Student-run Over Easy brings breakfast directly to campus

A new gourmet breakfast delivery service has arrived on campus—the latest of a number of additions to Duke's food scene.

With renovations causing a number of campus favorites to close, students are increasingly turning to food trucks and merchants on points vendors. Over Easy—a new student-run startup that launched Oct. 27—delivers breakfast straight to students' doors. The service, founded by seniors Ben Richter, Ethan Gottlieb and John Shoemaker, offers healthy, gourmet options available to order Monday through Friday.

“Over Easy combines the luxury of room service with the convenience of a wake up call,” Richter said. “With just three clicks, we are waking you up with a great breakfast.”

Students can place their breakfast orders at overeasyapp.com before going to bed at night. They select a 20-minute window for the delivery—ranging from 7:30 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.

Founders said in addition to convenience, they wanted their service to provide high quality, healthy options. The current menu boasts options including a breakfast burrito, kale wrap and oatmeal. The service also delivers pressed juices, coffee and tea.

This reporter ordered three times last week—sampling items including the kale wrap and the beet and kale juices. Not only was the food high quality, but service was prompt, with food arriving five minutes into the 20-minute window.

Food is prepared at The Cookery, a certified kitchen space available for rent by the hour on Chapel Hill Street, by a former chef at Durham-restaurant Revolution, and juices are made by Cold Off the Press, a Raleigh owned and operated juice bar.

Although Over Easy just arrived on campus, the concept for the site had been in the works for a long time. Last year, Richter, Gottlieb and Shoemaker tested their idea in the Divinity School's Refrectory Café with the same delivery principle.

“After testing out the delivery side in the Divinity School, we wanted to control the product from kitchen to consumer—develop more of a brand,” Richter said. “I think that is what we are doing with Over Easy.”

This summer, Gottlieb had the idea to launch a new breakfast delivery program, and run it out their own facilities, so they could deliver the best possible product to students.

“We’re never going to compromise on the food,” Gottlieb said. “People come back for good food.”

Students currently pay for their breakfast delivery with a credit card. There is no tip and no fee for the service. Founders said getting the service on food points would be ideal, but depends on student demand and how flexible Duke is willing to be.

The service has seen "a lot of traction" in the past week, and they have high hopes for the future, the founders noted.

"We have plans for bringing students breakfast on the weekends in the works,” Richter said. “But right now, we want to use the weekends as time to improve our service because we want every morning to be as good as it can possibly be for our customers.”

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