By Alex Browning  |  Gainesville Regional Airport
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Food trucks have been all the rage for a few years now.
But could they actually replacing some “brick and mortar”restaurants?
“Order up,” a worker shouted out of the window of Bubba Luigi’s Roadtrip.
It’s a family affair for one of the carts at the First Friday Food Truck rally.
“Our bottom line is we cook good food,” explains Tyler Benson.
He says the focus at Bubba Luigi’s is good, quality food.
“We decided to do Italian food and southern food and mash them together in fun ways.”
Sloppy Joe nachos, lasagna soup and fried ravioli are all on the menus.
“Whatever ideas come to us…we just run with it.”
It’s these unique combinations that fuel the creativity within the walls of this mobile kitchen.
“People walk by our truck, see our menu and they stop. And they look again… Oh my gosh they have fried ravioli.”
And it’s precisely that “aha moment” Tyler and his family are looking to see.
“It’s something they haven’t seen before, they haven’t had before. That’s what we want – ‘I haven’t had that I want to.”
A common ingredient you’ll find down the line.
Scott Snyder opened Papa Pineapples after a failed pizza restaurant.
“The biggest thing I do is try to find something that’s different.”
According to Forbes magazine, annual food truck revenue reached $1.2 billion in 2015.
“A lower overhead, the ability to move around to new or different areas,” Snyder says is reasons why he switched. “And the fact that I could do it on my spare time with another job included.”
Entertainment and a variety that some says brings them flocking.
“Eating food out of a truck – that in itself – is very entertaining.”
“A lot of the food trucks offer really like new and interesting types of food…figured it be a good time to try.”
Whether it’s southern, Italian or a fusion of different ingredients…food truckers are searching to satisfy those unique appetites.
“Be adventurous, if there’s something on someone’s menu that is kind of weird. Give it a try.”
A bite, some say, that could change the way you look at food.
http://www.wcjb.com/local-news/2016/03/food-trucks-replace-brick-mortar-restaurants
