After having to delay their spring debut due to the coronavirus pandemic, Good Uncle, an independent food delivery service division of Aramark, is now offered to St. Joe’s students as of Aug. 24.
Dylan Gans, Good Uncle’s director of growth & marketing, explained the company’s process, and how it differs from other food delivery platforms.
“We have a team of amazing chefs that prepare all the food in the regional kitchen, and then it is loaded into high-tech delivery vehicles that you will see rolling around campus,” Gans said. “Then, when a student places their order, we actually finish the cooking process in the vehicle. Your food is right out of the oven, so it is piping hot.”
Good Uncle’s services are available seven days a week, from 5 p.m. 12 a.m., closing later than any other dining option on campus. Gans said Good Uncle meals are priced around $12, with no delivery fees.
Students can use up to $35 of their Dining Dollars from their meal plan on Good Uncle, Kevin Bargeron, marketing manager for Aramark at St. Joe’s, said.
Amanda Boehme ’24, said she ordered the penne alla vodka after a night of studying.
“It was a nice portion too,” Boehme said. “I could not finish it all so I gave it to my roommate.”
Bargeron said after conducting student surveys last year, Aramark realized students wanted something different on campus.
“They were asking for more flexibility and more options in general,” Bargeron said. “One of the things that kept coming up was a food truck, or more food truck options.”
Gans said one of Good Uncle’s goals is to compliment the dining halls on campus. There are “drop locations,” where students can pick up their food order on North 53rd Street between Lannon Hall and Rashford Hall, in the McShain Hall parking lot and outside of the Francis A. Drexel Library. There is no door-to-door delivery through Good Uncle.
“We want to be there when the freshman is too tired or too lazy and wants to stay in their dorm and get something delivered,” Gans said. “Then we want to be there for the off-campus students that do not have access to [delivery] options that are built into their school plan.”
Along with food, Good Uncle is bringing professional opportunities to students on campus. Vraj Thajar ’22 has been working with the company since March as a campus revenue lead, acting as a liaison between students and Good Uncle.
“They are very open and just trying to help out in any way they can,” Thajar said. “They are very good people.”
Gans said they are trying to do the right thing for their customers, embodying one of the Good Uncle’s pillars, “do good.”
“We donate to local food banks whenever we can and all of our packaging is compostable,” Gans said.
Thajar said he is working with student ambassadors to promote Good Uncle on campus.
As the semester progresses, Good Uncle hopes to continually adjust to campus and adhere to what the students want.
“We love hearing from students on social media and in our customer support chat, we always respond to them,” Gans said.
