Editor’s Note: This article first appeared as part of the July 12 flipbook.

The landscape of UT is changing. The familiar shops and restaurants on Guadalupe Street are shuffling out, and new developments are rushing in. Not too long ago, students were able to seek out reliable places for comfortable, affordable meals. Now it seems that’s becoming rarer by the minute.

With UT and American Campus Communities buying up sections of The Drag for new campus and housing developments, food variety is decreasing. Several small food businesses have had to relocate farther from campus or close entirely.

Food accessibility for students is at risk. UT needs to host more food trucks on campus to improve dining options.

Teji’s Indian Restaurant, a staple of Indian cuisine near campus, is being forced to relocate, according to its Facebook page, due to American Campus’ new development. But Teji’s is far from the only restaurant affected by these changes. Another campus staple, Poke Bay, had to shut down permanently after UT bought the property for a new campus building. Food options further dwindled when the University Co-op forced out roughly five to 10 food trucks to build a new parking lot last fall.

It’s a shame to see such dining options decrease since many students often supplement cooking at home with these quick-service restaurants or food trucks. 

“I would say I eat out at least three times a week,” biology junior Joy Ding said. “I don’t want to go home and cook when I’m really tired after class. … (I enjoy the) convenience. Like I can just get in and go, (and) I don’t have to sit down at a restaurant.”

However, increasingly limited meal options aren’t the only issues impacting Ding. She believes that the current type of food in West Campus is also insufficient since there aren’t enough healthy and affordable options.

The healthier restaurants available often boast pricey menus. Some items can range up to $15 after tax and tip. While the food at these places can serve as occasional delicacies, it isn’t realistic as a daily meal for student budgets.

Students like Ding need UT to bring more diverse and cost-effective dining options to campus. Students shouldn’t be limited to only a handful of unvaried choices. Food trucks are one of the most feasible solutions for this issue.

David Anthony, director of business services for University Unions, believes that increasing on-campus food trucks is a practical step in the right direction.

“We’re definitely aiming to get more food trucks on campus in more locations,” Anthony said. “And I expect that we’ll have several additional locations for the fall.”

Anthony looks for food trucks that best fit student needs. For instance, one of the most important qualifications he looks for is if the pricing is appropriate for students. Anthony also considers if the speed of service is compatible for students with short breaks in between classes — like the popular UT campus food truck Four Brothers.

Food trucks enable the University to control many different components to best accommodate students. Besides those baseline factors, food trucks offer diverse menus and cuisines to introduce healthier options.

The options are limitless, and Anthony doesn’t envision any significant roadblocks.

“I think that there’s ample opportunity for growth,” Anthony said. “I think that there are areas of campus that haven’t previously been served by food trucks where they could do well. So I think that there’s a lot of opportunity, and I’m excited.”

Without foreseeable problems in sight, it’s clear that UT needs to stick with its initiative to host these food trucks. Students shouldn’t have to worry about not having adequate food options near campus. Students deserve accessible, affordable and healthy meals.

Su is a neuroscience junior from Dallas, Texas.