Food Truck Spotlight
Meeting customer demand proves successful for growing Mediterranean food empire
Mohammad Altawaha operates 15 food trucks (and five restaurant locations) under his Abu Omar Halal brand across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Florida. His tips to newcomers to the food truck world are simple: Have a clear plan in mind, don't try and be all things to all people and figure out your specialty and stick to it.
April 19, 2021 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
Food Truck: Abu Omar Halal
Owner(s): Mohammad Altawaha aka Abu Omar
Date founded: 06/2011
Location: Houston, Texas
How many trucks do you operate under this brand?
We have 15 food trucks across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Florida with additional locations coming soon in Florida and North Carolina.
Do you operate brink-and-mortar locations under this brand as well? How many?
Yes, we have five brick-and- mortar locations, with an additional brick-and-mortar location coming soon in California.
How did you come up with the name?
Abu Omar was a nickname given to me, shorter and easier to say than Mohammad Altawaha! Originally named "Abu Omar Taco," our food truck initially served a mixture of Mexican and Mediterranean dishes that adhered to halal food practices.By tapping into this previously untouched niche market, Abu Omar Taco became a quick success in the local community. In those early days, the truck served mostly halal tacos, but after realizing the overwhelming demand was for our specialty chicken shawarma, we shifted the menu focus to serve entirely Mediterranean classics. With the new focus and menu offerings, we decided to change the business name to Abu Omar Halal.
What prompted you to start a food truck?
I moved to the United States in 2008 to pursue a master's degree in Houston, Texas. While in school, I worked in various restaurants across Houston, where I rediscovered my lifelong passion for cooking. After years spent refining my cooking skills and learning the business side of restaurant ownership, I decided to open my own truck and fill the void I felt was present in my community's food scene.
What's on your food truck menu? Why did you choose this cuisine?
I am originally from a small town in Jordan. We grew up eating shawarma and I felt this type of food was severely underrepresented in Houston at the time. Our most popular item is still the classic chicken shawarma, but we do have other items such as falafel and gyros. We offer salads, rice bowls, and of course other sandwiches that utilize our 100% halal meats. All of our trucks are halal and I felt it was important to keep this tradition throughout.
Do you make all the food on the truck or do you use home-based kitchen or commissary space?
We make all of our food on the truck. Each truck is equipped with a rotating vertical spit for the authentic shawarma experience. Like "al pastor" cooking, traditional shawarmas are a mixture of meat and spices that are layered onto a spit and slow roasted so that each piece is evenly cooked and caramelized to perfection before serving. I felt that was a very important aspect of traditional Middle Eastern cuisine that needed to be preserved.
What's the best part of being a food truck operator?
The food truck experience is quite different from other hospitality industries. There is a certain authenticity that comes with having the food cooked directly in front of a customer in such a casual atmosphere. It's a fun experience for both customers and employees and you don't get that same type of interaction in a restaurant setting.
What's the worst part of operating a food truck?
The weather, particularly in a city like Houston, is our worst enemy. The heat, hurricanes, and freak winter storms like we saw in early 2021. You have to be quick on your feet, to keep your employees, customers, product, and property safe.
What lessons have you learned since launching the truck?
Too many to count, but mostly I have learned to have patience that I never would have thought imaginable before. Food trucks are full time jobs and they don't become a success overnight. You have to be patient and persistent to make this type of business a career. Otherwise, it's a costly weekend hobby.
Is there anything you would have done differently at the start?
I don't believe so. Every mistake I've made was an opportunity to learn.
Any tips/advice to others thinking of launching a food truck?
Have a clear plan in mind. You can't be all things to all people. Figure out your specialty and stick to it. Experience in the kitchen and restaurant management is also a plus.
Do you have any anecdotes about running a food truck? Aany unique interactions or special events you've been booked at?
We've booked a lot of music festivals —Day for Night, Astroworld, etc. When I'm working, I hardly recognize people I know personally, much less celebrities, but I've seen several celebs at these events and had no clue. My employees and customers will be freaking out and I'm just worried about the shawarma. Cardi B walked right in front of me at Day for Night and I had no idea until someone told me. My wife was pretty upset I didn't get a photo with her. Our success over the past few years has also allowed us the opportunity to give back to our community as well. Most recently we teamed up with a nonprofit called The Alliance to provide meals to those in need after Houston suffered from the Winter Storm in 2021. We have also feed front line workers over the past year, distributing meals to local area hospitals.
About Judy Mottl
