Penn State Students Hold Vigil for Closed Taco Bell

Students bade farewell to the Taco Bell a 310 E. College Ave. on Sunday night, as dozens turned out to a vigil outside the Mexican-American fast food restaurant’s former location, which closed last week.

Led by organizer Prajesh Patel, who sported a taco costume and eulogized the cheap drunk food hotspot, the crowd of 50+ students sang the Penn State Alma Mater and “Amazing Grace,” had a moment of silence and placed candles in front of the building.

“I am going to miss the taste of that crunchy taco and chicken chalupa,” Patel said. “But what I’m going to miss even more is those late-night conversations I had with each and every one of you.”

While addressing the crowd, Patel said the vigil had started out as a meme, but he was happy so many people actually came out. The vigil, which began as a Facebook event the day Taco Bell officially closed, had more than 700 RSVPs by Sunday night.

Members of the Legion of Blue Penn State men’s basketball student section were on hand selling tickets to Penn State men’s basketball’s game against Michigan State on Wednesday and throwing t-shirts in the crowd. A university emergency medical services vehicle was also present, playing “In the Arms of an Angel” on its speaker.

The event even gained traction on social media, as it was a trending US News topic on Twitter.

Taco Bell has locations at 397 Benner Pike and 100 Rolling Ridge Drive, and another under construction at 1909 N. Atherton St., but the College Avenue location was the only one in downtown State College and within walking distance to the University Park campus.