Please make sure your container is properly closed before taking your meal with you to your next destination. When choosing to take your meal to-go, you will have the option to take a napkin, plastic utensils and a compostable cup with a lid. Please adhere to the FDA's food safety instructions if you choose to store your meal before consumption.

Remove and Return

There's no need to wash your container! Simply remove large food debris before returning your container at one of our designated drop-off locations at any of our residential dining courts. Customers who return containers at Boyd Market, Nelson Market or West 82 will receive a key tag which can be redeemed for a clean container at any residential Dining Court. Those who return containers at any residential Dining Court may choose to receive either a key tag or a clean container to be used immediately.

When choosing the to-go option, you are acknowledging that you have chosen to take your meal to-go; if you would like to eat a meal in the Dining Court in addition to taking a meal to-go, you will be charged for two meals. Only containers damaged due to a manufacturing defect may be returned for a replacement container. Please note that per Ohio Food Code, only containers provided by Culinary Services may be used. Outside carryout containers are not permitted. Failure to follow these established guidelines could compromise the future of this program.

Origin of the Program

Borne out of the Culinary Services Development Committee (CSDC), the Reusable To-Go Container program is a sustainability initiative that was first piloted with 300 students during spring semester 2018. Results from the 300 students who participated in the program were overwhelmingly positive with an overall satisfaction rate of 85 percent. Ninety four percent of surveyed students suggested the implementation of the Reusable To-Go Container program. The decision to implement reusable containers in place of single-use compostable boxes was supported by Student Senate and the Culinary Services Development Committee (CSDC).