Food trucks are a staple in Californian communities and are a great outlet for culture to be shared. The question for this project is “How have food trucks shaped identity and community life in California through their impact on culture, economics, and public health?” What I hope to explain is how immigrant communities, especially Mexican and Latino entrepreneurs, have transformed the cities they move to through food.
Economist Dick Carpenter II and Kyle Sweetland looked at national business data to test whether food truck growth affects traditional restaurants. First, they looked at U.S. Census and licensing data and found that increases in food trucks do not reduce restaurant numbers. They ended up finding that both grow together in places with a strong demand for dining. The authors used data from studies to show that food trucks help rather than compete with restaurants. This study strengthens my project by showing that food trucks can expand local food economies without threatening existing establishments while also building communities.
Another important lens for my research comes from public health. Deborah A. Cohen and her team at the RAND Corporation studied Latino-owned food trucks in Los Angeles to see if they could offer healthier meals. They worked with 22 food trucks to add menu items that followed MyPlate advice. They found that food truck owners could give the option for healthier meals, however, customers rarely bought them and participation dropped over time. Their data came from menu audits and customer surveys. Cohen’s team says that small businesses can support nutrition goals, but what the customers want will control their success. This article supports my project by showing how people may not go to food trucks for the healthiest options, but it is ultimately the consumer’s choice for what food they choose
My project is a digital timeline focusing on street food and how it has evolved. The audience will gain a better understanding of how food trucks came to be, from starting as small tamale carts to becoming a large sector in the food business. Each entry will give you an idea of how the community, economics, and public health drive the demand for street food.
The significance of this project is to reveal the spaces in urban America where culture, economics, and public health intersect. Street food matters culturally because it is a way of showing how American culture is a melting pot, as there are so many different stories behind each business. Historically, street food in California has changed significantly from small carts selling one item to many carts selling all kinds of food from different cultures around the state has been shaped by immigrants who saw an opportunity in America to succeed and provide for their families. What better way to do that than by sharing something that everyone needs: food.
Sources:
Carpenter II, Dick M., and Kyle Sweetland. “Does the Growth of Food Trucks Threaten the Sustainability of Restaurants? Evidence from a Nationwide Analysis of U.S. Businesses.” Journal of Foodservice Business Research, vol. 28, no. 3, May 2025, pp. 650–71. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2023.2275514.
Cohen DA, Colaiaco B, Martinez-Wenzl M, Montes M, Han B, Berry SH. Can Latino food trucks (loncheras) serve healthy meals? A feasibility study. Public Health Nutr. 2017 May; 20(7):1279-1285. doi: 10.1017/S1368980016003475. Epub 2017 Jan 10. PMID: 28069099; PMCID: PMC5849460.