On Thursday afternoon, students and staff got their first taste of “The GrubSlinger,” Eagle Dining’s new food truck. The truck made its debut at Shoemaker Square on the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus.
The list of items on the initial menu included a pulled pork panini, a jalapeño mac & cheese hotdog and Coney Island fries. Many students and faculty members were thrilled to find out they would have a more convenient, affordable, and tasty dining option available them as they begin the 2018-2019 academic year.
Eagle Dining representatives had been in discussions since last spring about ways to make their meals more accessible to those in various places throughout the Southern Miss campus. This new “meals on wheels” strategy provides the perfect way to do so in the most efficient manner possible. The company will be able to provide both breakfast and lunch to people all over campus on a daily basis with the ability to relocate to any spot that best serves their customers.
“After conducting surveys and focus groups on campus, we felt that a food truck would be the perfect concept to reach students throughout campus” John Meyer, Resident District Manager of Eagle Dining, said. “We are excited about all the new offerings this will bring to campus.”
According to a press release by Aramark Marketing Manager Lauren Brescher, The GrubSlinger plans to keep their menu fresh with changes to the menu from day to day. Along with breakfast burritos and specialty roasts, the truck will offer daily themes for students to enjoy, such as hot sandwiches and paninis on Mondays, tacos on Tuesdays, hot dogs on Wednesdays, burgers on Thursdays, and specialty fries on Fridays. They will also be serving food on game days at The Rock this fall, with a location set up near the Jim & Thomas Duff Athletic Center.
Since the truck will always be on the move, students can keep track of its location by following Eagle Dining’s Twitter account (@EagleDiningUSM) where daily updates will be posted. Cash, credit and dining dollars from USM student meal plans will all be accepted as payment methods.
Anyone interested in trying out The GrubSlinger for themselves is encouraged to connect with Eagle Dining via Facebook and a Twitter and follow along as they continue working to offer a more expansive dining experience.
