At 8 p.m. on a school night, the line of bleary-eyed, sweatshirt-clad students waiting to order comfort food—think grilled cheeses and hot chocolates—stretches past comfy couches, colorful lamps, and walls covered in student art. It’s opening hour at On Call Café, and already there are more bodies than available seat cushions.
VIBE QUEEN: Klein. Photo: Kailani Webb, ’27
In April 2023, a trio of students looking to establish a community-focused late-night gathering space began hosting pop-ups at central campus locations—the post office, the Haas Center for Public Service. Students poured in, and the founders started negotiating for seed funding and a dedicated location. A year later, the café began serving up warm drinks and vibes, Monday through Thursday till midnight, from its new home in Old Union.
“Our goal is to be Stanford’s living room, a place to relax and be at home,” says co-founder Peyton Klein, ’25, who, like On Call’s other leaders, volunteers her time (they pay their 40-odd student baristas). “People go on dates here. Clubs meet here. It’s a special space on campus.”
Tracie White is a senior writer at Stanford. Email her at traciew@stanford.edu.
