Senior English major
In recent days, students taking summer classes have noticed the appearance of a food truck, Green Tidings, parked around the campus. This food truck offers a wide variety of options, from a quick drink to a full plate of fish tacos. With the campus’s proximity to Washington, where food trucks are prevalent, it was only a matter of time before the culinary craze made its way to Campus Drive. The only issue with food trucks seems to be that they weren’t around sooner.
Food trucks will ease the congestion around already-established food service locations. Anyone who has ventured into Stamp Student Union at noon for a “quick” lunch between classes knows the pain of standing in line and constantly checking your phone to see when you need to be in your next class, only to get there late and miss important information. With new food options such as food trucks, waiting at Stamp or any of the campus’s other eateries will be a much less stressful and time-consuming experience.
Convenience is another advantage food trucks offer. Many students are forced to venture from one building to another just to get a snack in the 15-minute gap between classes. Unless you are in Van Munching Hall or the math or engineering building, you are probably out of luck if you want anything more than a bag of chips or a granola bar. But with a food-service truck parked out front of Tawes Hall or any other high-traffic location, meals between classes can be a reality. The speed at which these trucks can serve customers is the main reason they’ve been successful in Washington and will prove to be a selling point at this university.
Want to get food outside a basketball or football game so you don’t have to stand in line at the stadium? Food trucks could give Terps fans that option and expand the choices available at sporting events beyond greasy burgers and fries. Many of the trucks have healthy options not available at athletic venues and would be a welcome addition to game day. While food trucks operating in this capacity do not yet exist on this campus, knowing they could be a game-day go-to is exciting.
But the impact on sporting events doesn’t have to stop there, especially when considering the role trucks could play in tailgating events. A food truck parked at the top of Regents Drive Garage -— where tailgating is prevalent but grills are not allowed — would provide Terps fans the ability to enjoy the fun of a tailgating party without the inconvenience of hunger. Another prime location for one of these trucks would be in Lot 11, near Comcast Center, where a lot of tailgating takes place.
While the food truck craze on the campus is still young, it is already being accepted with open arms and whetted appetites. The expansion of the program should see growing success and lead to a more enjoyable culinary experience at the university. Because of the many benefits, students should adopt nothing more quickly (with the exception of a mobile happy hour) than food trucks on the campus.
Dave Stroh is a senior English major. He can be reached at davestroh11@gmail.com.
