Taco Cart

Im thinking fire grilled- bbq tacos sound awesome. Maybe change it up and make them a bit smaller and put them on the appetizer menu.

We do pulled pork tacos and lately they have been outselling our PP sammies. We use the same PP we do for sammies, put them on a small flour tortilla with cole slaw and a homemade chipotle/mayo. They are great! We sell them (2) for the same price as a PP sammie.

Out here, there are caterers that are getting tired of trying to compete with the taco trucks. Especially when the trucks are not properly licensed, inspected and/or legally staffed. Along with that there is this odd dichotomy wherein the taco truck provides a plain simple menu and nothing else, but, the caterer is expected to compete with a much higher level of service. I love taco truck food, but, I can see where legit business enterprises are tired of the field being so skewed.

I always ask if folks are looking at the "taco guy" when I can, and explain to then that we are a licensed, insured business, and that we will be more expensive, and let them take it from there. Regardless, I do occassionally have email exchanges like the one below...



Thanks Robert - Unlike Famous Dave's, we cook all of our BBQ's meats fresh each day, and cook and serve on site (Nothing lukewarm or reheated). Our menu is cooked the same way we cook for contest, sides are fresh made, and our sandwich portions average 1/2 lb of meat, vs 4-5 oz. Our sausage is made for us, we make our own BBQ sauces, etc - There's just a lot of difference in what we do as opposed to mass produced, chain restaurant food.

Appreciate the opportunity to have quoted your event, and may be we can be a part of one of your parties in the future. Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

[FONT=Lucida Handwriting, Cursive]Chris[/FONT]

Rancho Rocke BBQ and Catering
Spicewine BBQ Smokers
www.RanchoRocke.com
714-376-2717







From:
To: ranchorocke@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: grad party.
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 09:31:20 -0700

.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage P{padding:0px;}.ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage{font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;}thanks for your quote, however. we are recieving a lower qoute from famous daves bbq.for the same menu at 500.00 with includes taxes and server. If you cam match and/or make a better offer let me know asap. thanks for your time, Robert


From: ranchorocke@hotmail.com
To:
Subject: RE: grad party.
Date: Sun, 23 May 2010 23:12:44 -0600

.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage P{padding:0px;}.ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage{font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;}Hi Robert,

Long weekend! Thanks for the inquiry, and I will have some info and pricing over to you tomorrow (Monday). Thanks!

[FONT=Lucida Handwriting, Cursive]Chris[/FONT]

Rancho Rocke BBQ and Catering
Spicewine BBQ Smokers
www.RanchoRocke.com
714-376-2717







From:
To: chris@ranchorocke.com
Subject: grad party.
Date: Sat, 22 May 2010 15:11:42 -0700

.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage P{padding:0px;}.ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage{font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;}Chris, was looking at hosting a bbq grad party on may 29th at 2:30.
was looking at serving two types of sandwiches. BBQ pork and Beef brisket. along with 2 sides.
for 65 people. (35 pork and 35 beef sandwiches and the 2 sides enough for 65 people. )
also, needed a server to plate sandwiches and sides per request. also 30 smoked sausages.
any and all information regarding the above can be e-mailed to

What the hell's a Taco cart??? :twisted:

Don't have them kind of problems up here.

Bbq Bubba said:

What the hell's a Taco cart??? :twisted:

Don't have them kind of problems up here.

Click to expand...

Nope, but I am sure y'all got weiner carts :twisted:

Taco Cart :-D

Bbq Bubba said:

What the hell's a Taco cart??? :twisted:

Don't have them kind of problems up here.

Click to expand...

I see a business opportunity!

LA Style Hot Dog Cart

I thought those were banned and they were all taken away?

landarc said:

I thought those were banned and they were all taken away?

Click to expand...

They were never legal to start with as bacon is a PHF. They did a crackdown/seizure at one point, but still lots of them roaming the streets for sure!

I remember all the reporting of the big bad 'rascist' L.A. health department crack down and how horrible it was. I assume the triple sink, refrigerator and hand washing sink is on the other cart not in the photo.

For the record, I do not vend anymore for any event, the last one I did got me angry enough to not want to do that anymore, as I was told that our site had to have a roof, nets, solid back, fire extinguisher, hand washing sink not in the same enclosure as the food, separate windows for orders/money versus food distribution, tarp or floor covering on sidewalk and a special health department cert. When I complained that there was a vending truck and a hot dog cart that had none of this, I was told they were not doing a temporary vend and were not subject to regulation.

I wish I had a taco cart guy around here

If the client is a looking for a cheap caterer, do you want to work with them?

Anyway, in L.A. there's a lot of successful gourmet mobile food trucks that are fusing traditional food with new ideas and flavor profiles. Think Kogi truck and so on. If they want BBQ in a taco format, why not give them smoked then braised chipotle carnitas? Or something unique that's still familiar to your customers, yet distinguishes you from the rest of the caterers?