Bon Appétit promotes food truck competition in the cafeteria on Tuesday, Sept. 4. | Olivia Blinn/THE CHIMES

Bon Appétit Management Company’s latest Biola eaterie is coming to a location near you — literally.

The food service provider is set to debut a Biola food truck, as well as a pair of contests to name and brand the truck itself.

Boasting a diverse proposed menu including — but not limited to — fish tacos, Vietnamese chicken or pork sandwiches and a full-time Mongolian grill, the new food truck will provide a mobile way for Biola to provide students and faculty with vital sustenance. After recent campus expansions like Talbot East and the Rancho Elementary School campus, Bon Appétit can bring food to them, without lengthy and costly construction.

“It’s going to be moved around campus. We’re going to find the hotspots,” said Carolyn White, Biola’s Auxiliary Operations manager. The goal of the food truck is to better serve these outlying areas around campus, White said.

The truck will have availability outside its regular hours. Described as “a mobile solution on campus for special events including athletics, alumni weekend and late night activities” in Bon Appétit’s internal memo, the truck can also serve Biola events, from Mock Rock and Midnight Madness to sporting events or even off campus affairs.

The plan for such a truck has been in the works since last spring. The truck itself has been acquired, but must still be outfitted and approved by health regulators, then painted.

As with Eagles Nest or Common Grounds, students and faculty may pay at the truck from cash accounts, flex or meal equivalences, White said.

The truck is slated to enter service mid-October, pending a review from the California Department of Public Health. 

Twin contests to brand the new truck

On Tuesday, the Bling My Truck contest to name the truck and design its exterior will be announced.

In the Caf, students will find forms to submit names for the truck from September 4 until September 14. Students can then vote from a selection of four finalists, with the winning name to be announced after the open vote on September 18 from 7 until 7:30 p.m. in the Caf. The submitter of the winning name will receive $100 in flex.

For the design contest, a blank template of the truck’s exterior will be made available on Bon Appétit’s website. Those with a flair for graphic design may submit up to three entries to the contest. The winner, selected by both Biola and Bon Appétit staff, will receive a $1000 scholarship for the 2012–2013 school year and will have his or her design painted on the actual truck.

Graphic designers, bear in mind: The name for the truck will be announced one week before design submissions are due.

Design submissions will be accepted until midnight, September 24 according to the rules statement — though the official announcement of the contest is pending.

Further details for the contest will be made available on Bon Appétit’s website Tuesday.