Gator Gulp, which opened at the beginning of the semester, is the newest healthy dining option available on the first floor of the Henderson Campus Center. Menu items include ginger shots for $2.50, kombucha for $5 and smoothies for $7.50, among other selections. Items are payable via credit or debit card, but can also be purchased with Express Cash or meal swipes for select items. Gator Gulp is the latest effort by Parkhurst to bring healthy and affordable foods for campus residents at a convenient location, according to Parkhurst General Manager Maria Foxall.
Foxall is excited about the addition to the dining experience on campus, noting that students had requested smoothies to be brought back for some time.
“We try to focus on health at that station,” Foxall said. “So we’re doing overnight oats. People can add protein to their smoothies, and people can add chia seeds, as well, as a different protein option.”
Foxall said it was students who gave Parkhurst the idea to bring a health-conscious option to the Henderson Campus Center. Parkhurst strategically decided to utilize the station in the campus center because of its proximity to the David V. Wise Center, noting Gator Gulp’s popularity with athletes and those who frequent the gym.
“They’re always looking for what is the healthier options around, so this is the perfect one-stop,” Foxall said. “They can go and get the little homemade protein balls as well, which is a really good seller.”
Lauren Folino, ’29, and Samantha Phillips, ’29, stopped by the stand early Tuesday morning for their fix of the berry smoothies. Phillips, having heard about it online, had decided to see what Gator Gulp had to offer.
“I saw it was posted on one of the Allegheny dining pages, and I figured I’d give it a try,” Phillips said. “It’s pretty good.”
Overall, Foxall said she has heard positive feedback from students about Gator Gulp, while also acknowledging there is always room for improvement. Foxall used the popularity of smoothies as an example, as students told Parkhurst that the temperatures had been a bit too warm for the late summer heat.
“We were using frozen fruit, frozen berries, which we still use, but we thought that that was going to make the smoothies cold enough,” Foxall said. “So, we heard the students’ feedback that they weren’t quite cold enough, and we’re adding ice to all the smoothies now. And then, just adding a bit more fruit so we don’t lose any of the good flavor.”
Folino and Phillips are excited to add a new stop to their regular post-lifting session routine: getting a smoothie at Gator Gulp. They recommended the peanut butter and berry smoothies to anyone who was thinking of trying them out.
“I think it’s a great, healthy option for students,” Folino said. “There’s healthy options in there; they have protein, overnight oats, things like that. So I think it’s a really good option.”
Foxall is hoping to eventually expand on some menu options at Gator Gulp, such as authentic popping boba and syrups for the bubble teas. For now, she is optimistic that students will take advantage of the wide array of selections to choose from.
Parkhurst is still looking for students to provide feedback in terms of what to add or improve on with Gator Gulp. Scannable QR codes can be found on napkin dispensers in Brooks Dining Hall and McKinley’s Food Court. Students can also fill out suggestion cards in Brooks.
