Meals on Wheels: Food Meets Social Media

Have you looked up and down your street lately? Chances are you’ve seen at least one food truck – the hottest sensation in the food industry right now.  I love the concept behind these trucks: they’re mobile; bring a variety of foods to areas that might be lacking; affordable and fast; and “mom and pop” owned.

Near my building at work, we have very few lunchtime options.  It’s quite sad, really. And bizarre since D.C. is obviously a cosmopolitan city.  It just happens to be the particular area it’s located in, I suppose.  Imagine my delight when I peeped a food truck in the neighborhood last week. And, oh my, there was a line wrapping around the corner waiting! The food truck is run by Eat Sauca! and their concept of “Eat the World” combines food, music, travel, technology and design into a globally inspired dining experience. I saw another one yesterday – Fojol Brothers – which is a “Traveling Culinary Carnival.” Things are definitely looking up around these parts!

Of course food trucks are by no means brand new – they’re modeled after cities that have used them as a part of their cultures for decades.  But, what makes these new-wave food trucks unique is the fact that they’re connected…using social media to build their customer base and to stay in touch with their loyal followings.  My favorite example of this is Curbside Cupcakes, a mobile cupcake company, that tells its customers about their whereabouts using Facebook and Twitter.

The perfect meeting of food and social media…right up my alley (pun intended).

Check out this Yelp listing of mobile food eateries in Washington, DC.