A New York gourmet grilled-cheese purveyor has won a key prize: It’s the best street food in the city.
Snowday, which touts a “farm-to-truck experience” with the sale of New York State locally sourced food, won the top Vendy award – a prize that has been awarded annually for the past decade to determine the best in street food. Since 2005, the Vendy Awards, which originated in New York City, have since spread to other destinations, such as Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
Snowday charges $7 for a grilled cheese sandwich, or as much as $10 with extras. It already scooped up a “Rookie of the Year” Vendy Award last year, and has been listed as one of the city’s top food trucks by several media outlets. The company tweets its location via the handle @SnowdayTruck.
The food truck economy generates a lot of headlines, but is a relatively tiny player in the broader restaurant world. Estimates on the industry’s size vary, with sources estimating mobile eateries generate between $650 million to $1 billion annually. That’s enough for just 1% of U.S. restaurant sales. Some observers say food truck operators could generate $2.7 billion in annual sales in just a few years.
Interestingly, food trucks aren’t just relying on mobile locations to generate business. As the National Restaurant Association points out, food truck owners are increasingly opening brick and mortar locations. That mirrors a trend that’s been observed among e-commerce retailers, which are also opening physical locations to generate more sales.