Inside Boston's late-night food truck experiment
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Andre Williams has mastered the art of cooking saltfish and the discipline of running a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
- His next challenge? A fickle generator attached to his food truck shutting down around 11pm near Symphony Hall.
Why it matters: Boston's late-night food truck pilot program has become a testing ground for restaurant owners who want to learn the mobile dining business.
Catch up quick: Williams, owner of Cool Shade, and at least eight others got licenses to operate at one of seven designated spots up to 3am throughout the week.
- Some businesses, like Billerica-based Augusta's Chicken on the Road, were seasoned food truck owners eager to serve Boston's late-night crowd.
- For others, like Cool Shade and Murl's Kitchen, the pilot has become their introduction to the rush — and the hiccups — of the food truck game.
Case in point: Williams figured out how to adjust the water temperature for the generator and got the truck back online in 20 minutes.
- Then he and his staff turned to the growing line of customers who waited it out.
- "I'm turning into a little mechanic," he told Axios.
Zoom out: Most U.S. cities don't have a dedicated late-night food truck program.
- The cities that do have late-night eats — Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis and New York — give their businesses the green light to stay open late if they meet certain requirements.
- But Boston businesses seeking late-night hours have run up against neighborhood associations and licensing officials who resist approving later hours for fear it would disturb slumbering residents or cause other issues.
- Enter the pilot program, which helped streamline the permitting process.
Reality check: Some summer nights are slow, but it's given new operators and city officials time to work out the kinks.
- The city is scoping out a new location near Boston Medical Center, after food trucks stationed at 775 Harrison St. garnered noise complaints from nearby residents.
- Earlier this summer, several food trucks failed to show up on their designated nights, either due to personal emergencies or scheduling conflicts. At least one no longer appears on the city's roster.
Yes, but: The food trucks have become destinations for third-shift workers, concertgoers and tourists who get introduced to Jamaican, Dominican and other cuisines that aren't typically found downtown.
What they're saying: "These trucks showcase that culinary diversity that we have," says Correan Reynolds, the city's nightlife czar.