While COVID-19 has rattled the food services industry, food trucks have also been affected and forced to adapt. Once a staple at busy cities, business centers, or concerts, the pandemic has hindered an industry that was expected to grow by nearly 20 percent, according to Off the Grid, a mobile food and events platform.
After realizing the cancellations of concerts and festivals and cities going on quarantine would lead to loss of revenue for food trucks, Stoney Glen resident Nicole Dilmore decided to reach out to vendors about setting up shop in her neighborhood.
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- Tiffany Murray with her mother, Katie Murray.
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- Tara Gardner of Simply Tea and niece Isabelle Duval.
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- Albert and Shena-Rae Schramm of Southern Spud
“These food trucks have nowhere to go now that the city [and]large events are closed, [so]I wanted to make sure that these mom-and-pop food trucks get supported like regular restaurants,” Dilmore said. “I [also]want to give something special to the neighborhood. With [us]possibly not having a normal summer, I wanted to give them something to look forward to.”
Dilmore contacted vendors through email and Facebook, and she also received suggestions from her neighbors and friends. The food trucks have been so successful that the majority of the vendors have told Dilmore they want to book another date, while other trucks have expressed interest in operating in Stoney Glen.
Southern Spud, a potato-based food truck owned by Albert and Shena-Rae Schramm, was one of the businesses Dilmore reached out to in April, and the Schramms have already been to the neighborhood twice. Shena-Rae Schramm said they had events and festivals they were planning to serve this year, but once the lockdown changed everything, he knew their best chance of staying in business was to bring the truck to families in their neighborhoods.
“We started reaching out to our contacts at neighborhoods, and several of our regular customers were asking us to schedule a dinner at their neighborhoods. So that’s what we did, [and]we were so grateful that so many neighborhoods were willing to host food trucks,” Shena-Rae Schramm said. “We are built for curbside service, so despite being in the middle of the pandemic, food truck businesses were well poised to get to people while they were staying at home.”
Although it has been difficult to find gloves and hand sanitizer, Shena-Rae Schramm said a friend made masks for them, and they have switched to online ordering and made their services as contactless as possible.
With over 21 cancellations in a week for Tiffany Murray, she was terrified for her business. Murray owns Tiffany’s Food Truck, and like the Schramms, she reached out to contacts in neighborhoods from her previous events and posted on social media seeking anyone looking for a food truck to feed the community.
Dilmore also reached out to Murray about serving in Stoney Glen, which has been successful, and she plans on returning. She also operates in different neighborhoods three nights a week. Although the pandemic has changed her business model, Murray said she will continue to keep up with COVID-19 regulations and she is always practicing social distancing and staying safe and healthy.
“After the pandemic we will continue with all of our safe practices such as hand washing [and]sanitizing more frequently touched areas, but this is something we have always practiced even before the pandemic,” Dilmore said.
Simply Tea had only been open for a few months before the pandemic hit, and owner Tara Gardner said she had a small breakdown. Having to close the tea room devastated Gardner, but she decided to be innovative by creating a special menu and switching everything to takeout. After reaching out to neighborhoods around Richmond, Gardner said Dilmore saw one of her posts and contacted her.
“I am enjoying it. It offers a new challenge that, as a tea house owner, I didn’t think I would have, but that’s what we all are doing nowadays,” Gardner said.
Gardner wears a mask during food prep and changes her gloves for every task. Customers can have contactless delivery. She also welcomes them inside to see the tea house and pick up their orders.
As for Dilmore, she is already booking trucks for July and has been enjoying sampling the different foods. She is excited to see the food trucks be successful and said she hopes they continue operating in neighborhoods after the pandemic.
“I hope that trucks continue to visit neighborhoods after everything goes back to normal and our neighborhood is one of those places they can visit again,” Dilmore said.
