It’s a “new” app with a name people can’t seem to pronounce. Tapingo was released on Main Campus recently, and some students still aren’t sure what exactly it is, or how to say it correctly.
Tapingo, pronounced “tuh-PING-go,” allows individuals to look at menus for all Sodexo locations on campus and make orders right from their phones. The app, which is based out of California, was first released in 2012.
Richard Green, one of Sodexo’s general managers at Temple, said he had been talking to Tapingo about a partnership for about a year. The app has already been implemented on campuses like High Point University in North Carolina and the University of Central Florida.
“It’s a great way to beat lines,” Green said. “If you’re walking out of class and you know that you’re headed this way but you don’t want to wait in line, just put your order in and it’s ready when you get here.”
The goal of the app is to reduce lines and make buying food on Main Campus a lot simpler.
In addition to the current pick-up option, delivery will be available soon.
“They will start working on the delivery options which will start probably in the beginning of October,” Green said.
Tapingo is currently available at all “restaurant-style” Sodexo-run locations on campus including the Student Center Food Court, Cosi in Pearson-McGonigle Hall and Starbucks at the Tech Center.
“[The only delivery location] we don’t have is Stella’s Scoops, because you can’t really deliver ice cream,” Green said.
He added Tapingo will soon be reaching out to restaurant locations that are close to campus to give students more options.
Tapingo allows students to connect their OWLcards to the app, meaning they can use Diamond Dollars and meal swipes to purchase food.
“[This feature] is one of those great things that separates Tapingo from some of the other services out there,” Green said.
Not only are meal plans accepted at most Sodexo locations, but students can also customize orders with Tapingo.
Since the app’s release on Main Campus, 1,609 people have already registered and more than 100 new people register each day, Green added later in an email. An average 315 orders are made daily, and numbers are increasing. Currently, the most popular locations on-campus using the app are Starbucks, Southside Diner in Morgan, and Cosi.
“I really like how quick the whole process is,” said Kayzad Jokhi, a freshman finance major. “I’m able to use my meal swipes without having to wait in a long line. On my way back from class, I like to order and pick up food from the Morgan downstairs food court.”
Tapingo will not be available on the Ambler Campus. The app’s services will not be released in Ambler due to a lack of significant interest in that campus’ food services, Green said.
Green said he believes the introduction of Tapingo to Temple’s campus will help Sodexo renew its contract next month with the university.
“Anytime you can push the customer service satisfaction scores up, which I think Tapingo will do, is something that will help us to maintain our contract here,” Green said. “It’s something we worked on prior to the big ‘coming up.’ That’s not the only reason we did it but it will definitely help.”
“I probably won’t use the app since I don’t mind waiting in line or using technology,” said Abby Moore, a freshman early childhood education major.
Kimberly Burton can be reached at kimberly.burton@temple.edu.
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