The Boston University community will be able dine at another fast-food franchise on campus this semester. A new Chick-fil-A food truck will now make stops on Commonwealth Avenue.
The brightly-painted red Chick-fil-A truck will park in front of the College of Communication every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the duration of this semester.
A spokesperson for Chick-fil-A wrote in an email the franchise is operating food trucks at BU and other locations instead of opening a typical brick-and-mortar restaurant because of health concerns.
“Some Chick-fil-A restaurants offer temporary, off-site pop-up locations to customers via Chick-fil-A Food Trucks,” the spokesperson wrote, “which allow them to safely and conveniently serve our customers.”
The spokesperson added that the goal for each truck is to provide dining experiences “beyond the four walls” of their restaurants.
The food truck, which has visited 604 Commonwealth Ave. since Jan. 6, is based from Westborough — roughly 31 miles from the Charles River Campus. Although the truck doesn’t offer a complete Chick-fil-A menu, customers can buy chicken sandwiches and nuggets, salads, wraps, cookies, brownies, sweet tea, lemonade and the restaurant’s signature waffle fries.
While new to campus, the food truck has already garnered popularity. COM senior Anna Pham has visited the truck and said she has a personal connection with the chain restaurant.
“For me, I think Chick-fil-A is a place of sentimental value,” Pham said. “I used to go there with my friends back home a lot and it was good cheap food.”
In addition to the food itself, Pham said the truck’s convenience is one reason for its success among students.
“Students like efficiency,” she said. “On their way to class, they can just quickly pick it up.”
The truck often has a long line of customers, Pham said, but the wait is worthwhile.
“It’s comforting and it’s a different style of food than you see anywhere around campus,” Pham said, “and so maybe that’s why there’s such a long line.”
Alex Theon, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he preferred waiting on Chick-fil-A’s food instead of eating at the nearby Warren Towers Dining Hall.
“The dining options are decent but sometimes you want to take a break from what’s the usual,” Theon said. “There’s no real Chick-fil-A store around here, it’s out in the suburbs. It’s good chicken.”
Although Chick-fil-A now joins an increasingly competitive fast-food market on campus — including a Taco Bell Cantina that opened in West Campus in November — CAS sophomore Maysen Pagan said she believes Chick-fil-A is unique because of its popularity.
“I don’t see these lines for Taco Bell,” Pagan said. “I honestly don’t eat at the other fast food places.”
While the food truck is a recent addition to BU, she said she hopes Chick-fil-A’s presence on campus will continue well into the future.
“I hope it stays longer than four months,” Pagan said, “and goes on to next semester too.”
Disappointed that this article leaves out any criticism of this very controversial restaurant. Just a few years ago the chain was banned from Boston by the Mayor. Would have liked to see some people opposed to the addition represented, particularly a LGBT student organization leader, just so that readers can hear from them as well.
It’s a food truck. It’s not that deep. Move on.
Chik-fil-A for the win.
Please let them know that they are unwelcome on campus. The company is rabidly anti-gay.
Chick fil A has stopped supporting any anti-LGBTQA+ funds actually. Now you’re just hating on good chicken. I’ll be where the fries and bis are, so bring more chicken!