More than a dozen local food trucks filled the Koury Lot Wednesday to offer students, faculty and staff a taste of delicious food from across the state of North Carolina.
ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ students, faculty and staff got a special treat during their lunch breaks on Wednesday.
More than 10 food trucks from across North Carolina parked in the Koury Lot and served up their best dishes for the Fall 2019 Food Truck Frenzy. The event occurs once each semester and is a collaboration between and the . The Frenzy features food, music and fellowship for everyone in the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ community.
“I think it’s just an experience that gets students out of the dining halls,” said Student Union Board Vice President of Marketing DD Lewis ’20. “The dining halls have great food, but we’re also used to it, so this is something fun and different.”
Julia Kocsis ’22 and Johanna Bogue Marlowe ’22 started the popular Instagram account,  which promotes ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ’s dining options from the perspective of students. Kocsis believes events like the Food Truck Frenzy offer a unique experience.
“I tell my friends this is my favorite holiday on campus,” she said. “You don’t see this in other places. It’s a good way for the community to come together, eat good food and support local businesses.”
ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Dining invites one food truck to campus each week for , but the Food Truck Frenzy gives the community an opportunity to try several local food truck options all at once.
This semester, the Food Truck Frenzy brought 14 vendors to ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ, including:
“We try to mix things up every once in a while,” said Casey Claflin, guest experiences manager for ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Dining and campus dining provider Harvest Table Culinary Group. “This is something where we can bring a bunch of trucks from the Triangle and across North Carolina, and they bring so many different types of food and experiences that our students don’t get every day.”
And that willingness to offer new experiences, while considering students’ needs is what many say sets ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ’s dining services apart.
“I think ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Dining does so much and goes above and beyond,” Kocsis said. “I think we’re lucky to have what we have: great options for vegan, vegetarians, all styles of eating, and I think they do an excellent job of being inclusive and providing really tasty options for everyone.”