I first saw food trucks on the streets of Manhattan. They were usually parked near dumpsters, swarming with flies. I wondered, who would eat food from a ‘roach coach’?
Apparently, everyone.
Food trucks have become wildly popular across the nation, a must-have for young, hipster-foodies on a limited budget. ____ And those beat-up wagons have totally disrupted the quick-serve industry.
The tipping point came when Kogi‘s Taco trucks hit the streets of Los Angeles. As people were tiring of frozen beef discs, scores of funky mobile kitchens sprung up in local neighborhoods. Their hand-crafted, ethnic foods reflected America’s diversity.
Here’s My Take. It’s remarkable how food trucks elbowed their way to legitimacy without any marketing or advertising. No ads, no hype, no fake slogans.
All they have is great food…and basic social media skills.
Food truck drivers tweet alerts when they’re headed to the beach or after-hours clubs. Legions of passionate, hungry fans follow and become evangelists for their favorites. Now, food trucks are a social thing, like a roving party. And the buzz reverberates.
So, what’s next?
Chain restaurants must be getting their clocks cleaned. They’re parked in dying mall lots while food trucks go where the action is.
How long before joints like PF Chang, Olive Garden and Pizza Hut get in the food truck game? Hey! If you can’t drive to our place, we’ll come to you!
What if they deployed fleets of branded food trucks and sold the most popular items from the restaurant. Add modern kitchens, a few chairs and a water station. Maybe a spot for street musicians.
Some credit food truck chefs as the new culinary masters. Chocolate covered bacon anyone?
