Washington State food trucks fight for exemption from commissary requirement

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The proposed bill supported by 12 state lawmakers would allow a mobile food vendor to be granted a variance to the requirement if the food truck has the same…

Mudslides still snag Southern California; support needed for food relief

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

More mudslides are expected in Southern California because many of the hills in the area were scorched by fires that burned the vegetation that would have…

Freshii CEO, founder keynoting 2018 Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit

Early bird registration ends Friday.

'Grocery on wheels' makes its debut

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Self-driving vehicles that deliver fresh produce and allow consumers to place orders via an app and then physically pick their own produce could be the…

Pizza Hut teams with Toyota on self-driving food truck

Pizza Hut has teamed with Toyota on a food truck in a mobility service alliance that also includes Amazon, Didi, Mazda and Uber.

Influencer of the Year: Keith Hill, I Love Bacon

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Keith Hill believes the food truck industry is becoming more competitive and needs more educational resources to help entrepreneurs succeed. This is why he…

11 menu trends going mainstream in 2018

Now trending: Detroit-styled pizza, Vibrantly colored drinks and salads, soft-serve ice cream coming in innovative flavors and a focus on mushroom-centric…

Technology, social media topics lead top 10 stories in 2017

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Stories about social media and technology tools were the most-read articles in 2017, the inaugural year for Food Truck Operator. An analysis of the 10 stories…

Food trucks in pro-bitcoin New Hampshire city begin to accept cryptocurrency

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Keene, New Hampshire, a pro-bitcoin community, already has its second mobile food vehicle that will accept bitcoin, a digital currency that is growing in…

Specialty beverage truck finds healthy demand for nitro coffee, bubble teas and more

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Entrepreneur Doug Hildreth found a big market for a host of niche beverages such as nitrogen-infused coffee, bubble teas, craft sodas and shaved ice in his New…

From food truck to 5 restaurants: one entrepreneur's story

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

While a commissary gave David Choi the venue for his first restaurant, his food truck experience gave him the skills needed to prepare and serve food to…

Seoul Taco: A food truck entrepreneur success story

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

A passion for food, combined with a desire to improve his lot in life and a little luck propelled David Choi, the son of Korean immigrants, to launch Seoul…

Drumstick-roll please: KFC exec to share secret (branding) recipe as keynote of Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

George Felix, KFC's director of brand communications, will share his secret recipe on how KFC is resonating with both millennials and Baby Boomers at the 201…

Chefs' inspiration: Personal experience drives the process, but other factors enter the mix

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Menu development is a team effort consisting of culinary, financial and logistics input. A balance is needed for a menu item to succeed.

Foodservice leaders describe best practices for managing social media challenges

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Managing social media messages is an evolving challenge for foodservice operators. A recent panel highlighted how some proactive companies are addressing the…

Millennials: give us discounts, go easy on the apps

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

One of the more eye-opening sessions at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Nashville last month was a quick, question-filled hour-long chat with a varied…

Franchise or company owned stores? Successful followers of both models offer insight

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The question of whether or not to franchise weighs heavily on the minds of foodservice establishments that must consider the benefits and challenges of…

Investing for growth? Veterans flag top priorities

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

A panel during the Fast Casual Executive Summit at the Nashville Omni explored the questions management should ask before investing in growth initiatives.

Dickey's, Quiznos, Firenza execs: Cloud technology gives a lift, but needs advocates

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Cloud technology enables companies to respond faster to market changes and empowers employees to perform better, but change doesn't come without pain.

Restaurateurs: 'Don’t hesitate to offer mobile payments'

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

While mobile orders represent a minority of orders, panelists said the ratio is shifting in their favor. A panel of restaurateurs tackling the issue at the…