The food truck craze shows no sign of slowing down as Jack has thrown his oversized hat into the ring. The burger chain, Jack in the Box, has now hit the road and can be found rolling along the streets of Southern California. There happen to be a lot of parking lots in Southern California, so hopefully this news doesn’t squeeze out the little guys. In any event, just like drive-ins were an icon of previous generations, it looks like food trucks have hit the mainstream.
Read on to find out where to catch it…
Hit the Road, Jack: Newest Jack in the Box® Restaurant Is Actually a 34-Foot-Long Food Truck
SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–After 60 years of serving guests driving to and through his Jack in the Box® restaurants, Jack has decided to turn the tables. He’s going to start driving to his guests to serve his delicious burgers, tacos and fries. That’s right, Jack in the Box is taking its fast-food show on the road and will soon be coming to an event, venue or street near you.
This week, the popular chain debuted its first-ever mobile, brand-building Jack in the Box food truck. And consistent with his m.o. for taking his big-headed ideas to the extreme, Jack is hitting the road in style – with a truck that’s bigger and badder than its counterparts. Dubbed Jack’s Munchie Mobile, its length is about 12 feet longer than the average food truck. Ironically, the length and height of the truck renders it unable to navigate the drive thru at most Jack in the Box restaurants.
“The mobility of a food truck enables us to serve our guests, even if there’s not a restaurant around,†said Terri Funk Graham, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Jack in the Box Inc. “We’ve engineered Jack’s Munchie Mobile with state-of-the art kitchen technologies that enable us to prepare a variety of guest favorites – from our Jumbo Jack® and Spicy Chicken Sandwich® to our famous tacos. And with a powerful onboard generator, water heater and 30 gallons of potable water, we can serve up great-tasting Jack in the Box food anywhere and anytime.â€
There’s nothing “off the shelf†with the new food truck. Along with custom refrigeration and freezer units, the truck was fabricated with the same equipment as a Jack in the Box kitchen, including grill, fryer, toaster, fountain beverage dispenser and prep area for burgers, sandwiches and tacos. The truck also includes a 47-inch flat screen digital menuboard and satellite radio to entertain guests.
As it rolls along the highways and byways of Southern California, the food truck will be hard to miss. Along with its distinctive length, the sides feature a custom design of Jack, with a spatula in hand, driving a chariot pulled by a tiger and polar bear in hot pursuit of a Thunderbird clutching a take-out bag.
In addition to a driver, five Jack in the Box employees have been handpicked to serve as the inaugural crew. Graham said a three-employee crew is optimum to operate the kitchen, given onboard space limitations. Beyond complying with state and federal regulatory requirements, Graham said all of the kitchen equipment as well as food handling and cooking protocols are consistent with the same rigorous scrutiny that have made Jack in the Box restaurants an industry leader in food safety.
Jack in the Box will leverage the new food truck to support restaurant activities as well as community events. Jack’s Munchie Mobile is also available to cater public or private events throughout Southern California. Other than requiring a concrete or similarly hard surface and a minimum parking space of 55’ x 20’, Jack’s Munchie Mobile is fueled up and ready to roll. For reservation information, visit http://www.facebook.com/MunchieMobile. Twitter followers can also track the Munchie Mobile’s whereabouts via twitter@MunchieMobile.
About Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), based in San Diego, is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box® restaurants, one of the nation’s largest hamburger chains, with more than 2,200 restaurants in 19 states. Additionally, through a wholly owned subsidiary, the company operates and franchises Qdoba Mexican Grill®, a leader in fast-casual dining, with more than 500 restaurants in 43 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.jackinthebox.com.
I like JIB in a pinch and all, but isn’t the whole point of the food truck movement to have gourmet, seasonal, and better food, with less overhead and more freedom in your menu? In other words NOT corporate. What does this mean in the grander scheme of things?
Run to the Hills