Gonna need a bigger truck: Customers brave the heat at Joe’s Tacos
Posted 8/28/19
By Philip Haldiman
Independent Newsmedia
As the mercury was topping off at a record 114 degrees last Wednesday, most people were probably nestled inside, cuddled up against the air conditioning …
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Gonna need a bigger truck: Customers brave the heat at Joe’s Tacos
Posted
By Philip Haldiman
Independent Newsmedia
As the mercury was topping off at a record 114 degrees last Wednesday, most people were probably nestled inside, cuddled up against the air conditioning vent with care.
Such was not the case at Joe’s Tacos where about a dozen people were under a large canopy, either chowing down or waiting for their orders to go.
It seems even the brutal heat can’t keep people from this food truck, located in the parking of a tire shop in view of the Grand Avenue overpass at Olive Avenue on the Peoria/Phoenix border.
And owner Joe Sanchez said Wednesday is one of the business’s slower days, compared to most Saturdays, when a 30 minute wait is common.
“Our little truck can’t keep up,” he said.
So what’s a successful food truck business to do?
Well, add another truck, said Mr. Sanchez.
A second truck is being secured and is expected to come online in mid-September. The new truck will be able to handle more food, while the smaller truck will be put to work at events and for catering gigs.
Mr. Sanchez and his staff serve up authentic Mexican food from a simple menu consisting of tacos — asada, pastor, lengua, cabeza — and quesadillas, all made of handmade tortillas. There are also six different aguas frescas.
The house specialty is Toasted Joe’s Taco, with toasted cheese on the outer portion of the tortilla topped with a meat of choice. Additionally, Mr. Sanchez offers a vegan option and a Keto, or low carbohydrate, taco.
The food truck enterprise began in 2016 when Mr. Sanchez’s father retired from his job and decided to pursue his life-long passion for food. Mr. Sanchez said his father bought an old trailer, built it from the ground up and set-up shop on the weekends.
As demand increased, Mr. Sanchez stepped down from his job as a mail carrier, and in January, the food truck expanded its hours.
“It’s increased rapidly,” he said. “Now we’re open Tuesday through Saturday.”
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
If you go
What: Joe’s Tacos will celebrate its new food truck. Event expected to be mid-September.
Where: Near Grand and Olive avenues, 7410 W. Olive Ave.
When: Hours of operations are 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday
