Despite jackhammers and long lines, The Hungry Cat food truck keeps students entertained with good music.
The closure of Boyd Dining Hall last semester, West Greeners’ options for meal-plan-covered food has been heavily strained. Aside from Boyd’s diminished Grab-N-Go — a shadow of its former self — my green-mates and I are left with three primary dining options: A) make the long trek to another green in chilling temperatures, B) starve or C) grab a hot meal from The Hungry Cat.
Naturally, a lot of us select option C.
The Hungry Cat is a food truck that acts in substitution for Boyd during the dining hall’s renovation and is normally the easiest place to eat without leaving the green.
Yet, as I stand in line and wait to order a beef churrasco sandwich, I often consider how annoying it must be for the truck’s workers to have to listen to constant jackhammers tearing into Boyd’s exterior or deal with the uncomfortable winter weather. But then I remember: they always have awesome music playing.
Whether it be classic rock, cheerful pop, new wave or old school hip-hop, each time I’m in earshot of The Hungry Cat’s stereo system, I’m always uplifted by a variety of timeless crowd-pleasers.
After a long, stressful day of classes is there a better way to wind down than to listen to Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” or Vance Joy’s “Riptide,” while waiting for a tasty BLT and fruit cup? Not for me, at least.
And aside from modern hits, I’ve also noticed some deeper cuts from different decades strewn in, such as Thompson Twins’ “Hold Me Now” a.k.a. the most 80s sounding song ever created that is also incredibly catchy. And I’m certain I was not the only one tapping his or her foot when the first notes of “Superstition” were plucked (maybe I was, but I blame the funk).
On other occasions, I’ve been met with screaming, bluesy guitar solos and Hendrix-esque classic rock standards, which are enjoyable even if the construction workers are featured artists on them (along with the intermittent Irvine Hall fire alarm).
Although the music selection of Boyd Dining Hall (bless its heart) was mostly limited to Sia’s “Chandeliers” and Echosmith’s “Cool Kids,” the smaller food truck has really stepped up its DJ game, making an otherwise mundane experience memorable by taking students on a ride through the decades culminating in some of the best music from today and yesteryear.
Just make sure not to go there at noon or five; no amount of music is worth that wait.
Luke Furman is a freshman studying journalism. Email him at lf491413@ohio.edu or find him on Twitter @LukeFurmanOU.
