Local food truck operators are just as happy as health-conscious students about the new Pottruck Health and Fitness Center's opening, which has allowed them to reclaim highly visible vendor spots.
Last year, while Gimbel Gymnasium was under construction, the food trucks were displaced from the 37th and Walnut streets locale to less-trafficked 3700 block of Sansom Street, located by the back entrance of the gym.
Yesterday the trucks moved from Sansom to the outdoor space in front of the Pottruck center.
The food trucks are located directly in front of the glass windows of the Pottruck center's first-floor cardiovascular room.
"I think it's pretty funny that people are in [the gym] running and starving and have to watch us get food," College and Engineering senior Alan Rotenberg said.
Surjiad Singz, the owner of the Indian Food Truck, said he did not notice a change in business yesterday from his former location.
He said that he had fewer than 50 customers yesterday, yet he remains hopeful that his new location will be successful.
"I think now that people see me more, I will get more [clients]," Singz said.
Kim's Chinese Food has noticed a change, though.
"We have had more than 270 people today and expect more, now that they know we are here," food truck employee Rain Gao said.
Both Singz and Gao said they were happy to return to their former position.
Students' reactions to the recent move were, for the most part, positive -- they were pleased to see a return to the norm.
"This is where they've always been... and where it should be," Engineering graduate student Larry Lin said of the trucks.
"This is the way it used to be... I am happy to see the [food trucks] back," Wharton senior Nina Song said.
The area around the two trucks is also now surrounded by potted flowers and wire tables and chairs, an improvement from the Gimbel days.
"I love the tables here... it's really nice," College senior Jeannie Suh said.
Although the owners of the food trucks did not express concern about students finding their new location, Song admitted she had trouble finding Kim's Chinese Food.
"We were a little worried at first, but we were happy to find them here -- it's much nicer," Song said.
Other students are not as excited, though.
"It really makes no difference. I actually lived closer [to the food trucks] before," Rotenberg said, adding, "But we'll come here no matter what."
