Sushi Love added to Merchants-on-Points

Students will soon be able to order sushi on food points, as popular restaurant Sushi Love has become a Merchants-on-Points vendor.

Over the last few weeks, the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee has been considering several restaurants to fill two vacancies in the MOP system—one that opened with the departure of Pizza Mia from the program this summer, and another that followed the sudden closure of The Pizzeria in September. Sushi Love became an immediate frontrunner and has now officially signed to become an MOP vendor. The restaurant will begin delivery within the next few weeks.

“We are very excited and will try our best for the best experience, to make it seem like you’re actually dining in the restaurant with us,” said Sushi Love owner Janejira Thongphai.

At a DUSDAC meeting last month, Thongpai said the restaurant's delivery service could provide a large variety of food including stir fry, vegetarian options and cooked sushi. She added that the delivery menu will be the same as the original, with the exception of liquor and dessert.

“Other than that, everything will be the same way as when you come in and dine with us,” she said, adding that she is especially excited to join the program because the majority of her customers are Duke students.

Sushi Love will be a welcome addition to the MOP line-up, said DUSDAC co-chair Brian Taylor, a junior. The restaurant's menu presents options that are not like anything students can currently have delivered on food points.

“One of the biggest things we looked for, especially in MOP vendors and food trucks, is filling a need,” Taylor said. “Sushi is something we really don’t have. That's a fairly desirable food group, and we saw it as something we were missing.”

DUSDAC members, however, previously raised several concerns over the addition of Sushi Love—including the possibility of long delivery wait times and inconvenient hours. Taylor added that the biggest challenge will be working out delivery times for the new vendor.

“One of the biggest demands is late-night hours, and their hours are a little earlier,” he said.

Sushi Love closes at 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 p.m. Thursday through Satuday. However, Taylor said that he does not expect delivery wait times to be a problem.

DUSDAC is still considering other options for the second vacancy, including buffalo wing joint Heavenly Buffaloes and pizza venue Rudino’s.

Campus Enterprises—which currently manages deliveries for several other food vendors—will be providing the Sushi Love delivery service exclusively via online service Radoozle, allowing the order to appear on a screen directly in front of a chef.

“When you order through Radoozle, rather than through a receptionist, there is less of a possibility for error,” Taylor said. “You can write exactly what you want including any special order or modifications.”

Sophomore Madison Bradshaw, director of outreach for Campus Enterprises, added that Radoozle is more efficient due to the customizable nature of the menu.

“It ensures accuracy,” she said. “It’s the easiest, clearest way to do everything.”

Bradshaw said both Campus Enterprises and Sushi Love staff are prepared for delivery. She added that everything is set to go, though Campus Enterprises is currently waiting on the arrival of two iPods that will enable students to pay through their Duke Cards.

“We have gotten a ton of support from the student body and are so excited to launch,” she said.

Discussion

Share and discuss “Sushi Love added to Merchants-on-Points” on social media.