Food Trucks: Cravings

Food Trucks are a new trend in food service that is really catching on! Now and then FRL Magazine will highlight a successful food truck. We are starting this new feature with Cravings. Cravings serves delicious and fast food to go in downtown Tallahassee. FR&L Magazine visited with Johnathon Sellers (the co-owner) and the folks from Cravings to get their perspective on this hot trend.

What is the Story Behind Cravings?
We like to eat. We are also often on the go because like most students we are either: A. Running late for class or an appointment after hitting the snooze button five times instead of once or B. Well, let’s just refer to Point A. Motivated by the downturn of the 2009 recession, we bought a 1985 Chevy step van (Lazarus) in June 2010 with the hope of recreating the food truck culture that had taken America by storm. More than anything we wanted to capture the American dream so many before us had claimed.

Describe your menu.
Someone once described our menu as Southern Eclectic. I suppose because even though we serve shrimp and grits, we also serve chicken and waffles with our special twist on it.

Who are your customers?
Our customers/Cravers are awesome. The majority of them represent the student and young professional population of Tallahassee but we’re expanding to families by partnering with organizations like Pop Warner (youth football).

What is your specialty?
Our chicken and waffles, particularly the red velvet waffle with pecans and cream cheese glaze on top.

Do you have a semi-permanent location?
No, not at the moment.

Do you have any “tips” for others who might be interested in starting a food truck?
Research parking policies in your city before committing to a food truck. Across the nation, food truck owners are being met with challenges from local ordinances that do not permit trucks from parking in certain areas. Luckily, we were able to lobby and petition the city to update the ordinances to accommodate food trucks.
Having a food truck isn’t a crystal stair. A lot of people believe that owning/operating a food truck is easy and that we make lots of money. False. Be prepared to work hard to make your vision grow.

Do you prepare all of your food in the truck or do you have another location that you use?
We have a commissary where we prepare the food before it goes on the truck.