Imagine sitting in class, energy waning, stomach growling, mind wandering and wondering, ‘What’s for lunch?’ Sound familiar? That nagging hunger is a distraction that has plagued even the best student during the most crucial lectures.
Richie’s Deli and Pizza, at the North 12th Street Food Pad in front of Anderson Hall, has served the Temple community for 30 years.
Known as Richie’s, the on-campus cuisine phenomena satisfies the appetites of many faculty, staff and students with attention to personal service.
Richie’s opened 1965 as a hot dog stand on 13th Street. Ten years later Richie’s expanded to a lunch truck and shortly thereafter, moved to the site where Tuttleman Learning Center is currently located. In 1996 the business relocated to its present site on 12th Street at Temple’s “wall of food,” as it is commonly referred to by many Temple students and faculty.
Today the business operates under the management of Richie Jr., the third generation to run the family business. Richie Jr. literally grew up on campus, watching his father work and learning how to set himself apart in the food service business.
Richie said he learned the importance of always aiming to please the customer from his father.
For example, he learns the names and favorite dishes of his regulars. The secret to success lies in “knowing and catering to the preferences of the customer,” he said.
The personal appeal of Richie’s Deli is apparent-Richie always greets his customers with a hello and a smile – and, as Richie agrees, it certainly keeps customers returning. The menu has more than 100 selections ranging from steaks, wraps and salads to a la carte items like bagels and hash browns.
The diverse menu attracts many students to the spot, not to mention the deli is a very pocket-friendly choice. Prices for Richie’s generous portions go from $1 bagels to large Greek salads for $5.50. Plus, Richie’s takes Diamond Dollars.
Richie doesn’t have a favorite on the menu. “Everything is good!” he said.
Richie’s is known by many for its breakfast sandwiches served on a Kaiser roll with Richie’s coffee, but lunch and dinner selections are just as tasty. The hoagies, steaks and cheeseburgers are certainly among the best on campus.
Strolling past “The wall of food” on a typical afternoon, you’ll notice that Richie’s is always bustling with steady traffic of hungry patrons-and with good reason. Ordering delicious food at reasonable prices from Richie’s Deli is an efficient, economical and taste bud-pleasing choice. Richie’s celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and Richie Jr. plans to carry on his father’s legacy. He said that “he strives to be as successful as his father.”
Erin Bloom can be reached at ecbloom@temple.edu.
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