c/food-truck-fans

Appreciation post: I just hit my 100th different food truck

I mean, I started keeping a list on my phone as a joke maybe three years ago, just to remember which ones were good. But last weekend at the Portland Night Market, I got a Korean corn dog from a truck called 'Seoul Dogs' and realized it was number 100. It kind of blew my mind because I never set out to do that, it just happened from chasing lunch around construction sites and hitting up weekend markets. The funny part is, my list has some wild notes, like 'taco guy who gave me free horchata after I dropped my first one' or 'the grilled cheese truck with the owner's pug in a little bandana'. It matters because it's this weird little record of my city and all the small spots that come and go. Has anyone else hit a weird number like that without even trying?

Question about a food truck line hack that actually worked

I was stuck in a 45 minute line for the famous 'Smoke Show BBQ' truck at the downtown festival last Saturday, and I was about to give up. Then I noticed they had a separate, much shorter line just for people ordering their brisket sandwich, which was all I wanted anyway. Has anyone else found a truck that does this, or was it just a lucky one-off thing?

Overheard a guy at the 'Big City Bites' truck say he'd driven 20 miles for their bulgogi fries. Tried them. He was right.

Spent $45 on a 'loaded' taco plate that was mostly shredded lettuce

I hit up this new truck called 'El Torito Bravo' at the downtown festival last weekend. The menu board had a picture of these huge tacos piled with carne asada, guac, pico, and cheese. I ordered the 'Grande Plate' for $45, thinking it would feed my family of four. What we got was four small street tacos on cold corn tortillas, each one with maybe an ounce of meat buried under a mountain of plain shredded iceberg lettuce. No guac in sight, just a tiny cup of watery salsa. The whole thing felt like a bait and switch. I've had amazing truck tacos for half that price. Has anyone else run into a truck that just uses cheap filler to make their portions look bigger?

Rant: The great taco truck parking spot hunt of last Thursday

I was trying to meet up with my buddy at the new 'El Jefe' truck downtown, but the spot they posted on their socials was taken by a construction crew. Took me 45 minutes of driving in circles, checking three different apps, to finally find them parked two blocks over by the library. Has anyone else had a truck move locations last minute like that?

Had to choose between two trucks at the downtown festival yesterday

I mean, the line for 'Big Mike's Bistro' was way shorter, but I'd heard 'La Catrina' had the best carnitas in the city. I went with La Catrina and waited 45 minutes, but idk, maybe it's just me but the tacos were kinda dry. Has anyone else tried both and felt the same way?

My buddy told me to skip the line at the 'Burger Beast' truck and try the fish tacos next door

He said the line was always too long for what you get, and the fish place was a hidden gem. I was skeptical because everyone raves about Burger Beast, but I listened. The fish tacos from 'Coastal Catch' were amazing, fresh cod with a killer lime slaw, and I got my food in under five minutes. Has anyone else found a better option by ignoring the biggest crowd?

My quest to get the perfect photo of a loaded taco from the 'El Jefe' truck turned into a 45-minute battle with a rogue slice of avocado that refused to stay put.

Has anyone else had a food truck meal fight back during a photoshoot?

Just hit my 100th food truck visit tracking them in my notes app

I was looking back at my list and saw the count, and honestly it kind of shocked me. It started three years ago just trying to find good tacos near my office in Phoenix. The milestone made me realize how many average trucks I've tried just to find the few really great ones. Has anyone else tracked their visits and been surprised by the number?

Rant: People who think a long line means the food is good are setting themselves up for a bad time

I see this all the time at the weekly market in Austin. Folkes see a truck with a 30 minute wait and just assume it's the best option, but half the time it's just a slow truck with a bad system. Last Friday, I watched a couple wait 45 minutes for soggy, lukewarm tacos from the 'popular' truck while I walked right up to the Peruvian chicken truck next to it and got a perfect, hot quarter chicken with green sauce in under 5 minutes. The long line is often just bad logistics, not a sign of quality. I've learned to judge a truck by how fast the line moves and how the food looks coming out, not by how many people are standing there looking bored. Has anyone else found a killer truck with no wait because everyone was stuck in the wrong line?

Why does nobody talk about how the 'famous' $18 lobster roll from The Coastal Cruiser in Portland last summer was just okay?

After waiting in line for 45 minutes, I got a small, lukewarm roll that was mostly mayo and celery, which was a huge letdown compared to the hype from all the local food blogs.

Am I the only one who thinks the $14 Korean BBQ burrito from Seoul on Wheels is way better than the $12 one from Kimchi Fusion?

The difference was the fresh, hot rice and the double portion of bulgogi in the Seoul on Wheels version, which made it worth the extra two bucks and a longer wait in line.

The $12 'Emergency' Hot Sauce That Saved My Lunch

So I'm at this taco truck downtown, right? The line is huge, and I'm starving. I finally get my three carnitas tacos and go to sit on this little brick wall. I take a bite and... nothing. They're good, but they need some heat. I see the truck has a little side window selling their own hot sauce for $12 a bottle. Twelve bucks! I'm thinking, that's crazy for sauce, but my lunch is on the line. I buy it, pour a ton on, and it's perfect. Then, as I'm eating, a pigeon dive-bombs my friend's shoulder, he jumps, and knocks my whole plate off the wall. Tacos are gone, but the bottle of sauce is safe in my hand. I just stood there holding this expensive sauce over a pile of lost lunch. Who buys a $12 condiment to save a $9 meal? Has anyone else had a food truck make you buy something silly that you ended up weirdly glad you had?

