- Krishna To Go launched on Sept. 1 to deliver pre-ordered vegetarian meals to several locations on the University of Florida campus.
- The University of Florida permanently banned Krishna Lunch from campus in August after a February incident involving a delivery truck hitting a student.
- Each Krishna To Go meal costs $6 with $0.50 delivery and offers lower prices than third-party vendors like DoorDash and Grubhub.
Krishna Lunch has found a way to bring meals back to the University of Florida with Krishna To Go, a service launched Sept. 1 that delivers pre-ordered meals to various locations around campus.
Krishna Lunch had continued cooking meals in its off-campus kitchen (214 NW 14th St., Gainesville) since UF temporarily banned the volunteer organization in February after one of its delivery trucks hit a student.
UF did not explain why it had ousted Krishna Lunch, and despite the group’s repeated attempts to find out, the university permanently banned it from campus just days before classes started in August. Krishna Lunch had served students from the Plaza of the Americas since 1971.
Krishna Senior Advisor Bob Cohen said UF’s silence has continued since then.
But Krishna Lunch didn’t ignore the voices of support calling for its return. In response, the organization revived Krishna To Go, a program it created during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver meals to first responders on campus.
“Krishna Lunch has served the UF community for more than five decades, and we created Krishna To Go in response to continued requests from students, alumni, parents, and friends who wanted the meals to remain available,” Cohen said. “It is our way of continuing that tradition in a new form.”
Hungry for vegetarian food and don’t have time to eat off campus? Krishna To Go can be ordered at Cash App every day between noon and 11:59 p.m. and delivered to Library West (between 11:25 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.), Keene-Flint Hall (11:55 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.), Library West (12:35 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.) and Keene-Flint Hall (1:05 p.m. to 1:25 p.m.).
Each meal is $6 (plus $0.50 for delivery); the equivalent of what the organization asks for as a donation with its free meals. Cohen said the service keeps costs lower for customers than going through third-party vendors like DoorDash and Grubhub, but those can still be used to go to any location.
“It is a separate venture that follows the requirements for serving students on campus and allows the public to pre-order the same affordable vegetarian meals through designated campus pickup locations,” Cohen said.
In August, Krishna Lunch had been considering a lawsuit against the university, arguing that the ban from campus violated freedom of religion. Cohen said the organization is now focused on finding a new way to serve the campus rather than pursuing a costly legal battle — but he still finds UF’s silence on the issue baffling.
“They’re a wall of silence that is rarely seen,” he said. “Friends of mine who are on campus say [it’s] crazy, just a wall of silence.”