What is a menu plan?

I know in college, a menu plan is when the student pays a certain amount of money to eat. It might be one cost for 3 meals a day in the cafateria. or another amount get 2 meals and credit at other eating locations. There are different programs. As a cook in the USAF. Some people were on a meal plan to eat as much as they wanted 4 meals a day and others were paid to provide their own subsistence. Some made out on the meal plan.