PSA: The 'Big Red' truck in Portland finally got a permanent spot

I swung by their new setup on 3rd Avenue yesterday and the line was way shorter than at festivals. Has anyone tried their new pulled pork sandwich yet?

Found a weird trick to beat the lunch rush at the taco truck on 5th

The line at El Jefe's truck was always 20 people deep by 12:15. I got sick of waiting 45 minutes for three carnitas tacos. Last week, I started checking their Instagram story at 11:30 sharp. They post their exact spot for the day there, sometimes a block or two from their usual. I went to the 'secret' spot on Maple at 11:45 and was third in line. Got my food and was back at my desk by 12:10. Anyone else have a good way to track a truck that moves around?

I finally hit 50 different food trucks in my city this year

I started keeping a list in January, and crossing off number 50, a fantastic Korean-Mexican fusion truck called Seoul Taco, really surprised me. It matters because it showed me how much amazing, diverse food I was missing by just going to the same three spots near my office. Has anyone else tracked their visits and been shocked by the number?

Spent 45 minutes trying to find the new Korean corn dog truck in the city

Heard about this truck from a friend, said it was near the old library downtown. Drove over, not there. Checked their social media, last post said 'near the riverfront'. Went there, nothing. Turns out they moved to a new spot by the tech park for lunch. Finally got my cheese dogs after circling for almost an hour. Anyone else have a food truck that's a total ninja to track down?

I was lining up at food trucks all wrong for years

Last week at the Portland Saturday Market, I saw a guy walk straight to the front of a huge line at 'Bao Down', order, and get his food in under five minutes. I asked him how, and he said he checked their social media story before coming. They posted a QR code for pre-orders that morning, which I never look at. I always just show up and wait, sometimes for 30 minutes. Now I check Instagram before I head out. Does anyone else have a food truck hack like that?

My bad week turned around by a taco truck in Austin

I was having the worst week, my car broke down on Monday and work was a mess. By Thursday, I was just grumpy. I walked out to grab lunch and saw this new taco truck, 'El Jefe', parked a block from my office. The line was long, but I was too tired to care. I got the al pastor tacos, three for $12. The guy making them was chatting with everyone, and the smell was amazing. I took one bite and just stopped being mad. The pineapple was perfect, the meat was so good. It was the first time I smiled in days. Has a food truck ever just fixed your whole mood like that?

A rainy night at the Portland Night Market made me rethink the whole 'line' thing

I was at the Portland Night Market maybe two months ago, and it was pouring. The usual huge line for the Korean corn dog truck was basically gone, just a couple of people. I figured, why not, and walked right up. The guy working the window was so happy to see someone, he gave me a free extra corn dog and we just chatted for a minute about the weather. It was honestly a better experience than any time I've waited 45 minutes for the same food on a sunny day. I mean, idk, maybe it's just me, but now I actively look for the trucks with the short or no line, especially if the weather is bad. You get your food faster, the people working are usually less stressed, and sometimes you even get a little bonus. Has anyone else had a surprisingly good time at a truck because you went when no one else did?

Honestly, I've been seeing way more food trucks doing full tasting menus lately.

Last week in Austin, I waited 45 minutes for a truck called 'Curbside Caravan' to serve me a 7-course meal off their tiny grill, and it was honestly the best $85 I've spent on food this year, but has anyone else tried one of these high-end mobile setups?

I think the 'Killer' Korean BBQ truck in Austin is just okay, honestly.

After waiting 45 minutes at a festival last month, the bulgogi was fine but the hype made me expect something that would change my life, so what's a truck that actually lives up to its reputation for you?

My favorite taco truck's cash register died right as I was paying

Happened yesterday at El Jefe's truck in Phoenix, and the owner just laughed and said 'guess lunch is on me today, amigo'. Anyone else have a vendor just give you free food when their gear broke?

Rant: The day the taco truck ran out of tortillas at 11 AM

I went to my favorite spot, El Jefe, last Wednesday in Phoenix. They had a huge line for their new birria, but the guy at the window just shrugged and said 'Sorry, we're out of tortillas, only bowls.' The whole vibe deflated because half the line left. Has anyone else had a food truck just run out of a key item before lunch even started?

I had to pick between two taco trucks at the same festival and it was a huge deal

Last Saturday at the Spring Fling in Riverside, I was faced with the ultimate choice. Right next to each other were 'El Jefe's Carnitas' and 'Taco Titan', both with huge lines. I had to pick one because I only had an hour for lunch. I went with El Jefe because I saw someone walk by with a plate of their crispy pork and it looked amazing. I waited about 20 minutes and got three carnitas tacos for $14. The meat was perfect, super juicy with just the right crisp on the edges, and their green salsa was spicy and fresh. Honestly, it was one of the best taco truck meals I've had this year. I'm still wondering if I made the right call though. Has anyone tried Taco Titan and can tell me what I missed?