Temple students were determined Friday to support their favorite food trucks on campus as the
university prepared to move all instruction online.
Long lines formed in front of popular food trucks like Richies, The Creperie, and Cloud Coffee.
Many students said they were unsure of the next time they would be back on campus.
“The food trucks are a part of our community,” junior Duke Charles, 20, said. “They are
everywhere on campus and everyone eats at them. I get lunch from a food truck at least three to
four times a week. I really hope they are still here when we get back. Whenever that is.”
Wednesday night Temple announced it would offer all classes online starting Monday in
response to the global coronavirus pandemic. Students living in campus residence halls have
been asked to leave by March 21.
With such an unexpected exodus, many students said they were concerned about the
decline in business food trucks on campus would experience. Temple has roughly 50 food trucks
spread throughout its North Philadelphia campus.
“I don’t live that close to campus,” sophomore Emily Tran, 19, said as she stood in line at Cloud
Coffee on Norris and 12th streets. “So, I have no clue when the next time I’ll be able to get my
chai with oatmeal. I’m really hoping they’ll be okay when all the students are gone.”
Some students wondered whether the university would do anything to help the mobile businesses
while students were not on campus. Some students even suggested the university provide
funding to help keep the trucks open and operating.
“They bring in so much business to the area,” freshman Vincent Conte, 18, said. “I’m sure they
pay their fair share to Temple in order to set up shop. I hope the University does the right thing
and helps them out.”
Students who were waiting in lines said they were not concerned about the possibility of
catching the coronavirus while on campus. Instead, they were more worried about whether they
would be able to visit all their favorite trucks before the day’s end.
“This is my third truck so far today,” freshman Tamar Jefferson, 18, said. “I’ve still got a few
more to go, so hopefully they don’t close before I get there.”
Virginia Apostolopoulos, who owns The Creperie, said although she is uncertain of what will
happen to her business with all the students gone, she remains hopeful.
“Working on Temple’s campus has been my favorite,” Apostolopoulos said. “I love it here. I’m
hoping everything works out.”
Students said they hope there are not long-term consequences for the trucks.
“Best case scenario is that when we come back all of the trucks are open and ready for business,”
Tran said. “It would be really awful if something unexpected like this forced some of them to
close for good.”