Summer visitors to Tufts were the first to enjoy Dining Services' latest program: a food cart just outside the Dowling Hall bridge.
Established during the summer break, the cart reads "Jumbo Cart on the Quad", and serves breakfast, lunch and snack foods, including bagels, pastries, salads, and sandwiches. Coffee, hot tea, juice, and bottled water, and Coca-Cola products are also available.
"We certainly got good feedback from all kinds of people this summer," Director of Dining Services Patti Lee Klos said. "They said it was really nice to stop and have a drink, eat lunch, or just get some coffee in the morning. Families were glad to have refreshments, whether they were leaving or arriving."
"Besides Oxfam in Miller Hall, there is no other eatery uphill," Klos said. "There's certainly a population there. This is another opportunity to provide more service to folks on-campus."
Though originally planned as a summertime operation, the cart will continue to operate through the fall and winter. "We've certainly made an investment in this piece of equipment, so we'd like to use it during all parts of the year," Klos said. "With all the visitors that come across the bridge, [Dowling] was certainly an ideal spot. That location was mostly good for the warmer months though, and we don't have a very long summer."
As a result, the cart has been moved indoors for the winter, utilizing a building that is far from existing eating facilities. Although the cart's winter location has yet not been released, Dining Services did state that it would remain uphill.
Dean of Students Bruce Reitman proposed the idea of the cart after Dowling Hall's completion in 2000, when he was heard to muse, "You know, wouldn't it be great if we could have something up here on the Hill?" Dining Services finally put the idea into action this year.
"It took some time," Klos said. "It was a process to source the right type of cart. There were a number of options on the market and we needed to find something particularly suitable for the campus."
The alternatives included Fenway hot dog carts, catering trucks, stores on wheels, and even a walk-through trolley car. Klos cited details like size, cost, and fuel efficiency as key factors in her decision. "We didn't want something that was intrusive," she said.
The food cart that Dining Services eventually selected is ten feet long, seven feet tall, and three feet deep. It has two drop-arms, one to hold the cash register and one for milk and sugar for coffee.
Slated to open a few weeks into the semester, the cart is expected to receive a positive response and expand dining options on campus. Prices compare to those in the campus center, and students may buy food with both dining dollars and points.
The cart will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., except during weekends or holidays. Its hours may also be extended to better accommodate students' hectic schedules during the academic year.
