A student-run late-night food truck serving tostadas, street corn and more is set to open in mid-April.
After working with Dining Services since January to plan and budget for the initiative, the MiddNight Food Truck team hosted its first pop-up on April 6 to give students a taste of the intended menu. The pop-up event in Wilson Café gave dozens of students the chance to sample some of the menu, which consists largely of handheld food representing several Latin American cuisines and New York City favorites.
Stephanie Crocker ’24 attended the pop-up and tried the sandwich, tostada and elote.
“I thought they were all delicious,” Crocker said. “I was really excited to have some diversity culturally in the offerings, and I’m really looking forward to having this as an option over the weekend.”
When the truck ultimately opens following some weather-induced delays, it will be parked near Adirondack Circle and serve food on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The team consists of co-founders Tony Morocho ’26 and Eduardo Arias Mendez ’26, with Hazel Hendler ’27 serving as a board member and supervisor of the truck. Morocho worked as the head chef in a restaurant for four years and Arias Mendez worked as a supervisor at a fast-food restaurant. Both wanted to bring their experience in the food industry to campus.
Morocho and Arias Mendez have prioritized taking input from fellow students into account as they designed and priced the menu.
“We heard that people wanted to eat something that was affordable, different, and authentic,” Morocho and Mendez wrote in an email to The Campus.
They tested a variety of dishes, aiming to incorporate food from a variety of backgrounds.
“We kept in mind that it had to be a food truck menu; meaning it has to be quick so people do not have to wait for a long time for their food,” the two co-founders wrote.
The team also wanted to make the late-night food affordable. Dining Services helped the students arrange necessities like ordering the ingredients and determining the pricing of the menu.
The current menu plan features tostadas, street corn, a Cuban sandwich and tacos, in addition to several beverage options and desserts. Everything on the menu is priced between $5 and $9.
While the team is always looking for additional staff, the MiddNight food truck has managed to find enough students willing to staff the late-night hours ahead of their opening.
“We were lucky to have found people that supported us, believed in this project, and are passionate about this to have committed to working with us on those late nights,” Morocho and Arias Mendez wrote.
Hendler is excited to be cooking on the truck opening night, while also bracing for an initial rush of students flocking to a new late-night option.
“I have a lot of experience in the kitchen, and I know I’m going to love tweaking the recipes and finding the best ways to prep to maximize flavor and efficiency,” Hendler wrote in an email to The Campus.
Most of Hendler’s experience has come in a catering setting, so working on the food truck and cooking to order will be a new opportunity, with some difficulties.
“I’m definitely anticipating some challenges in terms of getting our food to remain of consistent quality,” she wrote.
Hendler has faith in herself and the team to navigate the opening and to adapt quickly to the fast-paced environment, but also expects a learning curve as she and other student staff adjust.
“We are not just trying to sell food but also an experience and hope that everyone enjoys it as much as we have enjoyed the process of constructing our little legacy in Middlebury’s history,” Morocho and Arias Mendez wrote.
Editors’ note: Stephanie Crocker ’24 is a copy editor for The Campus.
Olivia Mueller '24 (she/her) is a News Editor.
Previously an Arts and Culture editor, Olivia is an International Politics and Economics major with a Spanish minor. Outside of the Campus, she is a spin instructor for YouPower, an avid runner and hiker, and a member of the Middlebury Mischords a cappella group.
