As a long haul truck driver, I eat at a lot of food trucks. Mostly Mexican if I can help it, but there are a lot that give you what they think you want and have no problem charging you what they would think you'll pay. Not me.
I'm frugal. I make a lot of money, but that doesn't mean I have to spend a lot of money. And I know what's good value. I've been hobbled by inflation eating into my taco expeditions (no pun intended) and haggling is a minimal success even though I'm expert at it
My price point is around 2 bux and any more than that puts me in the disadvantage column because I don't know if I'm gonna' get skimped on or not. Too many times the portions have been at or below customer expectations.
So, it's always a pleasant surprise when I come across a truck that exceeds my expectations. So, I'm asking questions. As the owner of his business, this mom and pop truck operation is already suspicious that I'm a discerning customer. I see burgers and fry combos but this is a Mexican couple, so I ask "do you have street tacos?" He says yes. I say "carne asada?" Yes, I have birria and carne asada.
He also mentioned something else but I didn't pick up on it as he has already gotten my attention with 'birria' which I love and 'carne asada' which I always get. Birria is like a shredded beef pot roast that might be cooked in a crockpot. Get this when at a carniceria.
He gives me a sample of the birria in a small plastic salsa container. Then he gives me the carne asada sample. Mind you both of these together could fill one street taco. So I'm sold right there. Forgot to mention he gave them to me while I had already told him I'll take 5 tacos. While I was just waiting there.
He said "which one do you want?" I said, what I commonly do when faced with a food dilemma... "Which one do you like best?" He said birria. I said OK, I'll have that! He said "or you can have carne asada too". I think he wanted to take the pressure off my choice based on his request. Which I didn't mind. I get interesting results when I put people on the spot. I can get very honest answers which I value highly.
I said "can I have half and half? 2 and 3?" He said yes! Then asked the standard question "do you want onions and cilantro?" Which would be considered 'the works'. "And picoso salsa". A spicy red seedy container was in my order. Actually 2 were. Unbeknownst to me. It is usually applied sparingly at the more ghetto food trucks. No containers. He was probably surprised when i asked if I could grab one of the containers he had generously provided for his customers, me making sure I had enough for my taste so as not to be shorted the many times I have been in the past, and him, thinking "What? Are you drinking these things down?"
I also looked for the jarritos tamarind, which I try to get with my meal... He had it. Oh, and feeling good about muscling my way into his business, asked if he has a grilled jalapeno. He said yes, and didn't charge me for 2 giant ones and a 1/4 lemon for garnish.
So, recap: large portions, taco filling for free sample, 2 jalapenos many times are charged for and 2 bux a taco and drink 2 bux = $12.00. I said run my card for $15 please. Fantastic business man. Future customer. Full halfway through. Burp! read more