The Great Food Truck Race review: Ft. Myers shows risk can bring reward

In this week’s The Great Food Truck Race, the food trucks learned that risks can either come with big reward or could send them home.

Does risk equal reward? In this week’s The Great Food Truck Race, the food trucks needed to push the envelope. From bold flavors to creative menu items, these foods trucks need to offer something more than tasty food. Did these risks earn them a spot in the final four?

To kick off this episode, the food trucks faced an unusual challenge. With a stop at Ft. Myers’ Gatorama, the teams had to become gator wrestlers. While this challenge sounded more “risky” than it seemed, it was an interesting way to introduce the episode.

By being the fastest team to move a gator from one area to another, Frank N’ Slides got a one hour selling head start. As the food truck competition reaches the finish line, this selling advantage could make a huge difference.

Also, the gator challenge was more than just a stunt. The food trucks were given both gator sausage and gator tail meat to use. While a few food trucks embraced this protein, some of the food trucks didn’t seem to embrace the risky ingredient. It would have been nice to see the food trucks have to create a dish that highlighted the gator.

Since the overall theme of this episode was risk, the food trucks needed to push themselves more. These food trucks haven’t been taking a lot of risk in the season so far. Sure, Sol Food Collective took a risk earlier in the season, but they were eliminated a couple of episodes earlier this season.

But, with risk, the reward may not always come. It is always a gamble. Still, if these food trucks don’t set themselves apart, what will make them successful in the end?

Looking at day one sales, Madea Made took a risk to sell far away from the other food trucks. While partnering with a local food truck could work, it wasn’t a good choice this week. Comparatively to the brewery locations, with a built-in audience, Madea Made’s location risk may not have paid dividends.

Going into the second day, it seems like Madea Made was at a big disadvantage. With a huge challenge on the line, the standings could change quickly. As seen in previous seasons of The Great Food Truck Race, a food truck can go from worst to first in an instant.

The second challenge asked the food trucks to take a culinary risk. The food trucks had to create a risky burger that would impress a secret judge.

This challenge was designed for the professional chefs to shine. Since the secret judge was a chef, the risky burger needed to be on point. A traditional burger (even a great traditional burger) wasn’t going to win this challenge.

The food trucks needed to go big on this challenge. With the prize of immunity on the line, the foods trucks needed to make this burger the focus. In a way, some trucks seems a little too confident in the challenge.

For example, Rolling Indulgence and Frank N Slides often sell burgers. By going with a more traditional burger, this idea wasn’t risky and didn’t appeal to the secret judge. It was a big mistake for both trucks.

Madea Made knew that it needed to deliver with its burger. After poor sales on day one, they needed this immunity.

https://twitter.com/Madea_FoodTruck/status/1148086094568861698

The judge appreciated their burger and thought they took a risk. It was a huge burger, huge bite and almost impossible to eat the entire burger. Whether it was truly a 3-lb burger or not, this burger definitely took a risk.

Nola Creations took a risk with their burger, too. The bold spices and blackened char was a smart move on their part. It fit the theme of their food truck. They went big and that choice paid off for the food truck.

The secret judge choose Nola Creations as the burger challenge winner. In a way, this burger was the “chefy” burger of the bunch. It was a smart choice for Nola Creations and gave them their first challenge win.

With Nola Creations receiving immunity and a spot in the final four, the other food trucks needed big selling weekends. Overall, Ft. Myers proved to be a great food truck town for the teams. The sales in this week’s episode were huge.

This week’s competition might have focused on risk, but selling location proved to be vital. With the local breweries providing a built in audience, the food trucks were able to leverage those guests into big sales.

Winning this week’s episode was Brunch Babes. Their simplified menu allowed them to push food out and still maintain high sales. Could this week’s huge win propel them into the finale?

Unfortunately, the bottom two teams were Madea Made and Frank N’ Slides. Given the day one sales, it seemed obvious that Madea Made was going to be in the bottom. They really needed the immunity win.

The food truck sent home this week was Madea Made. While they took a location risk, that move didn’t pay off. It is sad to see them go, but sometimes risks do not pay the dividends desired.

With four food trucks remaining, can one food truck set themselves apart from the pact? As the finale approaches, who you do you think could be rolling to the title on this season’s The Great Food Truck Race?