Spread the Word

Most food trucks advertise their social networking sites on the truck itself!

To completely understand the food truck craze, it is important to go behind the scenes and understand the immense cultural changes that have occurred over the last century. Of course these mystical machines that produce gourmet street food are and have been appealing to the active, on the go lifestyle. But how did the concept reach the masses and keep their attention? The answer is found in the nonmaterial culture of our society - technology. Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook have kept food trucks current on the scene and are one of their major marketing resources. Without this important culture change involving technology updates, food trucks would surely not be where they are now. Since food trucks are known for their mobility, it is important that they keep potential customers aware of their location. This is the kind of basic information they post on social networks along with their current menu. But, it goes beyond simply informing the customer. They make interaction available and engage customers by replying to comments and re-tweeting. This is breaking the norms of interactions within the hospitality industry because you are no longer just communicating with a waiter - you can actually interact with the owner/server/cook all at one time! And the opportunity to create relationships with them through social media is available. The way that they present their information is also intriguing because they post videos and pictures, enticing the customer to come try their delicious cupcakes or Korean barbecue.

An example of a site made exclusively to track food trucks

It is not surprise that social networks have made such a difference in the food truck industry because food trucks are known for their creativity and fun personalities, which they can convey to everyone through these sites. Other forms of material culture such as television have also made the craze more relevant with TV shows such as The Great Food Truck Race, in which there are different food truck teams (all different cuisines) competing each other for popularity and profits on a race across the country (watch the trailer). As we can see, the success of the food food truck relies heavily on their ability to actively engage their customer base through social media in addition to their growing exposure on television and more traditional media.