By JACKSON WANG
Executive Editor
For years at Saint Rose, students have had their food options limited to either the dining hall or the Camelot Room. Last year, the College added the POD with the opening of Centennial Hall. But students will have another food option next month.
According to Student Association Director of Communications Courtney Carr, the College will be bringing food trucks on to campus in a few weeks. Carr said they will be looking to do this about once or twice a month through the semester.
“It’s basically to give students another opportunity to eat something different as opposed to the dining hall,” Carr said.
She said their target date on the first food truck arriving on campus is March 12. A couple of businesses are in the talks with Student Association, but the only one that has agreed to come to Saint Rose so far is Capital Q Smokehouse, a barbeque restaurant located on Ontario Street in the Pine Hills neighborhood.
“[The students] are super excited about it because everyone loves Capital Q,” Carr said.
The food trucks will be on campus once a week on Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Carr believes that time frame will work out well because the dining is closed from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“People will still be able to eat something else that’s not the POD or Camelot,” Carr said.
She stumbled upon this idea while working in the Saint Rose public relations office. A company tweeted at the College, asking if food trucks come on campus, and if not, did Saint Rose want to start doing it. Carr then approached Student Association President Justin Whittaker with the idea, which he approved immediately.
The Student Association then met with dining services and financial services, which both agreed to the idea. Carr said it wasn’t too difficult to get it approved and there were no push backs from anyone.
For years, Carr said Student Association has been hearing complaints from students about being bored with the dining options and wanting something new.
“So we’re trying to give them that,” Carr said.
Dennis McDonald, vice president of Student Affairs, thinks the food truck is a great idea for Saint Rose. He said everyone is onboard with it.
“I’ll probably go out. I love Capital Q,” McDonald said. “It’s another option for students.”
Rich Meigel, director of food services at Saint Rose, said he didn’t see any issue with bringing food trucks on campus. He said it wasn’t his call on whether food trucks can come or not.
Meigel also said he doesn’t believe it would cause any issues with Aramark, which is the food provider for Saint Rose. His only concern is whether the College would be responsible if a student got sick from eating at one of the food trucks.
But while Capital Q Smokehouse is the only one signed up so far to come on campus, Cocoa Dots, Slidin’ Dirty, and a charcoal food truck are other businesses that could service at Saint Rose.
“Judging on how the food trucks do, we’ll see if we want to invite them back or if we want to invite a different food truck,” Carr said.
Students will have to pay with their own money at these food trucks. Dining Hall swipes and Golden Knights Kash will not be accepted by the food providers.
Carr said there is still some paperwork to be submitted before the food trucks can arrive on campus on March 12. Just in case everything isn’t ready by that date, the first date food trucks arrive at Saint Rose would be March 26.
“I’m hoping it’ll get people excited, especially in the warmer months when people are already out in the quad,” Carr said. “I feel like having a food truck there and giving people a different option is something they’ll be into.”
