Applebee's Food Truck Kills Mobile Dining's Street Cred For Good

It was a little embarrassing for food truckdom when Jack in the Box opened its own food truck this March. But at least the JATB truck tried to mask its corporate origins with a relatively gnarly Lisa Frank-inspired mural painted on its side. That truck, overall, had the effect of making Jack in the Box seem cooler, without much damaging the overall idea of food trucks.

The same cannot, alas, be said of the new Applebee's food truck.

The bright green truck first hit streets in Denver last Saturday, according to Denver Westword. It was custom-built for a special food truck event, but there are plans to keep it on the pavement, dispensing chipotle-lime chicken sandwiches and steak fajitas wherever it lands. It was really only a matter of time before this happened, honestly. Applebee's loves to adopt restaurant trends a few months after everyone else -- and food trucks are nothing if not a trend.

Comments

[Erica Anderson]

10:31 PM on 08/17/2011

I don't think food trucks are "just a trend" as the woefully ill-informed author of this article wrote. I am a big fan of my local food truck scene in Minneapolis. The food is delicious. I find Applebees' foray into the food truck scene appalling between their gross processed food and obvious attempt at cashing in on the food truck movement. Hopefully Applebees' food trucks will be few and far between and won't be seen in downtown Minneapolis or Saint Paul any time soon. If I do, I plan on avoiding them like a plague and support my local food trucks.

[82warlordabn]

12:49 PM on 08/15/2011

I have not eaten at an Applebees in 25 years and I am just fine. I think all fast food restaurants, such as Applebees are the same when it comes to preparing and serving food.Chili's for example put something on their chicken to make it last longer in storage and it has made me ill for the last three times I have been there. I will not ever go into a Chili's again. Maybe that don't matter as I am 79 years old..We always called fast food trucks at the job site "Roach Coaches". I guess it has not changed..

[FoodTruckLife]

03:26 PM on 08/08/2011

Check out FoodTruckLife.com. Great discussions for food truck owners, company’s serving the industry, and anyone who wants to learn how to open a successful food truck business!

[J0E1]

02:42 PM on 08/08/2011

Not the first time a huge company has ruined a perfectly good trend.  Take Budweiser and their "craft beers".  Just stop already.

[Mielegirl]

01:27 PM on 08/10/2011

Why should this ruin anything? If no one wants to eat Applebee's food, they don't have to. Food trucks are only the perogative of the gourmet? Who decides? You?

[baxtron]

02:17 PM on 08/08/2011

If Taco Bell comes out with a food truck, I will immediately rob it.

[baxtron]

02:16 PM on 08/08/2011

If I need a refill of lemon, pepper, or chicken, maybe I will stop by.

[dragonfly1955]

01:49 PM on 08/08/2011

I stopped going to Applebee's years ago, every meal there was disappointing in some way-then I found out that most of their food is pre-prepared and heated up when you order it. I guess that is something that many of the chain restaurants do. If I wanted what amounts to a TV dinner, I could have that at home!

[adamben]

12:42 PM on 08/08/2011

imho, food trucks are not a trend, or i should say, it is as much of a trend as all of these adventurous restaurants opening in places like williamsburg; that is, it is spreading. i think that the foodies will be able to differentiate and if the general public can't or won't then what does it matter? people can eat what they want; just don't camouflage their origins.

[hereIamHuff]

12:15 PM on 08/08/2011

Sounds disgusting. Sad to see it come to this...

[Yam716]

12:02 PM on 08/08/2011

I prefer to support small, home grown businesses.

[tonewheel]

11:18 AM on 08/08/2011

Horrible restaurant. Our local Applebee's closed, which I was glad to see. Nothing but fried foods on their menu.

[cityprof]

09:47 AM on 08/08/2011

I can hardly wait to see the kind of food truck Cheesecake Factory comes up with. LOL!

[burtongrl]

12:02 AM on 08/08/2011

Crapplebees

[springsm]

10:44 PM on 08/07/2011

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[BinghamLofts]

07:32 PM on 08/07/2011

the food trucks in my city charge as much as restaurants for their food. it is not cheaper at all.