When community events for the Dobson Ranch Homeowners Association were canceled, the food trucks booked for the upcoming festivities were poised to take a financial hit. And the Mesa neighborhood's residents were facing fewer food options. So recreation director Jesse Wright got to work finding new ways to connect the two groups.
Dobson Ranch is bringing in one food truck at a time throughout the week and setting up a makeshift drive-thru. Customers are pre-ordering and driving up, cutting down interaction time. Friday's lunch slot from Cousins Maine Lobster was perhaps the best turnout for a food truck yet. Wright has already booked the truck again.
"I think it benefits both getting the (food trucks') name out there and having that option for people like not to cook or try new foods," Wright said.
A number of Phoenix-area food trucks are experimenting with delivery systems, as well as grab-and-go. However, they've still been hit hard by the shutdowns, social distancing and decreased spending all stemming from the new coronavirus pandemic.
More: Phoenix-area food trucks are embracing creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's how
The Phoenix Street Food Coalition, founded in 2010, works with about 120 local food trucks. Marketing director Jason Fimbrez has seen the staggering impact on food trucks.
"Some days, they may be making 30 or 40 bucks and that's not very fruitful for them," he said. "So anybody in the community who would love to support the food trucks there's plenty of ways to do it."
Now, some neighborhoods are bringing food trucks directly to their community. The process can vary depending on where you live, but with proper social distancing, Lynelle Glysson, executive director of the Dobson Ranch Homeowners Association, sees benefits for both sides.
"We like having something for our residents to enjoy, and then also support local businesses, who might otherwise have zero business," she said.
Where to start? Get permission first
Exact regulations for food trucks vary by county and city. The Maricopa County Environmental Service Department allows vendors with an applicable permit to operate at farmers’ markets, special events, business locations and private functions. As for neighborhoods, it can depend.
"Some of the cities will allow food trucks to go into neighborhoods, and some cities won't," Fimbrez said.
Marcy Myers, owner of Munch Box which makes specialty grilled cheese sandwiches, says it's been hard to find places, as some of her regular spots in parking lots at Target or Costco have pushed back as they deal with their own customers.
Even if it is an area with public streets and no impeding city or county codes, it's still good to check in with others.
Jaime Uhrich, executive director of the McCormick Ranch Property Owners’ Association, said that neighborhood is starting to look into bringing trucks to the community, which has more than 8,000 properties. There are parks in the area, so people can be spread out. If residents in other places are interested, she recommends reaching out to organizations.
"I think that it's always good to call the association first," Uhrich said.
That could also mean checking with apartment managers or mobile home park managers. Alicia Cantrell, owner of French Me food truck which serves gourmet fries, is starting to reach out to places about her truck. But the initial conversation can start from either side.
"Any resident that is within a community just needs to get approval, just to ensure that proper safety is met," Cantrell said.
How to find a local food truck
There are a few ways to find a food truck to bring to your area.
On the Phoenix Street Food Coalition's website, users can see a weekly schedule for where trucks are already planning to be, or they can fill out a form to start the process of bringing a truck to their location.
People can also reach out to food trucks directly. The Street Food Finder app and website allows users to see where vendors are located, using GPS tracking. It includes a variety of local food trucks, though not all trucks are on there. Cantrell recommends using this at least as a starting point to know what food trucks are already in the area, as gas and mileage can be considerations for food truck owners.
Cantrell noted a few other questions that food truck owners can ask as they find out more about working with neighborhoods, HOAs or apartment complexes.
"How many people are at that community?" she said "Have they had food trucks there before? Is there going to be marketing? Is the community going to provide some type of an email blast to the residents or post signs up maybe at the mailbox?"
Marketing is something that HOAs are thinking about too, whether it's reaching neighbors through social media, email, phone apps or other methods. Some neighborhoods are also sharing information on Nextdoor.
What to know about safety
On both the food truck owners' side and neighborhoods' side, safety is the first concern.
"We wanted to be sure that we were maintaining the highest of safety and health standards," Glysson said.
Many food trucks have added extra precautions, like eliminating cash transactions, only allowing ordering online in advance or setting up cones or tape to make clear marks for 6 feet between customers. Cantrell has her team all wearing masks. Myers makes sure customers see that she is changing gloves and is speeding up the payment process.
"I'll forego the tip, just because I don't want to pass my tablet back and forth and risk contaminating or having someone contaminate," she said.
Customers may be willing to tip more generously to small businesses, but for Myers, even a substantial tip doesn't outweigh the risk of lengthening an interaction. She takes care of her 92-year-old mother, who has Alzheimer's. She can't risk being a carrier.
"I'm kind of at that stage where it's like, I want to work. I have to work," she said. "But I have to keep my family safe."
Current social distancing guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) include maintaining 6 feet of separation, avoiding large crowds and not gathering in groups. Even on walking paths around McCormick Ranch, Uhrich sees neighbors being cognizant of that.
"That's why I wouldn't be afraid to do it," she said of bringing a food truck to the area. "People are pretty conscious of what they're doing."
On top of that, Johnny Diloné, media and community relations manager for the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, said Friday that state health inspections are still proceeding as normal. The inspections are the same for food trucks as for restaurants.
"Just following those guidelines, the health code ... should help them in minimizing any health risks," he said.
While CDC guidelines are not part of the jurisdiction of food inspections, Diloné and his team are working to educate and answer any questions food truck owners may have.
And customers still need food. Judy Willis, park manager at the Holiday Palms Mobile Home Park in Quartzsite, noted that grocery stores are not always the best option for people in her community.
"We have 95% seniors and some who can't shop because of disabilities," Willis said in an email.
She was able to get one food truck to come through last week. She's hoping to find more. She made sure to buy extra egg rolls.
"It's kind of good, because you can fill your freezer," she said.
What's next for food trucks during the coronavirus pandemic
With the usual events-centered business model already gone for food trucks, Cantrell sees other adjustments starting to take place. If people are already picking up a meal, perhaps they can get a few other necessities.
"Not only are food truckers going to be selling food, you're going to see a lot more of them selling essential products," Cantrell said. "So toilet paper or paper towels, Lysol wipes, anything that we can provide to the community where they don't have to be near a big crowd."
Elsewhere in the U.S., some places are starting to tweak ordinances. In Indiana, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that it will now let food trucks apply for temporary permits to serve food at designated highway rest stops. Fimbrez thinks flexibility could help in Phoenix, too.
"If city leadership was willing to kind of relax the rules a little bit, to let the food trucks kind of operate a little bit more freely during this unusual time, that would be fantastic," he said. "I think that would actually help the food trucks a lot more because there's a lot more flexibility in where they can conduct business."
Patrons are still going to restaurants for carry-out and curbside, and a recent executive order is allowing restaurants to sell more. Myers hopes adjusted regulations will trickle to food trucks next.
"If they can have alcohol to go, I should be able to park my truck wherever I want to, to feed people," she said.
Fimbrez has seen a number of the trucks that Phoenix Street Food works with already shut down, feeling they have no choice. Adapting helps food trucks regain at least some revenue, but Cantrell is also wanting to stay open for the sake of clients.
"A lot of food truckers have completely shut down," she said. "I refuse to. I will constantly be serving the customer."
Details: French Me, 480-650-1059, frenchmellc.com. Munch Box, 480-772-2261, munchboxaz.com.
Reach the reporter at kfitzgeral@gannett.com or 480-356-6407. Follow her on Twitter @kfitz134.
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