The Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee met Thursday to decide on food trucks to add to the lineup.
The committee unanimously voted to add Soom Soom Pita Pockets to next year's food truck rotation but did not make a decision on whether Soom Soom would replace a current food truck or be added as an additional option. Aris Marton, assistant director of retail operations for Duke Dining, explained that two of the criteria used to evaluate which food trucks would return—and which new trucks would be brought in—are the committee’s thoughts and student feedback.
Throughout the semester, DUSDAC has been visited by the food trucks Chick-N-Que, Let’s Eat Homestyle, Soom Soom Pita Pockets and The Heights Dominican Kitchen.
DUSDAC co-chair Quinn Steven, a senior, noted that one important test of new food trucks is the food truck rodeo, which is tentatively scheduled to happen April 20 this year. However, she added that the Student Organization Funding Committee had not yet officially guaranteed funding for the event.
“The idea of the rodeo is that it’s supposed to be gaining some student feedback,” she said. “We usually send out a survey afterward to see how students feel about the new trucks.”
Marton also mentioned that this year’s sales for the current food trucks place Gussy’s Greek Street Food at the top, making around $10,000 more than the second place food truck.
The committee agreed that sales should be only one factor in deciding whether to invite food trucks back to campus for the next year. Sales do not necessarily reflect which food truck is best as there are other factors in the mix, Marton noted.
“It has a lot to do with who comes the most often as well, and the weather had a large impact this semester,” she said.
In other business
The committee also discussed a recent post on the Fix My Campus Facebook page criticizing Au Bon Pain because their ready-made, to-go salads all contain chicken.
Junior Ethan Kwok and sophomore Aryaman Gupta, both current committee members, were named as DUSDAC co-chairs for the upcoming year.
“I’d be excited to serve you guys and the student body,” Kwok said. “I think a big reason why I joined is I wanted to bring a more diverse perspective to our dining committee and be able to fight for people who may not be able to speak up for themselves.”
Steven also mentioned that Ginger and Soy would be visiting DUSDAC’s next meeting to gather student feedback.
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