The popular food trucks have been offering mobile higher-end meals around town for a few years now, and their popularity only seems to be on the rise.
In Midtown, at any given lunchtime, a steady lineup of at least 10 people accompanies each truck. The food trucks generally stay in one area for a few hours, but they generally change their locations from day to day.
The long line and colorful signage on the popular truck called 'Rickshaw Dumplings,' parked at 45th Street and Sixth Avenue with the graphic slogan ‘Totally Rad’ on the side attracted me to see what all the fuss was about. Two young workers greeted me in a friendly fashion as they served my order of six chicken dumplings in a well designed package. The dumplings, though very delicious, were a little pricy for their small size. The workers’ emphasis on quick and friendly customer service paired with a light delicious meal made dining at the food truck a great experience, and it seemed to reduce the stress of the lunchtime hunt. I was onto the next line at the Treats Truck, parked a few steps away. The Treats Truck specializes in freshly baked homemade desserts, including delicious brownies and cupcakes.
I found this to be the general experience as I sampled a number of different food trucks offering varied cuisines, friendly service, and delicious food. True, these gourmet trucks are pricier than your average food stand, however the food is generally tastier and the experience is better. Lunchtime enthusiasts get excited about trying out the new cuisines as the different trucks roll in.
The Twitter Phenomena
With the rise in popularity of social media, the food trucks have jumped on the bandwagon and are changing locations with ease, while keeping their customers up to date. Almost every one of the food trucks has its own twitter account with thousands of fans following their every move, eagerly awaiting to hear the day’s specials, and where the truck will be that day.
The food trucks are taking advantage of twitter as a free marketing tool, and are distinguishing themselves from the rest by posting different fun slogans and other promotions in hopes of attracting more customers and getting them excited about lunchtime.
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