CHEYENNE — Eating from a food truck is a unique experience that has become a growing segment of Wyoming's dining scene. That's probably why the state has seen an explosion of new and diverse food trucks in recent years.
The overall appeal of food trucks to customers continues to grow, as does the desire of people who love food and want to be their own boss while building their own truck.
Food trucks have become a common sight in Wyoming, appearing at festivals and fairs, outside breweries and even on street corners.
Around lunchtime Friday, food truck enthusiasts gathered for the fourth annual Food Truck Rally in downtown Cheyenne, billed as the unofficial kickoff of summer in the nation's capital.
Dining at a food truck offers a different experience than a sit-down restaurant or fast food joint: the quality of the food is often on par with or even better than that found in a casual sit-down restaurant, but the pace is usually much faster.
Food trucks give diners an opportunity to enjoy their meals in the great outdoors.
“It's outdoors, so I love that we can sit outside and eat,” Stephanie Russell said. “Sometimes restaurants can feel a bit enclosed.”
She and her husband, Kyle Russell, typically hit up the food trucks once or twice a month, citing the world-famous Weitzel's Wings (aka Double Dubs) and the Moshi Moshi Hibachi Express as favorites.
Face to face
For painters Kyle Small and Joe Kraus, it's an opportunity to support a local business. Food trucks tend to have smaller staff than restaurants, which allows for more interaction between truck employees and customers and a stronger connection overall. They also tend to be fairly small, so customers can watch their food being prepared from start to finish.
“Everyone feels more comfortable seeing the food being cooked in front of them,” Small says. “It's more intimate.”
Small and Kraus were painting car washes around the food truck rally grounds when they spotted their favorite truck, the WyoPhilly, there. Without hesitation, they got in line for a pile of Philly cheesesteaks and melt-in-your-mouth ribbon fries.
“The dining experience overall is better,” Kraus said.
Avid followers
Burns resident Brian Aaron, owner of Brodale's Barbecue, believes local connection is the biggest driving force behind the food truck boom.
“People support them and flock to them,” he said.
Aaron has worked in the food industry for over 30 years, but three years ago he decided to start his own food truck by purchasing a custom-built trailer with living space. Since then, he's added a smoker to the back of the trailer and has been cooking fresh meats.
Another factor is the freshness of the food: while food trucks' food is usually not particularly healthy, it is usually prepared fresh on the spot, which clearly sets them apart from fast food restaurants.
“It always feels so fresh when it comes out,” said Cheyenne resident Tim Bolin, who ordered a green chile burger at Jesse's Mexican Cuisine.
Kyle Small (right) and Joe Krause munched on food from the Casper-based Wyophilly Wagon food truck in downtown Cheyenne on Friday. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)
Food trucks are becoming more popular and diverse in Wyoming, popping up at festivals and fairs, outside breweries and even on street corners. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)
Brian Aaron has worked in the food industry for more than 30 years, but he started a barbecue food truck three years ago and hasn't looked back since. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)
The fourth annual Food Truck Rally drew a large turnout in Cheyenne on Friday. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)Arrow LeftArrow Right
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Food trucks often pop up at public events, allowing the public to sample a variety of dishes and create custom meals, such as hot wings, smoked brisket and tacos, all washed down with homemade lemonade.
Wyoming arrived a bit late on the national food truck scene but is quickly catching up. Laramie-based Weitzel's Wings and On The Hook Fish and Chips were early leaders in Wyoming's burgeoning food truck scene and now have multiple trucks across the state and region.
Some food trucks offer foods that are common in different cultures and other parts of the country.
Noam's Table, a Cheyenne-based truck, serves up Mediterranean-inspired dishes like falafel and Israeli salads that are hard to find in the neighborhood.
Personal Connections
If there's one thing food trucks typically represent, it's entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity, because they're usually run by neighbors and locals, not faceless corporations 1,000 miles away.
Wyoming's harsh winters mean food trucks have less business during the winter, so for many, food trucks have become a side hustle or seasonal hobby.
Aaron spends the summer attending as many festivals, fairs and weddings as he can, and is often fully booked wherever he goes. By fall, he says he gets tired of eating the food he cooks himself.
Owning a successful food truck also requires a lot of self-investment and dedication. On a recent night, Noam Mantaka, owner of Noam's Table, worked on his truck until 4 a.m. before turning around at 8 a.m. to head to an event.
Mantaka said starting a food truck business was never his dream, but simply started with a desire to share his cuisine with the world.
He first started selling his homemade hummus to his college classmates, then eventually sold his food at local farmers markets. From there, he bought a deep fryer, saw some crazy low prices on food trucks for sale in Colorado, and knew he had to take the plunge.
“I take each day with good hope and go wherever I'm led,” he said.
Since that time four years ago, his business has grown exponentially, expanding his menu this year to include hot dogs and wild-caught salmon and adding a touch-screen digital kiosk to the outside of his truck.
“I did it because I was passionate about it, because I loved it,” Mantaka said. “I wasn't doing it to make money.”
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
