- Two openings remain in the Merchants-On-Points program, to be potentially filled by Sushi Love, pizza venue Rudino's or Heavenly Buffaloes.
- A grocery delivery service or truck could be potentially added to the MOP program.
- The new West Union will feature a late-night pub with a patio and TVs. Students may be able to submit potential names for the pub and win rewards if their suggestions are successful.
The search for replacement Merchants-on-Points vendors continues as representatives from Rudino’s Pizza and Grinders enter a bid into the mix.
Although Sushi Love is still the top choice for many, the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee discussed other possible vendors at their Monday meeting. After The Pizzeria closed in September, there are two openings in the MOP program.
Rudino’s—a family-owned chain of sports bars in the Triangle area—offers a full menu of pizza, subs, pasta and salads. Delivery options would be available until 9 p.m. Because Rudino’s currently handles the most business during lunch and through catering jobs, the owners said that delivery order times would be from eleven in the morning to nine at night.
“Our primetime is really between 11 and 11:30 [a.m.], so that’s our busiest time and would probably be the only time that would be a conflict. Anything else we would be able to manage and pretty easily handle,” said Rudino’s owner Gary Rudd.
Despite there currently being three other pizza vendors on MOP, Rudino’s stands out with their higher quality subs and pastas, as well as vegetarian and vegan options, DUSDAC members noted.
Senior and DUSDAC co-chair Gregory Lahood said the location of Rudino’s in relation to Duke’s campus meant that Rudino’s would be able to deliver in a shorter time compared to current pizza vendors.
“I have noticed that the past few times I’ve ordered pizza from [other vendors], if you order around 6 [p.m.] or that time of day, they say that it will take longer to deliver due to traffic on Erwin Road,” Lahood said. “I believe that the 30-minute delivery time will be possible because of their location north of campus.”
The committee, however, noted that with the current number of pizza vendors, Rudino's addition may detract from variety on the MOP menu, but suggested the possibility of adding Rudino’s to MOP in the Spring.
In other business:
The committee also discussed the addition of a grocery delivery service or truck to the MOP program. Junior and DUSDAC co-chair Brian Taylor noted that with the current lack of on-campus dining options due to construction, a grocery delivery option could be very useful for students. A vendor such as Relay Foods would offer common grocery items, such as coffee, cereal and waffles to students who would like to have their groceries delivered to their doors.
Another restaurant that may be added as a MOP vendor is chicken wing restaurant Heavenly Buffaloes, located right next to East Campus. The restaurant offers gluten-free wings and vegan soy protein nuggets and is open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, making Heavenly Buffaloes another prospect for the MOP program. DUSDAC is considering issuing a survey to gauge student interest in the restaurant.
Besides these new choices for the MOP program, DUSDAC also announced the addition of a new pub being built in the West Union. The pub will be open late and will have a stage for performances, along with an outdoor patio and TVs for a sports bar-like atmosphere. The restaurant, which will serve alcohol, bar food, cheesesteaks and burgers, is currently unnamed. Duke Dining is hoping to have students suggest names, with the reward of having a permanently reserved chef's table or a dish named after the student if their suggestion is chosen for the new pub.
“I think it’s pretty cool to be able to say ‘I named that place,’” Lahood said. “This is a great opportunity for students to move forward and realize that the end of construction is almost here."
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