A new addition on campus this quarter is the presence of food trucks in the plaza outside Gray Wolf Hall. While this could be the convenient new lunch option that many students need, so far it seems like it will only be temporary.
The struggle to bring food service back to EvCC has been a long one. After COVID-19 shut down the campus in 2020 and took the cafeteria with it, it took three years for the Buenos Diaz coffee shop to open in Parks Student Union, and Just Baked fresh food vending machines were added a year later in 2024.
Much of the cafeteria area in PSU still lies in disuse, but students wanting a fresh-cooked meal for lunch have a new place to go this fall.
A rotation of four local food-truck companies (Big Red Truck, Brat Bros, She’s Got Bowls and Split Open & Melt) have been on campus about two or three days a week, from the hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Since the quarter started, long lines have formed at the food trucks nearly every day they’ve been on campus, making the plaza even busier than usual. Tables set up in the area form a dining area where students can socialize while eating a variety of lunch options including burgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese, sandwiches and street tacos.
The location in the heart of the campus makes the food trucks an easy place for many students to stop for lunch between classes.
“I feel like they’re pretty convenient,” Poppy Herd said.
“Really, the only other option is over in Parks Student Union,” John Bradbury mentioned. He also singled out the availability of the tables in the plaza as something that makes the food trucks a more practical choice.
“It’s better than getting food from the Fresh and Ready vending machines all the time. It’s pretty much kinda like going to some place to get something to eat, just conveniently here on campus,” Justin Schultz said.
However, food trucks aren’t always an option. They aren’t present on campus every day, and are only available for three hours in the busiest part of the day.
“Sometimes I feel like the price may be a little bit high for college students, but I get that they’re running a business,” Schultz added.
According to Toni McFadden, Associate Director of Auxiliary Services at EvCC, the college is currently working with a vendor to bring full food service back to the cafeteria, but the process is expected to move slowly.
McFadden said she sought to fill this gap by reaching out to food trucks in the area during the summer to see if they were interested in coming on campus during September and October.
“We’re scheduled until the end of this month. I have a list of food trucks who are interested in coming in November, so my hope is that we can have hot food on campus at least a couple days a week up until our permanent vendor starts business,” she said.
She also admitted it may be harder to find food trucks willing to do business here in the winter months, as it will be harder for them to turn a profit if students are unwilling to stand outside in the cold.
McFadden and the college are currently looking at the food truck situation “on a month to month basis.” Student demand will likely shape whether they continue to be brought onto campus.
For now, it seems like the food trucks will be here to stay for at least the remainder of fall quarter.
“We just signed up a new food truck, Up Town Dogs & Beverages, so word is getting around that Everett is a good place to be,” McFadden said.
