As part of the University of Utah’s vision for College Town Magic™, students will soon have more ways to find food across campus this year as the U transitions to a centralized food truck program.

The new model will replace individual annual food truck pad leases—previously found mainly on Marriott Library Plaza—with a coordinated, rotating program designed to expand the variety of cuisines available on campus, improve scheduling and reliability, and give students more flexibility in using their dining plans.

The change comes as Housing and Dining continues to evaluate campus dining following its transition to university oversight one year ago. The new approach is part of a long-term goal to improve the dining experience while making better use of campus spaces.

“We have been evaluating our food truck operations as part of our broader dining strategy and the changing use of campus spaces,” said Sean Grube, associate vice president for Housing and Dining. “The coordinated, rotating model gives us the flexibility to provide the best dining options for the campus community with greater variety in food options and expanded access through Flex+, while supporting our long-term dining plan.”

Food trucks have long been part of the U’s campus dining experience, with local vendors serving students, faculty and staff at locations including the Marriott Library and student union. And demand for food truck options continues to grow, along with requests for greater variety in campus dining.

The new program, launching Sept. 8, will be operated in partnership with Food Truck League to provide access to a larger network of operators offering a broad range of cuisines, including international, vegetarian, vegan and specialty options.

Food trucks will return to campus first on Library West Commons with five trucks. Operators who have previously held permanent spaces will have priority booking on Mondays and Thursdays as part of Food Truck League.

The rotating model also will allow the U to place trucks in different areas of campus based on demand, events and other community needs rather than permanently assigning individual vendors to specific locations.

Additional food truck locations around campus will be announced throughout the year.

Flex+ expands where students can use dining plans

One of the biggest benefits for students will have the ability to use the Flex+ portion of their university dining plans at participating food trucks, resulting in more choices when deciding where to use the food they’ve already purchased.

“The benefit is the versatility of the plan and being able to use it around campus with our food truck partners,” Grube said. “We want you to love using the dining plan and we want you to have a great experience while using the dining plan.”

For students who rely on dining plans, the change can make it easier to find food that fits their schedules, dietary preferences and budgets without requiring them to pay separately at participating food trucks.

A more efficient catering model for campus

The centralized program is also intended to make it easier for student organizations and campus departments to schedule food trucks for events.

Organizers will have access to a larger network of vendors and can select trucks based on factors such as expected attendance, event type and service needs. Administrative barriers for groups booking food trucks will be streamlined and provide more dependable availability during high-demand periods and campus events.

The Food Truck League will also ensure that participating operators meet insurance, fire and health requirements. The U will continue its due diligence while benefiting from a pre-vetted network of vendors.

Continuing relationships with local vendors

With the changes, the U recognizes that the transition affects food truck operators who have built long-standing relationships with the campus community.

“We heard those concerns directly, and we take them seriously,” Grube said. “Several of these operators have served the U for many years, built strong relationships with our campus community and made their presence at the U an important part of their businesses. We hope to continue our relationships with these original food truck operators where possible.”

All of the seven previous food truck operators remain eligible to provide direct catering services during the 2026-27 academic year and are invited to participate in the Food Truck League’s rotating program with priority bookings two days a week.

The goal of the new food truck program is to make campus dining more responsive to the community it serves—providing different cuisines, locations and ways to pay while allowing the U to adapt its food offerings as campus needs evolve—all while making food a larger part of the connected campus experience envisioned through College Town Magic™.