Wes Smith enjoys a taste of south Louisiana from the Cajun Tailgators truck.
Food Truck Fridays have been offering Spring Creek Campus students and staff a few new food options this summer. Preston Ridge Campus recently decided to get in on the act with food trucks on Wednesdays.
Gustatory adventurers have already had the chance to sample Mexican fusion and Cajun cuisine, as well as pizza and barbecue at SCC. The program began as a way of getting Friday food service on the campus, according to Spring Creek Campus Provost Mary McRae, who brought the idea to the campus Student Life Office.
“We wanted to provide an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to have a meal on campus when our food service provider is not available,” she said, adding that the trucks had been a popular draw at this year’s SpringFest and locally at the Truck Yard in Dallas.
They have been just as popular in the first few weeks of the summer program. Anna Kessenich, assistant director of Student Life at SCC, said the trucks have regularly sold 100 meals in the two-hour window that they are on campus.
“We’ve had at least 70 customers every Friday and some of those customers are purchasing more than one meal,” she said. “A lot of people take them back to their coworkers.”
Dr. McRae echoed the success, pointing out that a food truck vendor ran out of food the first week thanks to the popularity of this event.
“The Student Life and Recruitment staffs have done a great job supporting this campus event with giveaways, music and providing shaded seating areas to eat,” McRae said. “Any time we can get people engaged and excited to be on campus it is a positive thing.”
Wes Smith, a clerk with the testing department, has been enjoying the variety of food and the camaraderie of people eating together.
“You get to meet your co-workers,” he said. “People seem more personable out here.”
There will be plenty of opportunities to socialize at both Spring Creek Campus and Preston Ridge Campus this summer. A different vendor will be at SCC from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every Friday through Aug. 14, with the exception of July 3, when the campus will be closed. Kessenich said the rotation gives customers a chance to sample multiple trucks without having to leave the campus and opens up the choices for people with specific dietary needs or restrictions.
All good things come to an end though. While organizers would like to expand the food truck program, it is only scheduled for the summer. All the more reason to get the food while it’s hot … and here.
The remaining summer Spring Creek Campus food truck schedule is:
July 10 – Bombay Street Food
July 17 – Big Al’s Pizza Trailer
July 24 – Easy Slider
July 31 – Ruthie’s Rolling Café
Aug. 7 – Guava Tree Truck
Aug. 14 – Nate’s 125th Café
The trucks park on the east side of the campus next to the flagpoles. Shaded seating is available.
Preston Ridge Campus has decided to bring trucks to campus from 11 a.m-1:30 p.m., on Wednesdays through Aug. 5, giving its students a chance to try something different. The trucks will set up in the parking lot in front of Founders Hall.
The Preston Ridge Campus schedule (subject to change) is:
July 8 – Fried Pies For All
July 15 – Tutta’s Pizza
July 22 – The Smokin’ Jalepeño Truck
July 29 – Yummy Pizza
Aug. 5 – Parrot Ice