Food Truck Spotlight

Pretty Great Cheesecake brings the sweets to the food truck scene

Owners Kurt and Carrie Anderson combine food science with family friendly services with their two dessert focused food trucks.

Photo: Pretty Great Cheesecake

January 12, 2026 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Most folks visit food trucks for lunch or dinner, but what about dessert? A good dessert can bring the entire family together, and that's what the food trucks Pretty Great Cheesecake and Petty Great Cake Shakes aim to accomplish.

Founded in Chaksa, Minnesota, by Kurt and Carrie Anderson, these trucks combine food science with good customer service to stand out in their community. Learn about them in today's Food Truck Spotlight.

Date Founded

05/2018

Location

Chaksa, Minnesota

How many trucks do you operate under this brand?

Pretty Great Cheesecake and Petty Great Cake Shakes.

Do you operate brick-and-mortar locations under this brand as well? How many?

No.

How did you come up with the name?

We wanted something that felt fun, approachable and honest. We weren't trying to sound fancy or intimidating — we wanted people to smile when they heard the name. "Pretty Great" felt confident without taking itself too seriously, and it matched how we wanted people to feel when they took that first bite.

What prompted you to start a food truck?

I never dreamed of working for myself. That honestly wasn't the plan.

I went to the University of Wisconsin–Stout for Restaurant Management, thinking I'd follow a traditional path in the food industry. After graduating, I quickly realized that restaurant life wasn't what I wanted long-term. I went back to Stout and shifted my focus to food science — a decision that ended up shaping everything that came next.

After graduation, I worked at Jack Link's, then moved on to Jennie-O, where I helped develop food products. When I met my wife (on Tinder!), I moved from Willmar to the Twin Cities and took a role with Dairy Queen as a food product expert. I was responsible for organizing menu photo shoots and promotional marketing — the images and materials customers see in stores every day. It was an incredible experience that taught me how food, branding and consistency all come together.

Eventually, I found myself at a crossroads in my career. I was pushed to make a decision: find another corporate role, or create something of my own.

My wife and I had casually talked about selling cheesecakes for years, but this was the moment where the idea started to feel real. We asked ourselves all the hard questions — should we rent kitchen space? Sell wholesale? Try to get into restaurants or grocery stores? We started talking to people in the industry, asking for advice and learning as much as we could.

One of the most memorable moments early on was meeting Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods, to get his opinion on our cheesecakes. Being from New York, he openly described himself as a cheesecake traditionalist — but after trying ours, he was genuinely impressed. That moment gave us confidence that we were onto something special.

Ultimately, we realized we didn't just want to sell dessert — we wanted to create an experience. We saw an opportunity to do cheesecake differently: bold flavors, high quality and something people hadn't seen before. The food truck model allowed us to bring our product directly to the community, connect with customers face-to-face and grow organically without sacrificing quality.

For us, Pretty Great Cheesecake became the perfect blend of creativity, food science and family. It allowed us to build something of our own, on our terms, and share something we truly love with the people around us.

What's on your food truck menu? Why did you choose this cuisine?

Our menu is entirely dessert-focused, which immediately sets us apart. We serve four-inch mini cheesecakes — each about a half-pound — in rotating, one-of-a-kind flavors, along with our signature Cake Shakes made from soft serve blended with frosted cake. They're rich, indulgent and designed to feel like a treat you don't come across every day.

We chose dessert because it gives us creative freedom and allows us to deliver something memorable. People understand tacos, barbecue or corn dogs — but dessert stops people in their tracks. It sparks curiosity. We hear it all the time: "I've never seen anything like this before."

Cheesecake, in particular, is a dessert people love but rarely expect to see done this way at a food truck. Our background in food science and product development also plays a big role — we approach every flavor intentionally, from the crust up, making sure it's balanced, high quality and consistent.

Dessert creates emotion. People don't just eat dessert because they're hungry — they eat it because they're celebrating, relaxing or treating themselves. Being part of that moment is incredibly rewarding. Dessert brings people together, sparks conversation and leaves a lasting impression.

Do you make all the food on the truck or do you use home-based kitchen or commissary space?

We do everything inside our trucks!

What's the best part of being a food truck operator?

The best part of being a food truck operator is getting to create joy in real time. We're not just serving dessert — we're part of people's celebrations, date nights, concerts and everyday "treat yourself" moments. Watching someone take their first bite and say, "Wow, I've never had anything like this before," never gets old. There's something really special about building something with your family, serving your community and seeing people genuinely happy because of what you created.

Owning a food truck has allowed us to build a business together while still being present for our daughter. We get to work side by side, set our own pace, and show her what it looks like to work hard for something you love. That balance is incredibly meaningful to us. We aren't boxed into a traditional menu or brick-and-mortar expectations. We get to dream up flavors, experiment, and bring something truly unique to events.

When people tell us they've never seen — or tasted — anything like what we do, it reminds us why we chose this path. Every event is different, every crowd is different and we get to be part of moments people remember — all while doing something we love.

What's the worst part of operating a food truck?

The unpredictability. Weather, attendance, timing and logistics can change everything in an instant. You can plan perfectly and still be at the mercy of rain or a last-minute event change. That said, we've learned to stay flexible, problem-solve quickly and roll with it — skills that serve us far beyond the food truck world.

What lessons have you learned since launching the truck?

Flexibility is everything. No matter how well you plan, something will change — weather, crowds, equipment, timing. We've learned to adapt quickly, stay calm under pressure, and make smart decisions on the fly. We've also learned that consistency matters. Showing up prepared, professional and positive builds trust with customers and event organizers alike.

Is there anything you would have done differently at the start?

We would have charged more sooner and trusted the value of our product. Like many small businesses, we initially worried about pricing ourselves too high. Over time, we realized that what we offer is unique, premium and worth it. We've learned that not every event is the right fit — and that saying "no" is just as important as saying "yes."

Any tips/advice to others thinking of launching a food truck?

Know your numbers and know your why. It's easy to focus on the fun parts — the menu, the truck, the branding — but understanding costs, pricing and profitability is what keeps you in business long-term. At the same time, you have to truly love what you're doing. Food truck life is hard work, and passion is what carries you through the long days. You may not know where to start or the means to get there, but I would encourage anyone to follow their dreams. The food truck community has been welcoming and supportive. We're very much like a family. Everyone is willing to share information and helpful tips.

Do you have any anecdotes about running a food truck — any unique interactions or special events you've been booked at?

We've been lucky to be part of some truly unforgettable events. One of the most unique experiences has been serving Delta Airlines employees — which includes driving our food truck right onto the airport tarmac while planes are actively taking off around us. It's not every day you get to serve cheesecake in the middle of an airport runway.

We've also had the opportunity to serve at St. Paul Saints games, where we actually drive our truck onto the outfield. Being surrounded by a stadium full of fans while serving dessert is an incredible experience and something we never take for granted.

Those events really stand out because they remind us how unexpected and fun this job can be — one day we're at a neighborhood event, and the next we're serving cheesecake on a tarmac or inside a baseball stadium. It's pretty surreal and very cool.

We've also had countless moments where customers tell us they planned their entire night around finding our truck, or that our cheesecake became a tradition at their favorite event. Those moments remind us why we do this.

We've also been invited back year after year to many events, which is one of the biggest compliments we can receive.

About Bradley Cooper

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Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

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