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I've learned from my few experiences (and the Food Network) that some of the best food comes from food trucks. A food truck came to a job I worked at many years ago and that guy could make a fantastic Philly cheesesteak.
I would choose food trucks wisely though. If the truck doesn't look right, the food probably isn't either
Depends on the area as well....some have health inspections and standards to meet....other other areas..well....they aren't as strict.
My former town has a local brewery....great place, but they don't serve found (though the 2 downtown restaurants do deliver there - it's a small town)....but most weekend evenings they'd arrange for a foodtruck to be parked outside. They posted a schedule so people would know when their favorites were there. Best of both worlds.....you got to sit in a great tap room and eat/drink....the truck got built in business....and the brewery got the business of the dinner crowd, without the start up and hassles of an onsite kitchen. (And the local restaurants didn't mind...they would still deliever there even with the truck. It was no uncommon for some tables to have mixed meals....with some eating from the truck...others ordering take-out!)
Food trucks are the new craze in my town. I have eaten at a few, and have not been impressed. The cost of the food is high, same price, or higher price than the same food at a restaurant--where you can sit at a table, with a/c, and go to the bathroom, have a glass of water. So, the food trucks have less overhead, with no rent, yet the food costs the same...or more...
So, what is your take on food trucks?
While I agree to some extent that many food trucks are not that impressive taste wise. The cost of food has risen so much that many restaurants can't afford to stay open anymore.
How do you sell meals in a sit-down restaurant when your supply cost went up by 400% but the prices only went up by 10-20%
You either cheapen the product with a mass produced product or you go food truck to cut the cost down.
So I disagree that the cost is too high, the price of everything has gone up it's that we're too used to cheap food made with cheap low quality ingredients.
Ask any restaurant owner how is it going, they will tell you they won't be in business for long if this keeps going and people don't want the higher cost passed over to them.
I find then somewhat inconvenient as you generally have to stand up and eat their product on the sidewalk generally after standing in line for a long time to get it...
Their products can be tasty but they are usually overstuffed tacos that become a sloppy mess when eating them/
I prefer restaurants and leave the food trucks for the occasional hot dog or hamburger at a sporting event
Food trucks aren't "trendy" here in the New Haven area. They're pretty commonplace. Yale-New Haven Hospital has a whole area of the street that runs between buildings, pretty much dedicated to them during the lunch rush. Some of the trucks feature certain menu items found at the restaurants that own the trucks, such as Mamoun's Falafels. Sulemon makes a mean falafel pita with tahini, and I think it's his brother who runs the truck, with the same falafel recipe, same pita bread, same tahini (they make it throughout the week, fresh). Their "parent" restaurant is in Queens I think. They ship home-made halavah to New Haven from New York a couple times a week.
There are some gourmet trucks, some specialty trucks, and a few trucks that offer the usual sausage and peppers, red-hots, gyros, typical "workers' lunch" New Haven fare. And of course there are the generic Canteens, affectionately (and inaccurately) known as "roach coaches."
To address the "inconvenience" - there are two options.
1) buy only what you can eat standing up
2) do what everyone else does - take it to your office/breakroom and eat it there.
It is MORE convenient than going to the restaurant. It is LESS convenient than having the restaurant deliver to your office. On a bright, beautiful sunny spring day, it is the best of both worlds.
Food trucks on the mainland are known as Lunch Wagons in Hawaii. They aren't trendy because we have always had them here and if I'm not mistaken, even before the mainland.
The food they serve is called "plate lunches" because it is typically served on a paper plate with 2 scoops of rice, one scoop of macaroni salad and the entree which is typically hamburger steak with gravy, etc. etc. See link below.
I find then somewhat inconvenient as you generally have to stand up and eat their product on the sidewalk generally after standing in line for a long time to get it...
Their products can be tasty but they are usually overstuffed tacos that become a sloppy mess when eating them/
I prefer restaurants and leave the food trucks for the occasional hot dog or hamburger at a sporting event
Most trucks around here park where there are plenty of outdoor seating or places to eat....and while there are a few taco trucks....the vast majority are not.
I think the only thing this thread has shown is that food trucks vary greatly by area.
My take on Food Trucks is that they offer a great dishes without having to travel to a restaurant.
Also most Food Trucks try and source local which helps local farmers and allows you to eat better healthier food because of the locally sourced goods. However not all Food trucks are healthy and source locally.
So I would suggest supporting the one's who source local and are trying to support local food movements.
One way I find quality Food Trucks in my area is Agrilicious.org, this website lists good food trucks who source locally. I would suggest checking it out today and find yourself a delicious meal that has been sourced locally.
They're like taking the "hole in the wall" restaurants to a new level. I love them when I get the chance. Usually cheaper and often have international foods I don't make at home. Fun to grab-n-go and then go sit or park somewhere beautiful.
In most states:
every truck needs a health permit to operate
needs to be approved by inspectors in the county’s Vehicle Inspection Program
the health department also requires that there is a certified food handler on staff
seller’s permit (for sales tax)
business tax license for the city or cities to operate in
there are rules and regulations involving parking
if a truck is parked for longer than one hour, they must have permission to use an appropriate restroom that’s within 200 feet
have to follow parking rules as stated on the street signs (and pay the meters)
some cities set a limit minutes in one location
they get inspected by health departments and issued letter grades just like brick-and-mortar restaurants
at the end of each working day, the trucks are required to go to approved commissary facilities to undergo thorough cleansing before hitting the road again
the owners are required to register their vehicles with the Health Department
all vehicles must have a valid County Health Permit
state laws also require catering truck insurance
And don't forget: modern food trucks aren’t school busses or RVs converted in someone’s backyard. These trucks feature steam tables, refrigerators, freezers, diamond-plated flooring, stainless steel walls and stoves, and many contemporary kitchen features.
It's spring now and food trucks seem to be popping up in the cooler climates of the country; while they are year round in other areas.
I really elnina's post above. Our local paper always highlights the health inspection scores of the local food trucks. There is even a little food truck park downtown.
What are the favorite food trucks where you live?
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Lunch Wagons in Hawaii
