Here's Why Washington D.C. Is The Capital Of Food Trucks

After starting as a BBQ food truck in Los Angeles in 2008, the food truck phenomenon made its way around the country, straight to the capital. Washington, D.C., currently has 150 food trucks, with more popping up each day. But what exactly makes D.C. the perfect environment for these meals on wheels to thrive?

For starters, D.C. is a place of high-pressured industry. So when there’s only 10 minutes before the next meeting, lunchers are more likely to run outside to catch a food truck with a short line rather than wait for a restaurant that takes twice as long to get their food and costs three times as much.
On the business side, operating a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Washington, D.C., means sky-high rent, which is rising each month, and adhering to stringent rules and regulations that make it difficult to get feet on the ground. Food trucks offer the solution.

Washingtonians who have put their entire savings into these trucks intelligently acknowledge and cater to their hungry clientele, namely business professionals, by setting up shop outside downtown offices and places like the Navy Yard during lunch hours. People in D.C. also prefer using their spacious sidewalks to get from A to B rather than drive or take the metro, so trucks are bound to catch a lot of traffic.
Food trucks also roam where the gettin’ is good, like at parks and festivals, which have proven to be a major score. These rolling caterers are so commonplace, locals even use dedicated app Food Truck Fiesta, which locates favorite food trucks in real time.

Food Truck Thursdays in Washington, D.C.

Perhaps most importantly, both the food truck owners and their customers are truly diverse people. Serving a hungry clientele that enjoys trying new food from different worlds, there are not only people coming from all over—inside the United States and out—proudly serving signature and authentic regional dishes but also some inventive establishments with growing reputations.

Delicious Cuban sandwiches from a DC food truck

There we have it: a steady supply and an eager demand keep the food truck trend going in Washington, D.C. The craze is real and, hopefully, here to stay.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.