Students at Mercyhurst have multiple types of currency to spend on food and other items on campus. These include Dining Dollars, Bonus Bucks and Laker Loot. However, many students are confused about the differences between each and what each can be used for.

In the words of Lauren Harrison, a junior Sociocultural Archaeology major, “They’re confusing, and it’s unclear how they work.”

John Patterson, OneCard supervisor and Director of Protective Services, explained what these three currencies are, and how they function.

Bonus Bucks are the first OneCard currency that perplexes students.

“They’re a spending buck that is allowed through Parkhurst, so Bonus Bucks can be used anywhere where they provide a service,” Patterson said.

In essence, Bonus Bucks are like regular dollars, but they can only be spent at a Parkhurst facility such as the Grotto Commons and the Coffee Bar in the Bookstore, and they cannot be loaded onto the OneCard normally.

Bonus Bucks are paid for as part of a meal plan. They’re loaded onto every meal plan except the Dining Clubs. If a student has a meal plan, a certain number of Bonus Bucks will be added to their card every semester.

Any remaining Bonus Bucks in your account expire at the end of the semester, but when the next semester starts, your Bonus Bucks will be refreshed and ready to go.

Dining Dollars are dollars that students add to their card that can only be used for dining programs such as the Laker Inn. Dining Dollars can be loaded onto a OneCard at any time by going to the OneCard office, putting it on a semester bill, by calling the university or by sending a check to the university.

In addition, when a student uses Dining Dollars to pay, they get a 20 percent discount on what they bought. Dining Dollars also carry over between semesters and years.
Finally, Laker Loot is money added onto the OneCard in a similar fashion to Dining Dollars.

However, Laker Loot can be used anywhere on campus. It can be used to pay for everything from food from the Laker, to book fines, to T-shirts. It’s like a combination of Bonus Bucks and Dining Dollars.

These three currencies are ultimately simple. Bonus Bucks, Dining Dollars and Laker Loot are all important parts of the OneCard system, so it is important that all students understand what they are and how they function.