The Department of Public Safety asked a Reba’s Funnel Cake food truck to leave the campus on Nov. 16 after selling food to AU students in between Letts and Clark halls.
Reba’s was not permitted to sell food on campus because AU does not have contracts with food trucks, according to Dave Courter, the director of Auxiliary Services.
“If a food truck wants to set up on Nebraska Ave. or on New Mexico, it is OK for them to be there as long as they follow the district laws,” Courter said. “Once the truck comes onto campus, it is not allowed to sell food on the property.”
AU’s only allows food truck companies on campus if they are catering for a University-sponsored event. Trucks need to register through the University Center and serve the food on a table at the event, not from the truck itself, according to Jonathon Sorge, associate director of programming and operations for UC.
Reba’s did not have any contact with University officials and was unaware of AU’s food truck policy, according to Reba’s food truck driver Hayes Greene.
“We try to go to all universities,” Greene said. “We’ve been to George Washington, Howard and Catholic, and we just want to spread the love to everyone. We didn’t know about AU’s policy, but we would love to talk to someone about setting up something with AU.”
Courter said AU has turned down food trucks in the past due to health and safety concerns, but he did not say which ones.
Despite Auxiliary Service’s concerns, students who have visited the truck so far have given the funnel cakes positive reviews.
“The food truck was fantastic,” Molly Matteson, a freshman in the School of International Service, said. “It should be here all the time.”
Students expressed interest in future trucks on campus to bring more food variety, yet were understanding of why Reba’s was asked to leave.
“If AU food services are competing, and the truck is not affiliated with the school, it makes sense they wouldn’t be allowed on campus,” said Katie Soffer, a freshman in the School of International Service.
“Auxiliary Services doesn’t have anything against food trucks,” Courter said. “We just don’t have any policies in place to regulate them and regulate their food safely.”
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