Top 5 Philadelphia College Campuses with Awesome Food Trucks

One of the most important factors in the success of your food truck is location, location, location. So make sure you do some research on the best places in your area for setting up a food truck. College campuses are a very popular spot because students are coming and going all day and night and are always usually looking for a bite to eat. And don’t forget the faculty and other staff too as well as any visitors on campus.One of the most important factors in the success of your food truck is location, location, location. So make sure you do some research on the best places in your area for setting up a food truck.

College campuses are a very popular spot because students are coming and going all day and night and are always usually looking for a bite to eat. And don’t forget the faculty and other staff too as well as any visitors on campus.Here are the top 5 Philadelphia college campuses with awesome food trucks.

Temple University

Located in North Philadelphia, Temple University is home to some of the top food trucks in the city. About 50 vendors are typically open for business either around 13th Street and Montgomery Avenue or 13th and Norris Streets.  Here is just a taste of what you can find:

Mountain Pizza – At this food truck students, staff and any passersby can indulge in some comfort food like pizza, cheesesteaks, meatball subs and wraps.

Mexican Grill Stand – For those looking for something a little more caliente, this food truck offers fish tacos with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and burritos with spicy chorizo and rice and beans.

Jamaican D’s – This popular food truck serves up jerk chicken, curry goat and beef patties and plantains.

Halal Kebab King – Customers line up for Halal Kebab King’s lamb and chicken over rice. They also offer fresh salads filled with protein.

Vegan Tree – For when you are in the mood for more Asian-styled vegan dishes, Vegan Tree has what you are looking for including hot pot entrée, vegan burgers, noodle soups and even sandwiches.

Drexel University

The University City neighborhood in West Philadelphia got its name because of the presence of two big academic institutions, Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania. It is also a hub for medicine and scientific research so it is always bustling with students, scientists and doctors.Drexel University located at 31st and Market Streets is also known for having good eats. Here is just a taste of what you can find:

Memo’s Lunch Truck – Hungry, but not sure what you are in the mood for? Memo’s Lunch Truck offers everything from falafel to steak sandwiches.

La Dominique’s Creperie – This food truck will satisfy your sweet tooth with its delicious crepes.

Pete’s Little Lunch Box – If you are looking for quick, but delicious typical American fare, Pete’s is where you want to stop.

University of Pennsylvania

Also in University City around 34th and 36th Streets and Walnut and Spruce Streets, the University of Pennsylvania’s campus is also teeming with food truck choices. Here are just a few:

Troy Mediterranean – This food truck offers top Mediterranean dishes like beef kebabs and a variety of proteins over rice or in a wrap. They make their own special sauces as well.

Magic Carpet – This food truck is known for its world vegetarian cuisine and is a great choice for passersby who are looking for healthier fare that is still quick and delicious.

Dulett’s Jamaica Wings – Craving from Jamaican wings? You’ve come to the right spot.

Hemo’s – This food truck serves sandwiches and typical American fare.

Community College of Philadelphia

The North Philadelphia main campus of the Community College of Philadelphia is another good location for food trucks. Located at 17th and Spring Garden, the main campus draws a lot of foot traffic from students, teachers and local residents. Here are some of the food trucks that hang out nearby:

La Marqueza Food Truck – In the mood for some Mexican, but no time to sit down in a restaurant? Some grub from La Marqueza’s will satisfy your craving.

Jamaican D’s – This food truck can be found at Community College of Philadelphia as well as Temple University catering to the hungry student crowds.

La Salle University

Even La Salle University in Olney is slowly growing a food truck presence. While there is not as much variety as there is at Temple University or in University City, La Salle students and staff and local residents can get quick, tasty meals from food trucks like:

Ma Dook’s Soul Food – A food truck known for its old-fashioned, home-cooked Soul Food, including fresh salmon with cheese and cabbage.

The Lunch Trunk – This La Salle staple serves breakfast sandwiches as well as meatball subs, steak sandwiches and sausage for lunch. It is a go-to for La Salle students when they are tired of cafeteria food.

Establishing yourself on a college campus makes good business and can create a lot of revenue for you as well as expand your brand, but there are a few things you need to consider before getting started. Like with all locations, there are certain licenses and permits as well as other regulations that apply and it might vary from campus to campus so make sure you understand all that is expected of you. Also, keep in mind that there is often a waiting list especially for the more popular campuses and so it might be a while before you can get one of these choice locations.

When deciding on which colleges to apply to, look at what type of vendors they already have and what locations on campus are still available. Why jump through a bunch of hoops for a location that ends up not being lucrative for you at all? Try chatting up some of the food truck owners already on campus to get a feel of some of the pros and cons of the location. They can help you get a better sense of if it is a right move for your particular food truck business.

With so many hungry college students looking for brain food during the day or after a long night of studying at the library, or craving grease at 2 a.m. after a night of partying, college campuses are a great place for food trucks. Luckily, Philadelphia is a college town so there are plenty of places in the city where you can capitalize on the college crowd. As with everything though, make sure you do your homework first.

Contact Zac’s today to learn about our awesome Burger Food Truck (the Zac’s Burger Bus) partner opportunities.

Zacs Food Truck

Zac's Burgers is presently not selling franchises and does not have a certified franchise disclosure document.  Zac's is offering licensing opportunities, however, potential licensees must meet all federal and state requirements.

One response to “Top 5 Philadelphia College Campuses with Awesome Food Trucks”

  1. Terrance says:

    Interested in finding more information about the license program

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