Street Kings

It was a blazing 100 degrees outside but that didn’t stop anyone. Hundreds of people showed up in the cordoned-off section of historic downtown Woodland for the city’s Food Truck Mania event in early July to relax and sample the colorful dishes offered. Local favorites BaconMania, Krush Burger, Green Papaya, and Wandering Boba, along with more than a half-dozen others vendors, lined First Street alongside some of Woodland’s finest historic buildings. Even in this small northern California town, it was quite obvious that the national food truck movement is alive and doing very well.  

The monthly event is one of many in the U.S. as the popularity of this new form of culinary presentation makes inroads into traditional restaurant dining. Increasing numbers of entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the benefits of mobile food, which are giving even fast food a run for its money.

Crowds at the Woodland Food Truck Mania

Food trucks have the option of choosing their location (most of the time, when not hampered by city regulations), allowing them to situate themselves in bustling areas with lots of foot traffic. They can park in or near special events, maximizing their chances of snagging hungry pedestrians. And they can serve more diverse demographics thanks to their mobility, including college students, office workers, and construction workers. These tactics seem to be working. According to the Food and Agriculture Administration of the United Nations, street food is eaten by almost 2.5 million people every day, a testament to its rising popularity.

Mobility is just part of the picture. Another payoff? Cheap start-up costs. It is no surprise that the modern food truck movement was born during the darkest years of the Great Recession. In 2008, the modern food truck movement was born when Roy Choi, a head chef working in upscale restaurants, opened the Kogi Korean BBQ food truck in Los Angeles. It was cheap to start and attracted similarly frugal diners, who wanted low-cost food of restaurant quality. Now a cultural icon, Kogi became the template for chefs who were laid off from their jobs during the recession. Without the funds necessary to open a traditional restaurant, they took to the streets in Choi’s footsteps, ending up across the country in mega-cities and small towns like Woodland.

The original modern food truck, Kogi Korean BBQ
Photo Credit: Cheapair

And flourish they have. At the Woodland Mania, a dozen vendors were present to offer their fill of fusion cuisine, a growing hallmark of trendy street food. Similar, and even bigger, food truck events are popping up across the country, with some seeing crowds in the thousands. One colossal festival in Tampa saw nearly 200 trucks feed 20,000 people. Previously limited to the coastal cities in which they originated, food truck events now exist all over the US, and people can’t seem to get enough of them. Indeed, from 2007 to 2012, the food truck industry grew by 8.4% and shows no signs of slowing.

The Woodland festival offers a quintessential reflection of the national trend. A carnival atmosphere pervaded the event, no doubt similar to the vibe cultivated by other food truck gatherings. People of all ages and from all walks of life were present, with seniors sitting at café tables and children playing in the blocked-off street. There was Dilly Dally the Clown, grinning for the youngsters and whipping out works of art with her collection of inflatable balloons. Across the way were the No Divas, providing live entertainment for the diners. And dominating the east end of the block was the star attraction: a row of a dozen food trucks, each with a line of people that would put a McDonald’s drive-thru to shame.

Dilly Dally the Clown

The offerings were diverse: unheard-of hamburger dishes, courtesy of Krush Burger; traditional Lao and Thai cuisine, provided by Green Papaya; everything and anything containing bacon, inspired by BaconMania; and desserts to die for, presented by The Sweet Spot, among others. It could have been the 4^th of July, and it nearly was, the event occurring only two days after Independence Day. It was food trucks putting their claim on the streets of America, and the crowds had to do nothing but enjoy the conclusion of their holiday weekend.

Delicious fare from Krush Burger

“We wanted to create a new event that would bring more people to downtown district,” says George Rowland, president of the Historic Woodland Downtown Business Association. “We felt that getting more people here—not only local residents but also visitors from around the region—would increase foot traffic in the stores and generally elevate Woodland’s profile.” The organizers got the City to agree to close off a block of First Street from Main Street, secured the trucks along with live music, and the party was on.

Woodland’s very first Mania event—on an overcast, drippy day this part March—featured just nine food trucks, but got regional TV coverage and drew more than 1,200 people, with visitors from Vacaville, Sacramento, Folsom and beyond. “The lines were pretty long, so we immediately made the decision to bring in more trucks, and that has paid off,” says Rowland. There has been a retail upside, too. Dora Martin, who owns Poppies gift shop in Woodland, definitely saw a benefit. “A woman from Vacaville told me she had seen the TV report and drove over to attend,” Martin says. “She bought some things from me that Sunday—and then she came back the next week and shopped some more.”

Customers in line for Krush Burger

Only time will tell what the future holds in store for the food truck boom. It is likely that more and more established restaurants will open food trucks as a side business. Already local favorites are going mobile, like Krush Burger at the Woodland Mania. They will continue to and increase use of social media to advertise their products and events, as well as seek out new destinations and organize more events.

However, the recent glut of food trucks has many worried about market saturation. Simply put, street food is becoming ubiquitous. This is a challenge that the modern food truck will have to solve, likely by finding ways to differentiate itself from the truck parked down the street. Many trucks are starting to offer after-hours service for private events like birthdays and weddings. Others cater to a particular clientele, such as office workers or college students. Many are heading in the direction of niche foods, like trucks devoted to vegan oreos or outlandish boba concoctions. What is certain is that no matter the challenge, the versatile food truck will find a creative solution. The worst-case scenario? It’s back to the streets, where it all began.