From White Castle mini burgers to Pat's cheesesteaks, this year's fraternity rush open houses have it all.
In fact, the frats have so much free food this week that many students have decided there's no need to spend their own money on dinner.
Why pay for a meal when every fraternity on campus is filled with tables loaded with the very finest fast food Philly has to offer, free of charge? That seems to be the question for many boys this January.
With the start of rush season, fraternities are battling one another to recruit. Schmoozing and small talk only go so far, and since alcohol is not permitted at these events, the brothers have to find new ways to entice the boys on campus.
"They use the food to draw you in . especially the less popular frats," said Nic Rivard, a freshman in the College who attended rush events last night.
The idea of any food other than Hill french fries or Easy Mac is certainly alluring. The dining halls were empty last night as the boys headed in packs to the frat houses.
"I'm definitely more interested in getting the free food," said College freshman Jim Levine. "You go around, grab a cheesesteak, then leave."
And then it's on to the next house. Shmooze, eat, leave, repeat.
But many of these boys aren't even planning on pledging.
As he chewed on a mini cheeseburger, College freshman Sean Gallagher admitted, "I don't know if I even want to be in a frat. We'll see."
The fraternities - which typically spend thousands of dollars on rush events - say they are less than thrilled with this fast-growing trend, but understand it.
St. Elmo's tries to weed out the genuine recruits from the simple food scavengers by grilling the boys, said St. Elmo's president and College junior Ryan Jones.
"Some guys make up fake names and fake identities, fake stories about the 'freshman experience'" in order to get free food said College senior Yasmin Radjy, who is also in St. Elmo's.
"They move around in packs sometimes," Jones said. "It was a lot worse last year . there were 40 to 50 guys" who just came for the grub.
But for some fraternities, the extra crowds mean further potential for recruitment.
"We start talking to guys who would just stay for the food, invite them back to events and recruit them for the fraternity," said College junior Aaron Werner, president of Sigma Alpha Mu.
Most frats understand that boys will be boys, Werner said. "We try to provide a good time for as many people as we can."
