Source: Amber Gibson, MEATINGPLACE, 7/20/11


Researchers at food industry research firm Technomic expect the food truck trend to continue with the biggest hurdle being getting consumers to take their first bite.

According to a new study by Technomic, 91 percent of consumers polled who are familiar with food trucks say they view the trend as having staying power.

“The key for long-term success is getting the non-user to come on board,” said Technomic director Kevin Higer in a news release. Consumers generally have positive impressions of food trucks once they try a bite, but 70 percent of non-users are still hesitant to purchase food from mobile vehicles. Technomic views this as the biggest current growth challenge.

Struggles for food trucks, both in attracting new customers and fighting city regulations, such as the Chicago ordinance that prevents chefs from preparing food on trucks (all food must be prepared and pre-packaged in a commercially licensed kitchen), may be good news for quick-service restaurants.
Technomic reported that quick-service restaurants are impacted more by food trucks than traditional restaurants, with 54 percent of respondents reporting that they would have purchased from a QSR if they had not bought from a food truck.

Although loyal fans follow mobile food vehicles via social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, 61 percent of consumers find out about mobile food trucks simply by stumbling upon them.

Trucks have capitalized on this strategy by gathering multiple carts together in central locations with plenty of foot traffic, such as Chicago’s Food Truck Tuesdays in Lincoln Park and the Food Truck Food Court planned for San Diego’s upcoming Comic-Con.

Meat trends
While traveling across the country for Technomic’s report, Higer sampled food from hundreds of food trucks. He told MeatingPlace that he saw several meat trends, including the use of premium meats as in gourmet hot dogs and sausages, eggs on burgers and bacon incorporated into all kinds of dishes, including baked into waffles.

“Any type of ethnic influence seemed to play very well,” he said, citing the Asian-influenced burgers at Las Vegas food truck Fukuburger.

Nothing is preventing restaurants and chains joining in and launching their own food trucks. Jack in the Box debuted “Jack’s Munchie Mobile,” a mobile catering truck, in March. Burger chains like Carl’s Jr. and In-N-Out Burger also offer trucks for special events and catering.

Even restaurants that don’t decide to launch their own food truck would do well to learn from their mobile competitors, Higer said.

“These guys do a couple of things really, really well,” Higer said. Since food trucks tend to specialize in limited product offerings, the consumer perceives them as experts in that product category, Higer explained.

One of Hilger’s most memorable food truck meals was a “Predator and Prey” exotic sausage sandwich from Wurst Tex in Austin. He recalled the interesting combination of rattlesnake and rabbit in this particular sausage.

“Take a look at what these folks on the food trucks are doing,” he said. “By all means, swipe those flavor profiles.”

Pedestrians flock to food trucks not just for the unique culinary offerings, but also for the buzz surrounding the vehicles.

“Consumers love the whole experience,” Higer said. “The owners and operators are accessible and really excited about what they’re doing. That’s the same sort of passion you want to see from a brick and mortar QSR.”

Meaty truck examples
Some food trucks have a definite meat focus. Here are just twelve examples of the many meat-centric food truck across the country:
Meatyballs Mobile in Chicago
Haute Sausage in Chicago
Meathead Mobile in Washington D.C.
Carnivore BBQ in Washington D.C.
BBQsmith in Boston
Kogi BBQ in Los Angeles
Smokin’ Willies in Northridge, Calif.
Fukuburger in Las Vegas
The Evil Weiner in Austin, Texas
Wurst Tex  in Austin, Texas
Mexicue in New York
Souvlaki GR in New York

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