Food Truck Spotlight

Indiana enterprise is all about the spud

Since launching their food truck, SpudBank, in May 2022 Stephenie and Laykin Eubank have learned good guys can finish first and that integrity matters.

Provided

January 2, 2023 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Food truck name: SpudBank

Owners: Stephenie and Laykin Eubank

Date founded: May 2022

Location: Scottsburg, IN

How many trucks do you operate under this brand?
1

Do you operate brink-and-mortar locations under this brand as well?
No

How did you come up with the name?
We knew we wanted to incorporate our last name somehow. We went through so many ideas and finally SpudBank was born. We are happy with the uniqueness of the name. Still not many people know that it was created from our last name.

What prompted you to start a food truck?
My wife and I have worked in leadership positions for years. Once the pandemic hit, it made us realize how much happier we would be if we worked for ourselves and could spend more time together. We went all in, quit our jobs, bought a gutted step van, and went to work. We watched alot of YouTube videos on how to build and everything began to fall in place. It took us about 2 months to build. We knew that the worst thing that could happen is we fail and learn and try something else. It turns out this was the best idea we've ever had!

What's on your food truck menu? Why did you choose this cuisine?
We offer an all potato based cuisine. When choosing this we wanted to offer something that would suit a variety of demographics and different budgets. Everyone loves a baked potato but how can we make it better, bigger, fresher? Why not try hand cut fries and tots also? So we created meals on top of potatoes.. Loaded Gouda Mac N' Cheese Potato, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Broccoli alfredo, and the list goes on! Everything is customizable or you can just 'Build Yourself Up' by creating your own masterpiece and always on top of your choice of spud, tots, or fries!

Do you make all the food on the truck or do you use home-based kitchen or commissary space?
Everything is made on truck except for the chili and our sauces!

What's the best part of being a food truck operator?
Being a food truck owner is being able to take pride over something you created and that you maintain. We do everything ourselves top to bottom and that creates a satisfaction of knowing everything is how we envisioned and our customers are always taken care of. We were so humbled by the response that we got when we opened the truck. To us, customers are our family. We treat them like family and in turn they appreciate the effort and love we put into their experience.

What's the worst part of operating a food truck?
The worst part is probably the uncertainty of the business. Unlike a steady 9-5 you will have great days and you will have terrible days. It's just up to you if the journey is worth the rewards this type of business offers.

What lessons have you learned since launching the truck?
We have learned that good guys can finish first. It is a very competitive field to be in but being a team player to your competition and wishing success for everyone really will set you apart. People notice your integrity.

Is there anything you would have done differently at the start?
The only thing I can think that we would've done differently is researching more about setting up, events, etc. We opened in the month of May and didn't realize alot of events were already booked for the year.

Any tips/advice to others thinking of launching a food truck?
My advice would be to stay true to yourself. My wife and I didn't use social media when we started our truck. We have a plain white truck with simple lettering on it. Our designs and marketing are not 'loud' nor was this a super expensive build. We do not advertise all the time. We want our food and our hospitality to speak for itself. We depended on good old word of mouth to make our name known and it worked. It means more when a client seeks to find your truck instead of happening to see it online. With that being said we have just created a social media platform now that we have a customer base and want to keep them informed. People are interested in who we are, not just what we cook.

Do you have any anecdotes about running a food truck — any unique interactions or special events you've been booked at?
We have only been open since May but the event that stands out is a Suicide Prevention Event we booked and when we got there we realized the event was drag races and a mud bog with proceeds going to the cause! It was so fun! We had front row seats from our food truck. It was such a great group of people coming together for an important matter. It was unforgettable for us to have the privilege of doing that event.

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About Judy Mottl

Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Customer Experience and Digital Signage Today. She has decades of experience as a reporter, writer and editor covering technology and business for top media including AOL, InformationWeek, InternetNews and Food Truck Operator.

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