If you've been a student at Temple University for even a few weeks you undoubtedly have a favorite (and least favorite) place to eat on campus. Each of the dining options at Temple caters to a specific group of students depending on its location on campus, food options, overall atmosphere and dining experience. Eventually the dining options not only foster a place to eat but also a social scene for many different types of students.
J&H
As one of the first places you'll visit at Accepted Students Day at Temple University, the Louis J. Esposito Dining Hall, more commonly known to Temple students as J&H, offers a wide variety of exactly what you think you’d be eating at college: pizza, hot dogs, French fries and ice cream. If you’re eating at J&H you’re most likely a freshman living in the attached residence hall and its convenient, an athlete craving the all-you-can-eat setup knowing you’ll work off the calories at practice, a frat boy who lives across Broad Street or you’re just hungover on a Sunday morning and getting brunch.
Morgan Hall: Upstairs
Morgan Hall is the newest residence hall on campus and is also home to two dining options, the first being the upstairs area. Morgan Upstairs is a newer version of J&H and the closest thing you’ll get to a home-cooked meal at a dining hall at Temple, with options like grilled and rotisserie chicken, potatoes and steamed vegetables that you’ll actually want to eat. If you’re eating at Morgan Upstairs you either live in Morgan but miss the all-you-can-eat feel of J&H, you’re trying to find a healthier option at a dining hall or you’re craving Chipotle but have to use a meal swipe and settle for Sazón de México.
Morgan Hall: Downstairs
The other dining option at Morgan Hall is located right underneath Morgan Upstairs. The downstairs of Morgan offers food court style dining options with places like Tony Luke’s Cheesesteaks, the Mongolian Grill, Pleasant News Café and a Diner. The downstairs of Morgan Hall is the best way to "Treat Yo’ Self" as far as Temple-affiliated dining goes. If you’re eating at Morgan Downstairs you are a very patient human being who is willing to stand in the long lines and you prefer your food to be made in front of you as opposed to sitting out in a heated tray.
Così
Located on Broad Street, Cosi offers sandwiches, soups and salads and is often compared to Panera Bread (but it’s not as good, ask any Temple student). At Temple, Cosi largely caters to the lunch crowd, with lines stretching outside of it at any time from noon to 3 p.m. If you’re eating at Cosi you’re most likely loaded with diamond dollars, as many of their meals go over the allotted $8.35 meal equivalency rates. Cosi caters to low-budget college lunch dates with a significant other as well as those people who go solely for the bread (guilty as charged).
The SAC
The Howard Gittis Student Center, otherwise known as the SAC, provides Temple students with a hub for activities, retail options, and another place to eat on campus. The SAC provides a quick meal for the busy schedule of a college kid, with options like salads in to-go containers, fruit cups, and sushi prepackaged with soy sauce and chopsticks. If you’re eating at the SAC you’re most likely always on-the-go, grabbing food in between classes or you're a sorority girl getting a quick dinner before your meeting upstairs.
Food Trucks
If you don’t want to buy a meal plan, you have the food truck option. There are so many different food trucks that Temple students have access to, ranging from pizza to crepes to salads and almost everything in between. If you're constantly eating at a food truck you have adventurous tastes, an endless flow of cash (since the trucks don't accept meal plans or diamond dollars) and a lack of dependence on Temple University to supply you with meals.
