When the USA Today food columnist recently documented America’s worst culinary trends for Forbes, he placed food trucks at the top of the list, beating out such abominations as TV cooking competitions, gastropubs and restaurants named for (but rarely featuring the actual cooking of) celebrity chefs.
Olmsted dubbed food trucks—those mobile purveyors of dumplings, tacos and cupcakes popularized by hipsters, foodies and office workers from coast to coast—“ridiculous” and even “morally reprehensible,” arguing that they are less a real innovation than simply another means of delivering grub to consumers, “akin to the ‘invention’ of home delivery, take-out containers or the drive through.”
The writer proclaimed it ultimately “more a fad than a trend,” adding, “I’ve yet to see any tangible benefits of the food truck craze to the average consumer.”
Don’t tell that to Sizzler. Or to Applebee’s, Taco Bell, Red Robin, Jack in the Box or any of the other national restaurant chains aiming to crack the code of food truck culture.