The fight against Washington State Ferry’s choice of new food vendor continues after a judge in Thurston County granted a legal restraining order on behalf of Bremerton-based company Olympic Cascade Food Services, who is protesting the ferry’s decision not to renew their contract.

Olympic Cascade Food Services has provided onboard galley concessions for the past 12 years, and was shocked when their contract was not renewed this year when WSF requested proposals for food services contracts. On April 1 Olympic Cascade president Nove Meyers submitted a legal protest and request for a temporary restraining order against the state ferry system, stating that the awarding of the concessionaire contract to Centerplate Inc., a Connecticut based corporation, was arbitrary. The state attorney general’s office agreed to not proceed with the contract with Centerplate while the protest was ongoing, according to Meyers. Yet, during an April 28 debriefing with the WSF panel who chose the companies to contract with Meyers says he was told if he did not drop his lawsuit WSF would sign with Centerplate on Tuesday, May 3.

During a hearing on May 20, a judge halted any forward movement with the new vendor and set another hearing for June 24.

For now WSF is standing behind their choice. They list Centerplate’s success as the onboard vendor for the Massachusette’s Steamship Authority ferry for more than 20 years as a measure of what this company can bring to Washington’s ferries.

“Centerplate is a big company that supports the local economy,” said Kristina Arsenault, WSF director of community planning. “One of their strengths is that they have 26 years experience working on ferries.”