If you attended or visited Rutgers University, chances are high that you were taken to dine at one of the Grease Trucks on campus. These famous no-frills food trucks are where one of the most iconic sandwiches in the country was invented.
The Grease Trucks, pictured below, were one of the most iconic landmarks at Rutgers University for years.
Wikimedia Commons / MJ Kazin They got their start in the 1980s, and at the time, they parked throughout campus. The University sent them to a large parking lot in the 1990s, with plans to create a dining courtyard. Those plans never quite came to fruition, and the food trucks parked outside of Scott Hall and stayed open late into the night until they were dispersed by University Policy in 2013. Students who were studying late (or out partying) would stop by on their way to their College Avenue campus dorms or apartments and pick up the kind of greasy fried food that tastes best at 2 a.m.
In the late 2010s, the Grease Trucks were moved to make room for a construction project called The Yard.
Facebook / RU Hungry Rutgers While many of the food vendors and students were upset about this, the one silver lining is that the most famous Grease Truck - and the inventor of the Fat Sandwich - got a true storefront on the Yard’s main square.
RU Hungry is the place where the Grease Trucks already legendary status began to evolve. After all, it was here that the famous Fat Sandwich was invented!
Google Local / Katelyn Jackson The story goes that a student named Darrell was broke and hungry, and asked the Grease Truck to put a whole bunch of fried items on one sandwich for him, thus creating the Fat Darrell. The real story is that Fat Sandwiches had been popular at Grease Trucks since the 1980s, when they served the “Fat Cat”. The Fat Cat was a double cheeseburger topped with fries, lettuce tomato, and condiments. The Fat Moon was created around the same time, and that one was a chicken finger, bacon, egg, and french fry combo. A few other variations existed and changed throughout the years, but the Fat Darrell relaunched the Fat Sandwich craze altogether.
The Fat Darrell found national attention in August 2004, when Maxim Magazine named it the top sandwich in the nation. From there, the reputation grew, and soon nearly everyone was stopping by the Grease Trucks to try, well, a little bit of everything!
Facebook / RU Hungry Rutgers The Fat Darrell is a stack of chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, and marinara sauce on a hoagie roll, and it’s the most popular item at the Grease Truck restaurants today.
It’s easy to see the appeal of a Fat Sandwich. At a restaurant, if you wanted all of these items, you would have to order them as sides, and the prices add up.
Facebook / RU Hungry Rutgers With everything on one sandwich, the prices are lower, and hungry, broke students can afford all of their favorite indulgences.
One thing is for certain, though - these Fat Sandwiches are heavy. While some students can chow down on them night after night, most people who enjoy them only have them on occasion.
Google Local / Johanna A After all, they don’t call them the Grease Trucks for nothin'!
Take a look at the menu for RU Hungry? and decide if there’s a sandwich there that’s calling your name. You’ll also find their hours and location information on their website.
Wikimedia Commons / MJ Kazin
They got their start in the 1980s, and at the time, they parked throughout campus. The University sent them to a large parking lot in the 1990s, with plans to create a dining courtyard. Those plans never quite came to fruition, and the food trucks parked outside of Scott Hall and stayed open late into the night until they were dispersed by University Policy in 2013. Students who were studying late (or out partying) would stop by on their way to their College Avenue campus dorms or apartments and pick up the kind of greasy fried food that tastes best at 2 a.m.
Facebook / RU Hungry Rutgers
While many of the food vendors and students were upset about this, the one silver lining is that the most famous Grease Truck - and the inventor of the Fat Sandwich - got a true storefront on the Yard’s main square.
Google Local / Katelyn Jackson
The story goes that a student named Darrell was broke and hungry, and asked the Grease Truck to put a whole bunch of fried items on one sandwich for him, thus creating the Fat Darrell. The real story is that Fat Sandwiches had been popular at Grease Trucks since the 1980s, when they served the “Fat Cat”. The Fat Cat was a double cheeseburger topped with fries, lettuce tomato, and condiments. The Fat Moon was created around the same time, and that one was a chicken finger, bacon, egg, and french fry combo. A few other variations existed and changed throughout the years, but the Fat Darrell relaunched the Fat Sandwich craze altogether.
The Fat Darrell is a stack of chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, and marinara sauce on a hoagie roll, and it’s the most popular item at the Grease Truck restaurants today.
With everything on one sandwich, the prices are lower, and hungry, broke students can afford all of their favorite indulgences.
Google Local / Johanna A
After all, they don’t call them the Grease Trucks for nothin'!
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Address: R U Hungry, 95 Hamilton St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
