It’s dusk outside of the Oakshire brewery in Eugene, Oregon. In what is normally a vacant lot next to the building sits the psychedelically painted “Sammitch” truck; complete with a large blue fur mustache situated on its front. The truck’s owner, KC Brooks, is just as colorful as the truck itself. Adorned in tattoos and grunge clothing, Brooks is secure in his element as he pours his heart and soul into creating multiple gourmet “Sammitch” masterpieces that are at his customer’s fingertips in a matter of minutes. The truck draws attention as customers peruse by it, glancing at a menu that features chocolate dipped bacon, “The Beefy Roastard” and the “Veggie Greekin,” among other creatively dubbed “Sammitches”.

Photo by Hannah Giardina

A new meaning to the term “fast food” is rising in Eugene and around Oregon as food truck owners are popping up everywhere with new recipes, new flavor combinations, and differentiating values and consumer bases through a meals on wheels strategy. Portland houses a staggering 500 food trucks currently operating (foodcartsportland.com), while in Eugene the food cart culture is still blossoming with a current total number of 68 food trucks, according to Yelp. The owners of these food trucks have found that a small, constantly moving business has allowed them to live their dream on the basis of having strong relationships with their customers as well as having the ability to change and keep what they want on their own terms. Though each truck and business owner is different, one thing remains the same: it’s a live-to-eat attitude, not an eat-to-live one that they sustain.

Photo by Hannah Giardina

After graduating from the University of Oregon, Brooks moved to Spain; motivated by self-exploration as well as a passion for adventure. Before returning to Eugene, he decided to purchase a food truck and start a small business to keep active. For Brooks, running a food truck is the source of funding his passion for adventure, “I work my ass off so I have money to go places,” Brooks said, “Business is a necessity to be able to fund my adventures. I fell into it luckily.” After throwing himself into cooking and running a small company, Brooks continued to funnel his energy into turning his mother’s old recipes and unorthodox flavor combinations into sandwiches. He found support through local Eugene breweries and gained several loyal customers—a huge reward. The atmosphere of hip-hop and casual-gourmet fusion he has created within his business is likely what keeps people coming back.

Photo by Hannah Giardina

Like Brooks, many other food truck owners have discovered the genuine reaction that comes out of having a unique atmosphere resulting from their small company. Madeline and Jeff Mendon are the owners of Bento Box, a food truck located in downtown Portland, OR. The couple is steadfast in their belief that the customer is what makes the experience of owning a food truck worthwhile, “Our favorite part of running the business is the interaction with our customers, feeding people good food, being the highlight of someone’s day, and acting as an ambassador of Portland for people from all over the world.” Bento Box tucks its core values into the relationship with the customer and providing them with an experience that would only make them eager to return. The company is original in its presentation and prides itself on serving customers with fresh product of the best quality, “In a food cart, the kitchen is just a few feet away and the customer can easily connect with every aspect of the business,” says Madeline, “This enables us to get to know our customers, and our customers in turn, get to know us.” Being a family-run business, the Mendons enjoy how easy it is to change what they want, and keep what they want the same.

Not only is food truck culture built upon a loyal relationship between consumer and seller, it is also built on story. In the case of Dino Philyaw, an Oregon Alumni and former running back for the University of Oregon, the food cart business emerged by popular demand. Philyaw’s Cookout and Catering service draws from the owner’s own North Carolina heritage and brings a piece of it to his consumer base. Doubled up with tailgate culture and football lovers alike, Philyaw has created an experience that provides a soulful atmosphere and original barbecue zest. When asked about the most surprising thing about running a food cart Philyaw responded, “You gotta please people, make people happy and it takes a lot of work. Everybody is different and you have different personalities. Some might love it and not love it, it just depends on what their palate is adapted for.” Though each food cart has a differentiating theme, the idea of being universal and having respect for others remains incredibly constant in the unwritten guide to being a food cart owner.

“I don’t know why people say ‘freedom of owning a business’ it’s more freedom of self-expression. I can say what I want, wear what I want, do what I want and still get paid to do it. But it is a lot more work.” Though it came from the mouth of KC Brooks, it’s evident that owning a food cart is a lot to take on for everybody else involved in the business. Those who run them are clear on the fact that there is always something to do, mend, clean, buy, or serve. Though it requires a lot of work and time commitment, the beauty of food truck culture is the fact that the owners can do what they want with them and express their businesses and values to any degree they desire. It takes an adventurous mind and work ethic to take on a restaurant on wheels. People like Brooks, the Mendon Family, Philyaw’s and more are just a small taste of what it’s like to add to the growing popularity of food truck consumerism.