By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter
CNM students, staff, and faculty might have noticed that the main campus cafeteria is now closed.
Phillip Bustos, Vice President of Student Services said that the new food trucks around CNM will be the permanent plan for food service options at CNM.
Grab-N-Go options are still available to CNM students at Main, Westside, and JMMC, said Bustos.
More vending machines have been added around campus to help with food options for students and staff, he said.
CNM will adjust the amount of vending options that are brought in to an as needed basis, he said.
“I hope students will be happy with the new offerings and services,” Bustos said.
If students have any questions regarding the changes being made to food services they can call (505) 224-5502 to express their opinions, he said.
The food trucks can be located in front of the SSC and MS buildings on main campus and will be available to students for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, he said.
Taren Archibeque, food truck vendor, said that there are three shifts that the food trucks are able to sign up to reserve a space for which are breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The breakfast shift is from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., lunch from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., she said.
“The trucks offer a variety of different food options at different prices and some even take credit cards,” she said.
Archibeque said that CNM set up the project to accommodate five food trucks.
If a food truck wants to park at CNM they must first pay a fee and then the trucks are able to schedule certain times to be at the campus, she said.
CNM provides electricity and water for the food trucks while they are on campus, she said.
The cafe inside the library on main campus has expanded the food options that it is offering to now include Dion’s sandwiches, various chips, snack cakes, and drinks, Bustos said.
CNM has been exploring different options to replace the use of the cafeteria, he said.
“The cafeteria might possibly be used for future blood drives, large meetings, events, and to even train caterers in the culinary program in the future,” he said.
The decision process to change concepts is based on data, such as surveys, point of sales data, amount of sales and comparisons to surrounding neighborhood eateries, he said.
CNM was losing between $200,000 and $250,000 a year on the cafeteria and CNM felt that the money could be better spent elsewhere within the institution, Bustos said.
CNM will continue to provide microwaves and eating spaces for student wherever possible, he said.
“Any changes you see in the future will be only to enhance what we have started,” said Bustos.
For more information or for questions regarding food services please call (505) 224-5502.
