When people think of San Francisco, they think of amazing food. Only in San Francisco can your taste buds be taken on a culinary trip around the world through various curries, pastas and meats.
With the high-cost of rent in San Francisco, many entrepreneurial chefs are taking their business to the streets in the form of Food Trucks. For about half the price of a restaurant meal, you can eat well, really well. Food Truck fare ranges from crème brûlée to tamales to even sushi.
Events such as “Off the Grid” allow the all-stars of the Food Truck world to showcase some of their tastiest cuisines. Over 50 Food Trucks join together on a weekly basis to give San Franciscans a meal that is heavy on the taste buds and light on the pockets. Some of our all-time favorites include the “Rib Whip,” the first gourmet BBQ truck, and “Bacon Bacon,” the city’s very own bacon truck. Another is “Cupkates,” San Francisco’s first mobile cupcake truck.
So where did all these Food Trucks come from? Food Trucks have been a part of the American tradition since the 1800s. After the Civil War, there was a massive immigration to the west. The expansion created a large demand for beef, specifically in Texas. Cattlemen needed to herd their cattle through areas without railroads, isolating them for months at a time. In 1866, Charles Goodnight realized how difficult it was to stay properly nourished during the long cattle trips and sought out a solution. He took an old United States Army wagon and fitted it with interior shelves and drawers; and so the chuckwagon was born. Goodnight then stocked the chuckwagon with food, including dried beans, coffee and cornmeal. The first Food Truck was created.
Although the food gets all the glory, the real hero here is the truck; a Food Truck is worthless if it is unable to reach all of its loyal customers. You’d be hard struck to find a successful Food Truck that is not a Chevy, Dodge, or Ford, as only American car makers manufacture trucks with a platform large enough to support a whole kitchen inside of the vehicle.
These giant American trucks need a special type of routine maintenance to keep them in tip-top shape. Food Truck owners should follow these three guidelines:
- Every 2-3 thousand miles (or 2-3 months): change the oil and filter, check fluid levels and inspect the lights.
- Every 6 thousand miles (or 6 months): inspect the brake belts and hoses.
- Once a year: perform a complete service. This would be the equivalent of a 30k, 60k, 90k routine maintenance service, depending on how many miles are on the truck.