The following is an opinion article and opinion articles do not reflect the views of The Tulane Hullabaloo.

Tulane Dining Services has done it again. In going the extra mile and taking innovation for a college dining service to the next level, it has brought the nation’s first food truck to accept college students’ meal plans to campus, Rouler NOLA Comfort Food.

This latest installment serves as a testament to the creative body that Dining Services has become.

Dining Services’ contract lies with Sodexo, the second largest food-service company in the world, which would usually imply that the majority of the food being served is probably not going to be the most unique, authentically produced or masterfully prepared course out there.

It has to be acknowledged, however, that Tulane Dining Services makes every effort to make itself more than just a substandard college cafeteria, presenting the classic New Orleans dishes to personalize itself. More notably, Dining Services sets itself apart from the thousands of other Sodexo-contracted locations through the creation of the Tulane dining experience.  

And that’s exactly what it has become — an experience. Bruff Commons does the most to capture the spirit of New Orleans in its small space, whether that’s through Dining Services’ employment of local chefs or through the staff’s tendency to break into celebration, parading a band through the tables with exuberant Ms. Joi leading the way. The students may not even be aware of the reasons behind the celebration happening — it’s just simply how things are at Bruff and Tulane itself.

Dining Services also takes measures to create itself into a uniquely interactive eating experience. Whether it’s the student vote-based cook-off competitions between the chefs, the culinary demonstrations, their entertaining and active social media accounts, the famously popular Cram Jam or simply ordering Blue Dot Donuts to every residence hall during finals week as a gift to the students, Tulane’s dining has made itself a celebrated presence on campus and has found the ability to engage the students beyond their routine meals.

Rouler is not the first, and certainly won’t be the last, of Tulane Dining’s innovation. This creativity and unique flair has become a trait that is key to the Tulane Dining identity, a trait that has evolved into something beyond just a college cafeteria. And to that, we tip our hats.