During the late 1970s, a new trend landed on the College Avenue campus of Rutgers-New Brunswick. Nine food trucks parked on the campus and started calling it home, together they became known as The Grease Trucks. While they all sold an array of options they started to pull their focus on a type of sandwich called The Fat Cat, composed of two cheeseburgers, French fries, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and ketchup. The popularity of the sandwich started to take hold among the students and eventually different versions of the sandwich were starting to pop up at each of the trucks.
In order to reduce noise and light pollution on College Avenue, the grease trucks were moved to a parking lot on the campus in 1994. From here the now 8 trucks took shifts serving the student body of the school morning, noon, and late at night. In 1997 the famous Fat Cat Sandwich was dethroned as the most popular sandwich by the Fat Darrel, named after the student who created it. This sandwich featured a classic combo of chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, and marinara sauce.
Buzzfeed Staff members have even tried the most famous Rutgers Food!
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As the years rolled on eventually the Grease Truck lot was turned into what we now know as The Yard and two of the original nine trucks remain (Mr. C's and RU Hungry?), but the legend of the Fat Sandwich continues on. The menus have changed with more types of sandwiches being added, some of these are even vegetarian! Fat Sandwiches have been featured on the Food Network and even Buzzfeed itself. Even though they are now known nationwide, they will always be part of Rutgers tradition and call this school its home.
Written by: Deanna van Woerkom
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