“This is something a lot of people are telling me they are finding pretty cool,” Stewart said. “They are able to experience beer that is brewed right here in our state, and eat cheese on our food coming directly from MSU.”

While several of Crunchy’s menu items were already produced in Michigan, Stewart said Michigan-produced ingredients can be found in their salads, burgers and pizzas throughout the month.

John Engstrom, the operations manager for the MSU Dairy Store, said he usually turns down offers from outside restaurants and stores that want to serve MSU cheese, but he decided to make an exception for Crunchy’s.

“I could sell our cheese all over the state, but I choose not to because it is a part of MSU and I want to keep it that way,” Engstrom said.

“I feel like Crunchy’s is a continuation of MSU and with the amount of faculty, staff and students that go there, I feel like Crunchy’s is a part of MSU as well.”

MSU doctoral students Paul Zube and Jayson Dibble, who were eating lunch at Crunchy’s Wednesday, said they weren’t aware of the promotion. But Zube said he thought it was a great way to tie MSU and the community together.

“Working with the dairy store is a great idea because it brings in a connection and strengthens the bond between the community and the university,” he said. “I think this is the kind of stuff that more places should do because it gives them a chance to showcase the best at MSU.”

Dibble, who grew up in Kalamazoo, said he was accustomed to drinking locally-produced beer due his proximity to Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Having the opportunity to drink more Michigan-produced beer, now in East Lansing, was something he was happy to see.

“Michigan has some very good microbrewed beers that a lot of people don’t know about, and I say, the more local the better.”