Your next meal could be on wheels.
Chartwells, in response to a request from Student Government (SG), unveiled its custom-designed new pizza truck, Uragano, in November.
Uragano, which means “hurricane” in Italian, is the product of an evaluation conducted by the university’s dining services, which determined that pizza is an important option to have on campus.
“This is a new concept and it’s not your run-of-the-mill food truck,” said Sandra Redway, the executive director of auxiliary services at UM. “It replaces the void left by Sbarro.”
Sbarro was previously a dining option on campus, but was replaced by the temporary Rathskeller while the new one is currently under construction.
Redway said that students have already given positive responses to the pizza truck.
“It’s really good pizza,” sophomore Natalia Rickards said. “It tastes better than Sbarro.”
Planning for Uragano began when SG requested an alternative to Sbarro after it closed.
“We wanted to make some quick fixes for the fall semester,” she said. “Chartwells initiated the pizza concept because it’s a staple for students.”
The truck was created specifically for the university and John Cook, Chartwells’ executive chef, oversees the operation.
Uragano’s menu features 11 different pizzas, ranging from the basic Margherita pizza to the “U Bomb,” which includes bacon, sausage and pepperoni, among other toppings. The truck also offers three sandwich varieties and focaccia dippers.
The roving truck makes stops at the Memorial, Miller and Stanford Circles, as well as the Hecht/Stanford towers and the University Village (UV). Memorial Circle is located in front of the McArthur Engineering Building, and Miller Circle is in front of Gusman Hall.
“We want to make sure that we put it where people need it,” Redway said. “Hours and locations will remain fluid. The schedule requires testing, trial and adjustment.”
Chartwells’ marketing staff monitors the truck to determine where to place it to meet the demand throughout the day.
Junior Angelica Navas is pleased with the convenience and quality the truck brings to campus.
“It’s a great thing to have right outside,” she said. “It creates more diverse food options on campus, so we won’t get sick of the same things.”
Although many students have given Uragano positive reviews, others are not satisfied with its menu.
“I am disappointed that there is no gluten-free pizza on the menu,” sophomore Casey Epstein said. “If they were going to add a new dining option, I would have preferred that it be compatible with all diets.”
In addition to cash and credit cards, the truck accepts Cane cards.
Uragano updates students on its location through Twitter. Students can follow the truck on Twitter at @UraganoUM, and even send suggestions for location stops via Tweets.