Fayetteville Food Trucks | Still Popular In Fayetteville Despite Pandemic: Melissa and Jason Wilson had a long-held dream of owning their restaurant, which they finally realized in 2009. It wasn’t long before they decided to make their dreams come true.
A brick-and-mortar restaurant was not the focus of their investment; instead, they focused on mobile restaurants.
As of January, Scotty’s All American Food Truck has been operating in the Fayetteville area. Meals on wheels of a different kind, perhaps.
Fayetteville Food Trucks | Still Popular In Fayetteville Despite Pandemic
Permits From Government
There are 53 food trucks with active permits in Cumberland County, offering everything from fried chicken to tacos to Caribbean cuisine, the county’s government says.
There is a $175 fee for prospective food truck operators, who must fill out an application explaining how to build a mobile food unit.
To store perishable goods when not in use, clean equipment, and empty trash cans, they must have a kitchen or commissary. The food truck must be equipped with commercial-grade equipment.
In addition to completing a management course, food truck operators must also post a schedule and menu. Approximately once every 120 days, trucks are inspected.
Scenario During Covid
COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges and opportunities for food trucks in Cumberland County.
They are Cumberland County’s food truck pioneers. They began operating the R Burger truck in 2013 and have been doing so ever since.
In today’s world, this truck is a favorite of local businesses and residents. It can be seen at festivals and other celebrations, as well as at companies and neighborhoods.
A Zenith For Rob Russell Business
Rob Russell estimates that there were 40 trucks registered in Cumberland County when he and his team began. As a result, the majority of them were weekend trucks and people who participated in festivals or carnivals.
R Burger is known for its hamburgers, which come with a variety of toppings. The ground beef used in R Burger’s burgers comes from Kinlaw’s Supermarket.
People are getting over the idea that they are unsanitary or that their food isn’t as good as restaurants.” In the past, they were known as “roach coaches.”
A lot of people are doing things better.” Cleaning has improved, and the food has improved as well.
How Covid Boosted Their Business
COVID-19 pandemic has boosted Russell’s business, he said. To provide customers with an alternative to dining in an indoor restaurant, R Burger began parking in neighborhoods and other areas, according to Mr. Burger.
R Burger has donated meals to the Fayetteville Police Department and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office during the COVID-19 crisis.
On its Facebook page and website, R Burger, like most food trucks, publishes its schedule. The Southern Regional Area Health Education Center on Owen Drive, Bell’s Seed Store on Russell Street, and Dirtbag Ales on Corporation Drive in Hope Mills are all regular stops for the brewpub.
Walker Says Food Trucking Isn’t Easy
A food truck business is not simple as parking a truck and waiting for customers to show up. Customer loyalty is something that must cultivate.
There are always trucks for sale for all the food trucks that open. As part of his Fort Bragg job, Orner Walker runs the My Daddy’s Barbeque food truck.
And as a child, Orner Walker helped his parents run their barbecue business in Waynesboro, Georgia. Every Fourth of July, he would dig the pit over which a whole hog would be roasted, and he would then roast the hog himself.
For his barbecue sauce, Walker uses his mother’s recipe. However, My Daddy’s Barbecue’s best-seller, according to Theresa Walker, is fried fish.
Walker’s clientele has shifted to the military over the years. Theresa Walker said soldiers appreciate being able to eat a good meal without having to wait a long time for it to be prepared.
Theresa Walker said, Our fast and accurate service is one of the things people appreciate.” It is his responsibility to ensure that people do not have to wait. Fort Bragg residents sometimes only have 30 minutes to eat.
In addition to near Ed’s Tire on Hope Mills Road, Melissa and Jason Wilson also park Scotty’s Food Truck in a lot at Cameron on N.C. 87.
Jason Wilson Named His Truck After An Uncle
The convenience of a food truck, according to Melissa Wilson, is appreciate by many. In addition to hamburgers and hotdogs, Scotty’s offers chicken sandwiches and patty melts, among other “all-American” dishes.
It’s easier to distance yourself from a food truck socially, she says. You’ll rarely have to wait in a long line at a window. As the space is open, you’re not on top of anyone.”
Some food truck owners also operate a restaurant. A brick-and-mortar restaurant on Raeford Road owns by Jason Hairr, owner of Southern Coals.
The food truck has been beneficial to his business. A “traditional Southern menu” is available, including barbecue, brisket, ribs, and chicken, among other items.
As a result of the restaurant’s closure, “having a food truck has greatly helped our bottom line. It has greatly aided us in maintaining a balanced business.
In the food truck business for four years, Hairr says he sets up at Ramsey Street Church, a shopping center in Stedman, and the Baywood Golf Club, both in Fayetteville, among other locations.
The COVID crisis, his company has provided children with food and participated in other fundraising events.
Hairr said he believes people enjoy ordering food from a food truck because of the unique experience.
Despite the heat, he enjoys getting out of the restaurant to meet people, serve them good food, and watch their faces light up when they see him.
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