After several months at their new home on Samson Street, the popular food trucks once found next to Gimbel Gymnasium -- and often found with 30-minute lines -- are now worrying about losing customers.
At the end of June, University officials moved the vendors, who operated in the fresh air food plaza formerly next to Gimbel, to prepare for the current construction of the $24 million Pottruck Fitness Center.
While the new location on Sansom, behind the gym near 38th Street, is technically only half a block from the old spot, both vendors and students say they are unhappy.
"Everybody's telling me, `It's too far away,'" La Petite Creperie owner Andreas Andoniadis said. "People, they can't reach it. It makes their lives more difficult."
Many students also feel that the new location, somewhat off the beaten trail of student traffic up and down Walnut Street, is an inconvenience.
"It's hard to access," College senior Hanaan Marwah said, pointing out that there was no easily visible route to the crepe truck.
"It's kind of far away," College junior Christina Yoo added.
Bill Zacharators, manager of the La Petite Creperie, which used to attract hundreds of students, staff and faculty during the lunchtime rush, agreed with the many student complaints he has received.
"Believe it or not, this little walk around the block makes a difference to the students," Zacharatos said. The University "put signs up. I don't think anybody really pays attention to them though."
Bento Box owner Timmy Nguyen agreed that the distance and decreased visibility is cutting into his business.
"It takes an extra five or 10 minutes to get here," Nguyen said, estimating that business has dropped about 25 percent so far.
Zacharatos said the crepe truck used to get a couple hundred customers a day, whereas they now only get about 60 to 100.
"I think it's a combination of things," Zacharatos said. "It's hard to find, secondly, it's a long walk and it takes more time out of [people's] day, and also it's a more condensed area around here."
"We're not doing badly, but we could do better," Andoniadis added.
And with the new location on Sansom Street, all food truck owners shared in the concern that many students might not realize where the trucks are located.
"Here, it's a bit slow," said Ali Mussa, owner of Ali Baba Magic Food Prince of Falafel. "Nobody sees us."
"I think a lot of people don't know about it," Second-year psychology graduate student Wendy Lichtenthal said. "I actually really haven't come as much."
University officials have not yet disclosed to food truck owners where they will be located once the construction is complete.
"That's up to the University, you never know what they want to do," said Zacharatos. "They said that we're going to move back, but you hear rumors all the time."
However, Andoniadis maintained that they were on good terms with the University, relating a story of how University President Judith Rodin gave him the Gimbel location three years ago.
"I asked her for help, and she gives it to me right away," Andoniadis said. "She's more human, let's put it that way."
Despite the lower customer turnout these days, food truck operators remain optimistic.
"We're doing OK," Zacharatos said. "We'll be here to stay."
