Restaurants turn to food trucks to get through pandemic

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    BOSTON, MA (WBZ) — With more and more people going outside, so are business owners banking on food trucks to have a big spring and summer.

“With the pandemic situation what it was, we thought, ‘let’s try to broaden our horizons and do something we’ve never done before,’” said Matt Chelko, Executive Chef of Summer Shack’s new food truck. The seafood chain has been in business for over 20 years, with locations in Boston, Cambridge, and Mohegan Sun. They launched their first-ever food truck on April 16.

“You don’t have to put down tables six feet apart from each other. By the nature of the truck being what it is, people are going to be a lot more distanced from the people coming in,” said Chelko. “That’s a nice change of pace from having to worry about stuff like that in a restaurant.”

Anne-Marie Aigner is the founder of Food Truck Ventures, a business that allows people to book food trucks for their neighborhood, workplace, or fundraiser. “People are coming out of their homes and seeing food trucks as another dining option, a safe dining option. And we’re getting new food trucks every day as well since food trucks are also feeling the optimism,” said Aigner.

Nathalie Lecorps and Karyn Glemaud were deciding between a brick and mortar or a food truck for their new venture, Gourmet Kreyòl, ultimately choosing a restaurant on wheels.

“Definitely the right choice. Definitely. Because I know everything that’s going on with COVID with the restaurants, the capacity of people they can have in there is really low,” said Lecorps.

Gourmet Kreyòl launched this week, with plans to spend Thursdays in Jamaica Plain at 137 Green Street and Friday’s in the South End at 775 Harrison Avenue. Already, due to the turnout the past two days, they’re thinking about ramping up the business.

“This is amazing. God is so good. I’m so happy. I’m grateful. Definitely, we’re probably going to add a few more days,” said Lecorps.

Lindsey Mayer was trying Gourmet Kreyòl for the first time, telling WBZ-TV, “there’s just kind of for me a lift in the air and I’m excited to just be able to eat outdoors and enjoy the weather, good company, and good food.”

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