The New Culinary Pop-Up

A few years ago, before VMSD moved its office from downtown Cincinnati to a new building in the suburbs, the daily view outside my window included a hotdog vendor inclined to start grilling onions at 9 a.m. It never struck me as breakfast food, but I’ll admit on a few mornings, it did plant a certain craving in my head for lunch.

I don’t know if that vendor is still there, but if he is, he’s got a lot more competition these days. Yes, even in Cincinnati (where, according to Mark Twain, everything happens 10 years later), we’re witnessing the same culinary trend that’s popping up on the streets of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles – food trucks.
Want a footlong in Arizona? Flag down the Subway sandwich truck. In D.C., you can dine on Johnny Rockets via its kitchen on wheels. L.A. eaters can feast on food from local chains like Sprinkles Cupcakes and Canter’s Deli from either their mobile trucks or brick-and-mortar locations. In my beloved Cincinnati, there are vehicles serving up crepes and tacos during lunchtime.

Sure, those shiny silver catering trucks have been delivering breakfast and lunch foods for decades, mainly to construction sites, factories and office complexes. But this new generation of food trucks is targeting foodies and their palate for something a little more gourmet, maybe with a local, healthy twist.
They’re also a great chance for new restaurants to test out a market or refine the menu offering before a full-scale launch. For those with established roots in a neighborhood, it’s one more way to increase consumer loyalty (“Enjoy this taco for lunch, then stop by my full-service restaurant for a full Mexican meal.”).

It reminds me a lot of the pop-up concept that starting hitting the apparel landscape a few years back and still continues to attract new players. From the start, these concepts have served as a test-ground for innovation and creativity that inspires retailers and suppliers across all markets and regions. The food sector is heading down that same path.

Now if I can only get one of those trucks to venture a little north of the city…