The Grilled Cheese Truck facts for kids
The Grilled Cheese Truck's logo
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| Food truck company specializing in grilled cheese sandwiches | |
| Industry | Fast food |
| Successor | TRIG Acquisition 1, Inc. |
| Founded | Los Angeles, 2009 |
| Founder | Dave Danhi and Michele Grant |
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Area served
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Southern California, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Austin |
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Key people
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Dave Danhi |
The Grilled Cheese Truck was a special kind of food truck that served fancy, "chef-driven" grilled cheese sandwiches. It started in Los Angeles in 2009. Over time, it grew and served customers in many places. These included Southern California, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Austin.
Contents
How the Idea Started
The Grilled Cheese Truck began with two talented people. They were Dave Danhi, a chef from Los Angeles, and Michele Grant, who was also a chef and a business person.
Dave Danhi got the idea during a grilled cheese competition. He saw how much people loved grilled cheese. He also noticed the food trucks parked outside the event. This made him think about starting a food truck just for grilled cheese.
He talked with Michele Grant, and they decided to create a gourmet grilled cheese truck together. They used their cooking skills to make unique sandwiches. Their motto was: "Chef driven Grilled Cheese, ‘cause that’s how we roll..."
A Brief History
Early Days: 2009-2012
The Grilled Cheese Truck first opened in Los Angeles in 2009. It quickly became very popular. At first, there was only one truck. But it was a big hit in the growing food truck scene in Los Angeles.
Within six months, Dave and Michele added a second truck. They also became very popular on social media. Many people followed them on Twitter and Facebook.
By the truck's third birthday, it had over 170,000 followers online. People from all over the world knew about it. The Grilled Cheese Truck became a must-visit spot for tourists in Los Angeles. Some couples even met while waiting in line for their food!
Changes and Growth: 2012-2016
In October 2012, a company called TRIG Acquisition 1, Inc. bought The Grilled Cheese Truck brand. The company's name changed a few times after that. Michele Grant left the company around this time.
The merger helped the company grow into new areas. There were even plans for it to become a publicly traded company. This means anyone could buy shares of the company.
General Wesley Clark, a retired military leader, also joined to help the truck expand across the country. He focused on helping military veterans start their own Grilled Cheese Trucks. At its busiest, the company had 10 trucks.
The Final Chapter: 2016-2020
In 2016, Dave Danhi got the rights to The Grilled Cheese Truck brand back. He had originally sold the rights, but then bought them back.
However, on July 14, 2020, Dave Danhi announced sad news on social media. He said that The Grilled Cheese Truck would close permanently by the end of that month.
Awards and Recognition
The Grilled Cheese Truck received many awards and was featured in the media. Here are some of its achievements:
- Los Angeles Hot List: Named the #1 Food Truck in LA in 2011.
- Los Angeles Times: Voted Best Food Truck by readers in 2012.
- Culture Cheese Mag: Listed as one of the "10 Best Grilled Cheese Trucks."
- LA Weekly: Featured as one of the "Top 10 Sandwiches in Los Angeles."
- Thrillist Los Angeles: Recognized as one of the Best Food Trucks.
- Relish: Included in "America's 10 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches."
- The Daily Meal: Named one of Los Angeles' 15 Best Food Trucks of 2013.
- Won the #1 People's Choice Award at the Grilled Cheese Invitational in 2013.
The truck and its founders, Michele Grant and Dave Danhi, also appeared on many TV shows. These included The Price is Right, Unwrapped, House of Food, Be Our Guest, The Rachael Ray Show, The Joan and Melissa Show, and The Cooking Channel. Dave Danhi's grilled cheese recipes were also shared in magazines, blogs, and cookbooks.
See also
- Food cart
- List of food trucks
- Mobile catering
- Street food
- List of food companies
