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I mean, to be snarky - > What's more American than the entrepreneurial spirit which drives self-owned & operated businesses like this? Clearly, lobbying the g

I mean, to be snarky - > What's more American than the entrepreneurial spirit which drives self-owned & operated businesses like this? Clearly, lobbying the government to make your competitors illegal. /snark It's super cool that a guy with a basket turned into night lunch wagons turned into diners. It's also then pretty interesting that it took nearly a century for a comeback. (Not that roach coaches haven't been a thing, but, food trucks took it to another level). Any indications for the intervening slump?

mc32 8y ago
I think roach coaches were are a thing in “working clasd districs” where all you could afford is a cheap pop and prepackaged meals (burgers, knishes, burritoes, pizza, etc.). Food Trucks are glorified roach coached which charge a premium and serve mostly office workers who have more discretionary spending and sometimes more demanding palates. Admittedly, things are going “upscale”,
- RangerScience 8y ago
  Roach coaches are also mostly ethnic food (and, at least in my experience, that ethnicity is Mexican), and aren't decorated. Food trucks tend to be "new" food (fusions, for example) and decorated... and also all the things you said :)
GW150914 8y ago
I think the broadening palette and recovering from WWII and processed food had a lot to do with it. You can only make so many things in a truck, but if you’re able to draw from worldwide traditions it represents real variety. Everything from ramen to falafel is doable and delicious in a car or truck, but for a long time Americans weren’t interested in it. Americans seemed to be satisfied with dirty water hot dogs, re-warmed pizza, and things like pretzels. They also weren’t about to spend a serious wad of money for more upscale versions. Braden tastes, the foodie culture, the idea that even if you just want a hot dog there are good ones to be had for a bit more money changed things, but it took decades. You can chart a similar peak-trough-peak in bread in America actually. It used to be nice stuff, then post-war it was mass produced, pre-sliced crap for decades, and now... it’s back to some version of fresh. WWII didn’t have quite the impact on the American palette that it did on the Brits, but it did have an impact, as did modern “convenience” food.
- bobthepanda 8y ago
  IMO the bigger issue was the massive, government-funded suburbanization of America. Food trucks work best in a scenario where people need to walk to get food, and driving to another food establishment; when everyone with money is leaving the big city and spreading out over miles and miles, this business model with small/no seating doesn't really work. This business model never really died in, say, New York, where there has always been enough constant foot traffic. Postwar, people were also much more about modernity and convenience. The drive thru is new, modern and sanitary, and you can drive right up; the food truck is for the poors, is in the dirty city, and you need to find a parking space. But today suburbs are culturally deadening and cities are the hip place to be. We've had a flight back to the cities for a while; this coincides with more food truck uptake.
- wool_gather 8y ago
  > You can only make so many things in a truck It doesn't detract from your larger point, but just a note: food trucks are (at least in the places I've known) required to do most of their prep in a fixed location. It has to be an inspected and commercially licensed kitchen; generally there are shared places that several small-scale food vendors will lease space in.

mc32 8y ago

I think roach coaches were are a thing in “working clasd districs” where all you could afford is a cheap pop and prepackaged meals (burgers, knishes, burritoes, pizza, etc.). Food Trucks are glorified roach coached which charge a premium and serve mostly office workers who have more discretionary spending and sometimes more demanding palates. Admittedly, things are going “upscale”,

RangerScience 8y ago
Roach coaches are also mostly ethnic food (and, at least in my experience, that ethnicity is Mexican), and aren't decorated. Food trucks tend to be "new" food (fusions, for example) and decorated... and also all the things you said :)

GW150914 8y ago

I think the broadening palette and recovering from WWII and processed food had a lot to do with it. You can only make so many things in a truck, but if you’re able to draw from worldwide traditions it represents real variety. Everything from ramen to falafel is doable and delicious in a car or truck, but for a long time Americans weren’t interested in it. Americans seemed to be satisfied with dirty water hot dogs, re-warmed pizza, and things like pretzels. They also weren’t about to spend a serious wad of money for more upscale versions. Braden tastes, the foodie culture, the idea that even if you just want a hot dog there are good ones to be had for a bit more money changed things, but it took decades. You can chart a similar peak-trough-peak in bread in America actually. It used to be nice stuff, then post-war it was mass produced, pre-sliced crap for decades, and now... it’s back to some version of fresh. WWII didn’t have quite the impact on the American palette that it did on the Brits, but it did have an impact, as did modern “convenience” food.

bobthepanda 8y ago
IMO the bigger issue was the massive, government-funded suburbanization of America. Food trucks work best in a scenario where people need to walk to get food, and driving to another food establishment; when everyone with money is leaving the big city and spreading out over miles and miles, this business model with small/no seating doesn't really work. This business model never really died in, say, New York, where there has always been enough constant foot traffic. Postwar, people were also much more about modernity and convenience. The drive thru is new, modern and sanitary, and you can drive right up; the food truck is for the poors, is in the dirty city, and you need to find a parking space. But today suburbs are culturally deadening and cities are the hip place to be. We've had a flight back to the cities for a while; this coincides with more food truck uptake.
wool_gather 8y ago
> You can only make so many things in a truck It doesn't detract from your larger point, but just a note: food trucks are (at least in the places I've known) required to do most of their prep in a fixed location. It has to be an inspected and commercially licensed kitchen; generally there are shared places that several small-scale food vendors will lease space in.