Food Truck or Restaurant... To Do or Not to Do?

A few weeks I had a chance to visit my buddy, Chef Marie Yniguez, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You might’ve seen her on Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, or maybe you saw her on Guy’s Grocery Games.

Marie and I met on the set of Food Network’s the Great Food Truck Race in Alaska in September of 2020. When you’re on these types of shows, you never think - “Oh, I’m going to see this person again!“ Like, it literally never crosses your mind. But, as life would have it - here we are! (I ran into one of her teammates, Q, in Dallas late last year!)

Currently, Marie owns a restaurant, My Mom’s (dedicated to her mother), and a food truck, Slow Roasted Bocadillos. Like any business owner, Marie has had her ups and downs, but she has always persevered.

While I was visiting with Marie on her food truck, the first question I asked her was… “What advice do you have for those wanting to compete in the Great Food Truck Race?” Her response: “Raise your prices high as hell!” It’s true! Her team, Querencia Mia, and my team, Tasty Balls, had to learn that the hard way. People will pay good money just for a chance to be a customer at your food truck while a tv show is being filmed.

I spent time asking Marie and her right hand man, Karla, about owning a food truck and a restaurant. I wanted them to expand on their knowledge. 

Marie spoke mostly on the food truck portion and stated the importance of (1) Tailoring your menu to your audience. She explicitly stated that since her food truck is now at a brewery, she could no longer serve her award willing enchiladas. Customers wanted finger foods, so created a menu that gave them just that; (2) Creating a menu where you can utilize the same ingredients to keep food costs down (I preach this at conference I am invited to speak at). 

Karla, Operations Manager for Slow Roasted Bocadillos and My Mom’s, speaks on the pros and cons of operating food truck versus restaurant. Their restaurant location is inside an office building with several companies, and they’re able to operate between 7am- 2pm. She speaks about the importance of ensuring when you sign a restaurant contract, verify that everything works (vent hoods, stoves, etc.). Both ladies are truly a wealth of knowledge. To learn more from Marie and Karla watch the full video here on YouTube.