An unexpected change pulled up across the street from BCCHS on May 6, 2024.
The food cart run by Miguel Garcia – otherwise known as Mike – that sits on the opposite side of 25th Street upgraded into a truck, stirring up emotions for the Baruch community.
Garcia has worked hard to get to this point and he’s happy about the change.
“It’s exciting because it’s more easy, and I feel it’s good,” he said. ”It was hard because I’ve been working many years planning this and finally I got it, it took me a long time.”
Garcia has further plans for his business.
“This is a first step to a big step for me. God willing, we can do a little more, I don’t know, open up a restaurant or something like that,” he said.
Many people around school were worried the truck wasn’t run by the same people in charge of the old cart when they first saw it.
“I was worried it was a whole new thing, that’s why I didn’t go there,” Assistant Principal Douglas Keijzer said.
However, once finding out it was still run by Garcia, Baruchians shared their thoughts on the new truck.
Junior Mohamed Kone predicts faster service as a result of the upgrade.
“I was talking to them about it and they said that the old cart was getting too much orders and everything was compact,” he said.
Kone thinks he noticed there are now three employees instead of two and also pointed out an increase in efficiency and quality of food.
“I feel like the school, us kids, gave them that boost,” Kone said.
Freshman Ameila Bose is looking forward to the improvements to service this update may bring.
“I think it’s cool, they have more space so maybe they can get people’s food more faster,” Bose said.
English teacher Zachariah Davis also mentioned how Garcia and the other cooks have more room to do their job.
“I’m happy to see that he made enough profit to upgrade his kitchen of sorts,” he said. “That truck probably has more grill space, so he can probably have better equipment inside as well and better AC in there which can lead to better food.”
Ultimately, Baruch is happy the truck is making progress–the community loves Garcia and his crew.
“They are gentlemen, they’re good to our students, they’re good to our staff, they have Baruch stickers on their cart, they are part of our community,” Keijzer said. “The food is decent, quality food and they do a good job preparing it and the prices are reasonable.”
