Week 9 came out of nowhere this term, as it often does. Because students are busy struggling with final project to do lists and have inevitably run out of any dining dollars for the term, we’ve put together a list of some cheap lunch eats around Drexel's University City Main Campus.
Lunch TrucksLunch Trucks With more than a dozen lunch trucks in a few-block radius, it’s expected that many students will take advantage of their low-priced menu offerings. “l find that the best places to get a cheap lunch are the lunch trucks around campus, specifically Pete's Little Lunch Box, because everything on the menu is tasty and filling, most items are under $5, and you don’t have to go out of your way to find them,” says Blake Bostick, a LeBow College of Business junior. Honest Tom's lunch truck features just two or three items of Mexican fare. Vegetarian tacos are $2 each and meat tacos are $3.50 (or $6 for 2). And La Dominique Creperie features both sweet and savory crepes ranging from $5 to 7. In 2011, USA Today recently named the crepe truck to its list of top 10 in the country. "They're convenient, they're not too expensive and I can sneak in a quick sandwich between classes," said Meaghan Donchak, a senior communication major.
Local Restaurants
Some local restaurants also sport lunch specials. Mikey’s Bar and Grill on 32nd and Chestnut has half-priced food for students from 2 to 4pm. If you’re in the mood for Asian cuisine, Sang Kee Noodle House on 35th and Chestnut and Ajia on 31st and Walnut have lunch specials for under $10 that include four dishes. The real secret at Ajia is the $23.95 all-you-can-eat, made-to-order sushi dinner if you’re looking to skip lunch and go the extra mile for dinner. If you’re in the mood for Indian food, New Delhi on 4004 Chestnut Street has an all you can eat buffet for $8.95.
“Super Deli at 34th and Hamilton is great. I learned about it from one of my old coworkers. It’s been around forever, but not too many students know about it,” says Kyle Earthman, a senior engineering major. Super Deli long-roll hoagies run about $6.
Drexel also has their student-run restaurant, Academic Bistro, which features a changing menu every Tuesday and Thursday. While the cost is $12, slightly over budget for some, the four-course lunch includes dessert and ice tea will leave you full and satisfied. Students can now make reservations on the Open Table app. (Click on the image to the right for a larger view.)
Delivery
Whether you’re quarantined in the library or looking to finish a to-do list at home, there is a variety of student lunch specials for delivery. China House at 306 S. 52nd Street has a student special menu section where students can order an entrée and side or drink for $5.95. If you’re in the middle of a group study session, join up with a friend and order two medium one-topping pizzas from Papa Johns at 104 South 40th Street for $11. Check out campusfood.com menus of more than 95 restaurants near Drexel.
If you find other student specials around campus and want to share, tweet us at @DrexelNow and share your findings.
--Stephanie Takach, University Communications