Food trucks return to downtown
Boston’s pandemic rebound keeps on truckin’.
The city’s rolling restaurant scene has returned with the seasonal debut of food trucks on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, cheered on by employees who have just recently returned to their offices.
“We’re really happy that we have a little more variety,” said food truck fan Jessie Lee.
Lee was delighted to see her personal favorite, Bibim Box, back in Dewey Square at lunchtime Friday. She said she was concerned about whether the truck would return to the spot.
“We’re looking forward to a new season after, hopefully the pandemic will go away, and it will go back to the way it normally was,” said Bibim Box owner Justin Won.
The scene didn’t look completely back to normal – only two trucks parked in Dewey Square on opening day of the season: Bibim Box and the Chicken and Rice Guys. And the lunchtime rush of 2018 wasn’t quite there either, though a steady stream of customers did visit the trucks.
According to an announcement from the Greenway, more trucks will roll on April 16th and May 1st at various locations throughout the park.
The truck operators who made their debut Friday were happy to be back downtown.
“It’s an awesome feeling. Dewey Square is one of our biggest spots, and it’s fun times,” said Phanna Ky, who cheerfully staffed the window at the Chicken and Rice Guys truck.
Won and Ky both said they expect the pace of business to pick up as more employers start asking workers to return to offices downtown and in the financial district. Won predicted business to be back to prepandemic levels by July. He started his truck in 2017 and spent the last two years changing up his business model: he started taking online orders and found new locations for foot traffic during the pandemic.
“We actually moved to colleges and hospitals,” he said.
Chicken and Rice Guys has several trucks they’ve been able to deploy in Cambridge and at breweries during the pandemic, and Won’s truck was buoyed by a brick and mortar restaurant near MIT, the said.
Truck operators have made a significant contribution to Boston’s food scene since their introduction last decade. Beyond the obvious convenience, truck kitchens have introduced new and exciting cuisine to areas all over the region.
“I think this is the only Korean option in this area,” Lee said, describing Bibim Box. “I love Korean food, and it’s different than sandwiches or going over to Chinatown. It’s well-priced and they give you a lot of food.”
Bibim Box customer Jonathan Dore said he returned to his offices near South Station in September, and was thrilled to have a chance to come out and support the trucks during his lunch break.
“With a lot of businesses trying to open back up, I felt I could make an effort to help them out, and play my part. And they’re returning the favor by feeding me,” he said.