Food trucks adapt to Covid-19

Lauren H. '22, Writer|October 5, 2020

AP

FILE – In this July 1, 2020, file photo, Abel Gomez waits for his order at Mariscos Linda food truck as dining tables are sealed off with caution tape due to the coronavirus pandemic in Los Angeles. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new, color-coded process Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, for reopening California businesses amid the coronovirus pandemic that is more gradual than the state’s current rules to guard against loosening restrictions too soon. Counties will move through the new, four-tier system based on their number of cases and percentage of positive tests. It will rely on those two metrics to determine a tier: case rates and the percentage of positive tests. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

When the Coronavirus shut down businesses due to safety regulations, restaurants were hit hard. Restaurants closed because of indoor seating, a problem food trucks did not encounter.  This allowed them to thrive while restaurants could not. 

Although food trucks do not have to deal with indoor seating, they do have to adapt to other complications. Food trucks have to be creative because customers are confined to their homes. Owners started to travel to new locations such as neighborhoods, hospital parking lots and in front of grocery stores. 

“For an entire week different food trucks came to my neighborhood, and my family ordered from them everyday. People from the other side of the neighborhood would come, and there was always a huge line. Other trucks came after that, and we usually ordered from them too,” Sydney B. ‘23 said.

Food trucks also made their way to community member Mandy Andel’s neighborhood. 

“I loved having them in the neighborhood. I thought it was a great idea on their part to bring business during Covid,” Andel said. 

Highways were also new locations for food trucks to frequent. The Federal Highway Administration allowed states to “issue permits for food trucks along the highway rest areas,” according to Forbes.com. This is helpful for essential workers who need quick places to stop and eat. 

Food Trucks have health guidelines they need to follow to keep themselves and their customers safe. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration made Covid-19 safety guidelines for food truck owners to follow. These guidelines included, “encourage workers to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth, wear gloves to avoid direct hand contact with food items, use “no touch” delivery and payment methods if possible and clean and disinfect all countertops and touchpads.” 

“The food truck I went to encouraged social distancing while waiting in line. They had signs posted and were wearing masks and gloves to limit contamination. Overall it was a safe environment,” Bennett P. ‘22 said. 

Food trucks have also altered their pickup processes. 

“Items are handed out and put on the service window in closed containers for customers to pick up. We encourage online ordering to reduce contact at the truck,” co-owner of Edje Group, LLC Food Trucks, Eric Griffith’s said.