By Brennen DiMarzo | Reporter
Food trucks have become an increasingly popular and convenient way for Waco citizens to get food quickly. The Route 77 food park located down La Salle Avenue has a multitude of food trucks for people to experience. Ranging from tacos to seafood, there is a large variety of food nestled in the trucks of this park.
“We have the freedom to be creative with our food. We get to be able to think outside of the box,” Joey Carrion, owner of Between the Bunz, said.
Carrion said that he believes some of the draws of Route 77 and food trucks in general is not only the food, but also the atmosphere surrounding the park.
“We want you to think of us as a place to sit down and enjoy good food,” Carrion said. “We have a healthy variety of college students and families. Our lunch has a lot of construction and office workers looking for something quick and good to eat.”
In addition to the environment, the main attraction is food. Many customers, like Midlothian senior Grace Scott, go to Route 77 for the different kinds of food they are able to pick from.
“If you are going out with friends who can’t decide or agree on what to eat it makes it easier,” Scott said. “It gives us a variety, plus it has a nice outdoor seating area, especially during Covid.”
Mt. Vernon senior Elizabeth Stoner said she thinks the location of Route 77 contributes to its popularity.
“This place is definitely set up for success,” Stoner said. “It is on La Salle and right next to Baylor. It is really convenient for students.”
While restaurants may have suffered during the pandemic, food trucks were able to keep afloat due to their ability to change location.
“The pandemic definitely had some positives for us because we were able to go to neighborhoods where people were working from home,” Carrion said. “Us and other food trucks all were able to feed the neighborhood.”
The food trucks that occupy Route 77 all pay rent on the spot and they may rotate in and out throughout the year. According to their website, there are five different food trucks at all times, including a Mexican, BBQ, burger, comfort food and seafood truck for patrons to enjoy.
