Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses the background and rationale of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, scope and limitation and research design and methodology which includes research method, respondents of the study, locale of the study, research instrumentation and data gathering procedure.

1. Background and Rationale of the Study

Food and drink are the essential ingredients to life and the survival of a human being (Razaq, 2010). As time evolved, various ways and methods on how food is served have been invented and devised not only to satisfy mankind’s basic need, but as well as to provide a one-of-a-kind culinary and gustatory experience.

Technomic, the leading foodservice research and consulting firm has released a report on leading restaurant changes in the restaurant business and 11 trends they see as key for 2011 and beyond. Their bottom line is the restaurant landscape is changing many areas. Including in their list of leading restaurant trends release are the Mobile Food Trucks (Celentano, 2011).

A food truck is a mobile vehicle for cooking and selling food. Some, including ice cream trucks, sell mostly frozen or prepackaged food; others are more like restaurants-on-wheels. Some may cater to specific meals, such as the breakfast truck, lunch truck or lunch wagon, and snack truck, breaks truck or taco truck.

Although food trucks existed well before the early 2000s, many sources pinpoint 2008 as the unofficial onset of the food truck phenomenon. The industry is booming with approximately 3 million food trucks in the U.S., more than 5 million food carts, and an unknown number of kiosks, which have appeared in malls, train and bus stations, airports, stadiums, conference centers and other locations in recent years (Buck, 2011).

Food industry observers claim that the increase in food truck business is largely in response to the slow-growing economy. People are seeking inexpensive breakfasts and lunches. Also, more employees are often pressed for time, with more work and shorter lunch hours. With new gourmet trucks, food lovers can also sample unique dishes for less than a restaurant meal. It also has several distinct advantages over a traditional eat-in restaurant. A food truck can go to where the customers are and with its accessibility and convenience, customers are easily lured (Mintzer, 2011).

This phenomenon has reached Philippine shores and last September 2011, Guactruck, the first LA-inspired food truck, started its operations in Manila (Diaz, 2011). Part owner, Michealle Lee stated in a magazine interview that Manila was a logical choice as the food truck trend is reaching its peak in North America and North American trends more often than not find a comfortable place in the Philippine Islands – given the similarities in culture and openness (Fontanilla, 2012).

The researchers aim to bring the food truck phenomenon and current modernization in the food industry in General Santos City to offer a distinctive experience in dining and eating for the Generals. The city has a strong potential for a good market for the food truck being an urbanized city on the verge with shopping malls and commercial centers booming around and with its flourishing population growth rate of 3.90 from May 1990-2010 according to the Government Census. The researchers also aim to provide pride for General Santos City to have the first-ever food truck in Mindanao