S06.E02: Off-Road Eats in Arizona

[In Pog Form]

After that heartbreaking story of the one woman who bought a waffle, and then four waffles, and then another four waffles; I think that the wafflers' shirts should be read as "Waffles [heart attack]." Maybe they should add a pacemaker to their logo?

[Lamb18]

The Waffle guys bug me, too, even though they've neither said nor done anything to justify that.  I think it's because they remind me of Oompah-Loompahs and I always thought O-Ls were creepy.

[margol29]

I don't know, maybe it is because of where I live, but $10-$15 a plate for that food is waaay too much. If I am spending that much on a meal I want to be in a nice sit down restaurant and have someone waiting on me. If I eat from a food truck It would be  about $5 or $6. I can't believe that they are getting people to spend that kind of money for their food. It must be because TV.

[backformore]

I don't know, maybe it is because of where I live, but $10-$15 a plate for that food is waaay too much. If I am spending that much on a meal I want to be in a nice sit down restaurant and have someone waiting on me. If I eat from a food truck It would be  about $5 or $6. I can't believe that they are getting people to spend that kind of money for their food. It must be because TV.

i agree.  There are no food trucks where I am now.  But I would expect food trucks to be less expensive than a "fast casual"  place like Chipotle or Panera, since the cost of a truck is less than that of renting a storefront and employing a bunch of people.   Instead, these trucks are MORE expensive.  

 

I also noticed that the drinks were pretty pricey, considering.  Since I can buy a 12 pack of bottled water for under $5 at the grocery store, a truck selling me one bottle for $2 seems pretty outrageous. 

[cooksdelight]

I think it's been established that the higher prices are due to this being a TV competition where the truck owners are there to make the most money, and win in the end. The prices aren't realistic to what I have seen on food trucks not on TV.

[In Pog Form]

I don't know, maybe it is because of where I live, but $10-$15 a plate for that food is waaay too much.

We have food trucks come to our college campus, and that's in the ballpark. There is cheaper stuff, but you can't get much for less than about $8. No TV cameras, but I blame hipsters, impulse buying and the novelty factor.

a truck selling me one bottle for $2 seems pretty outrageous.

More like $3 from what I've seen.

Edited September 1, 2015 by In Pog Form

[Pallida]

I wouldn't want to spend $10 on a couple small sliders, but many of these trucks are selling food far "fancier" than fast casual places, so I wouldn't expect their prices to be lower. Sure food trucks don't have the overheard of a brick and mortar place, but they have other expenses many often don't think about including various permitting issues.

I'm used to seeing vending machines at $1.75 for a bottle of water. I'd suggest comparing local vending prices over store costs. (Well I'd actually suggest never buying bottles water but that's a tangent!)

I'm a total nerd and am wondering if there have been any studies on lingering expectations people have on food trucks from the days of the "roach coach." That's a conversation for another thread!

[bluepiano]

Over the past couple of years the concept of food trucks being a convenient, cheap alternative to a sit-down restaurant has undergone a major change. Some of them definitely still serve that function, but where I live, in the northwest, many well known brick and mortar restaurants now have their own food trucks. It's a way for them to sell to a much wider population. And the prices on the food trucks may be slightly less than in the restaurant, but not much.

 

You've also got food trucks selling outside major corporate offices, where I don't think people are all that concerned with counting pennies. In these areas, anywhere you go for lunch is going to be expensive.

Edited September 2, 2015 by bluepiano

[HunterHunted]

Those prices are completely the norm in Austin, but there is a huge diverse well-known food truck scene in Austin. Some of the best restaurants in town either are or started as food trucks. It's also why last season (?) when they stopped in Austin, many of the trucks had a really difficult time because the market is super saturated.