Food is something that everyone needs to keep going, and as Drexel students we’re provided with a wide range of dining options, although I do think that these could be improved upon. However, one major advantage that we have from living in Philadelphia are the food trucks, and while a lot of us make use of these amazing little trucks for our daily meals, I think more students could benefit from them, as they are far better than any of the fast food restaurants.
First and foremost, they are cheap so they won’t burn through your wallet like a fast food restaurant would. Getting a ShackBurger with fries and a large soda from Shake Shack costs about $12 and 66 cents. In contrast, chicken over rice that is served at the Halal trucks around campus costs $6 and that includes a beverage of your choosing. For a while that only used to cost $5, but they had to increase the price. You also generally get a bigger portion for your money at the Halal trucks than you do at most fast food locations on campus.
Not only are food trucks less expensive, but some of them are also very quick when it comes to actually making the food. They are so fast that they often don’t even have lines, which means that you can order quickly. This may not seem like a huge factor, but when you’re in a rush to get from one place to another or you have a class that starts exactly ten minutes after the one you just got out of, you don’t have time to be standing around waiting for your order.
Quality is another big one. We all know the saying don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and it’s a big mistake to judge the quality of a food truck’s food based on how it looks. However, most of them have very nice presentations and designs with menus that are very easy to read and understand at a glance. But getting back to quality, the food that is served at food trucks is tastier and very often more fresh than what you can get at locations like Chick-Fil-A, Subway or Landmark Americana. Although this may not always be the case, you can rest assured that the food at a food truck near campus is always made fresh to each order because you can visually see them making it.
The cost, speed and quality of the food are probably the most important aspects of the food trucks, but they are also extremely convenient for students when it comes to their placement on Drexel’s campus. No matter where you are on campus, you can almost always find a food truck if you walk two or three blocks in any given direction. The alley between the Main Building and the Bossone Research Enterprise Center is filled with a variety of food trucks that each serve something unique, offering students easy access to a delicious mix of foods.
I also love the community that food trucks provide to the campus. The interactions between customers and the people who run the food trucks are much more personal than the interactions customers have with cashiers or waiters at restaurants. It’s because of the consistency. People’s shifts and work hours change all the time at restaurants, which means that unless you figure out their work schedule, you probably won’t see them every time you go. With food trucks, the people who run them are always there during working hours. This consistent interaction builds a relationship between the customer and the people working at the food trucks, which adds another element that restaurants lack. You will especially notice this if you have a favorite food truck that you go to frequently over a long period of time. They will even remember your order if you have a favorite dish that you get every time. I know it seems like a small thing, but this community aspect has a major impact on customer retention that I don’t think restaurants can replicate nearly as easily.
Finally, food trucks just don’t have as much for you to be concerned about as restaurants do. Issues like food taking ridiculously long to come out, the table just behind you having extremely loud and rowdy occupants, a crying baby or some other kind of distraction that prevents you from eating in peace after a stressful class or long homework session vanish with Food Trucks. Food trucks are our best friends when it comes to getting food, so if you haven’t tried them already then you’re missing out. There’s also a food truck for everyone, so you’ll eventually stumble upon at least one that you enjoy.