Taco Truck Capitalizes on Growing Trend

Jonathan Grupe doesn’t have an average day job. Grupe works at Big Truck Tacos. Big Truck Tacos is a traveling taco stand that drives all over central Oklahoma.

While living in Chicago Grupe managed a pizza restaurant. When Grupe moved back to Oklahoma, where he was born, he wanted to open his own food truck but had insufficient funds.

Grupe was surprised to find that Oklahoma already had a food truck in the form of Big Truck Tacos. Grupe joined Big Truck Tacos and worked his way up from a cook all the way to truck manager.

“I’ve been there for about a year and a half, and it has just kept growing and growing.” Grupe said.

Big Truck Tacos has been on the scene of Oklahoma City eateries since 2009. Like the taquerias it is modeled after, it moves to different locations to maximize the availability.

“Essentially it’s like a RV, but instead of beds there’s a kitchen.” Said Grupe.

In another separation from taquerias, Big Truck Tacos uses social media in communicating to their customers where they will be on a day to day basis.

Customer Justin Westmoreland said, “I follow them on Twitter, so, I’m a fan.”

Big Truck Tacos also has a permanent restaurant in Oklahoma City. Grupe explained that it wasn’t originally intended to be a restaurant, but was only supposed to supply the trucks with food and other materials before they went out. When Big Truck Tacos decided to also sell food there the owners had to buy the building next door to expand to make it a full restaurant.

Since opening their first truck in 2009 Big Truck Tacos has been successful, and it doesn’t show much sign of slowing down.

Grupe said, “The name is just spreading more, and we are getting more and more business.”