Neighborhood Food Truck Program Approved in Medford

Medford MA

16 September, 2020

2:14 PM

Description

FOOD TRUCKS PIVOT FROM THE CITIES TO THE SUBURBS IN RESPONSE TO COVID NEIGHBORHOOD STREATS PROGRAM ARRIVES IN MEDFORD FOR WEARY --& HUNGRY -- NEIGHBORS MEDFORD, MA – With tourism down, offices closed, college students working remotely and urban foot traffic down to a minimum, the hundreds of food trucks in New England had to do something to stay alive. The days of selling 400 lunches on the Greenway have been gone since March. What to do and where to go? So, now the food trucks are rolling to the suburbs where programs like Neighborhood StrEATs have helped keep the trucks alive and brought some welcome culinary diversion to greater Boston neighborhoods. In August, the mayor and the city of Medford approved the arrival of the Neighborhood StrEATs program at the town’s select board meeting— Medford residents can now bring food trucks to their neighborhoods. “Our initial goal was first and foremost to keep the food truck industry alive,” says Anne-Marie Aigner, founder of Food Truck Festivals of America and Neighborhood StrEATs. “But, with restaurants closed and folks stuck at home and told not to go out, we saw that folks needed help – and a little something new. Even now, as restaurants start to open again, we don’t go out every night. Some nights we cook at home, once in a while we go out, we do take-out – and why not the fun of a food truck or two on your block every once in a while?” “It’s been a lifesaver for us,” says Jerry Dente, owner and operator of Trolley Dogs Food Truck. “Without festivals or concerts or city foot traffic, it has been very, very challenging these past few months. These neighborhood events have kept us in business.” “The people we work with in each neighborhood to spread the word we call our ambassadors. I have heard from many of them that StrEATs was a refreshing change of pace, and loved how they were able to try something completely new for dinner on their own street,” says Aigner, who has developed personal connections with many towns' ambassadors. “They also say the best part is getting to see and connect with their neighbors who they haven’t been able to see much recently.” Neighborhood StrEATs operates in Canton, Waltham, Newton, Watertown, Ashland, Plymouth…all over the region. It is a COVID-friendly program, with the trucks sanitized and certified and the truckers and customers masked and gloved. All ordering is done online…no cash or credit cards at the truck. It is basically takeout/pickup from a food truck. “It’s a hyper-local program meant to provide residents with some fun and food and brings the food trucks some welcome revenue,” says Aigner. “It’s the definition of win-win.”