The Great Food Truck Race review: Teamwork isn’t always dream work

With four food trucks remaining in The Great Food Truck Race, the food trucks learned that some days the teamwork isn’t dream work.

Can one food truck pull ahead in the final stops of The Great Food Truck Race? While some cities have proved quite successful, other locations show that sales can be bleak. That up and down roller coaster is the life of a food truck. What did this week’s episode hold?

Periodically, this Food Network competition needs to add a little fun to the hard work. As this week’s episode opens, the food truck teams must show their “athletic skills” prior to cooking.

While having the teams spear their protein prior to the challenge, I have to wonder how many throws it actually took. By the looks of a few of the throws, the Food Network might have wanted to re-think this “skills” challenge.

Once each team had their protein, they had to create skewers with those ingredients. Although it is interesting to see the teams cook something not traditionally on their menu, these food trucks need to be a little more innovative and creative.

In a way, the creativity and thinking outside of the box has been a little limited this season. While some challenges have tried to push the culinary boundaries, the food trucks have basically stayed in their lanes.

As a Food Network fan and a foodie, it would be nice for these food trucks to show off some of their culinary skills. Where is the bold flavor, the unusual combinations or something innovative?

Food trucks can be trend setters and food innovators. Those two descriptions have been a little lost in this season. Sure Sol Food Collective and even Baby Got Mac tried to push the conversation, but those trucks were eliminated a couple of episodes earlier.

Looking at the skewers, only Nola Creations really made a dish that was on brand and creative. Using their signature blackened seasonings and serving the skewer on rice, this dish deserved to be the winning dish (amongst the three).

For winning the skewer challenge, Nola Creations was able to choose their partner/teammate for the day. The four food trucks were split into teams of two. The combined food trucks had to work together and serve the same menu as well as sell in the same location.

Nola Creations chose Brunch Babes as their partner. Rolling Indulgence and Frank N’ Sides were the other team. Truthfully, any combination of these four teams would work well. The menus were definitely not the problem.

This week’s biggest challenge was finding sales. While this competition might have a built in audience because of the situation, finding those people in one city isn’t always the case. This week showed how food trucks will have slow sale days.

Even working in the power of two, the first day’s sales were horrible. It was disheartening watching people try to entice guests to eat at the food trucks. But, like in real life, not every day is a big money day.

Going into the second day, the food trucks felt slightly defeated. Trying to find an audience for their food is proving to be quite difficult this episode. Unlike the infamous phrase, if you build it, they will come. A great food truck with great food doesn’t guarantee sales.

While the second day of selling brought a little more enthusiasm, it was still far less than previous weeks. The beach brought some sales, but without a built in audience, the food trucks struggled.

In this situation, the food trucks are really at a loss. Although Frank N’ Slides tried a unique location (a tire shop), they really didn’t score any guests.

The other three food trucks sold in the same spot on the beach. Sometimes direct competition can be good. Anything to bring some attention to these food truck could finally increase some sales.

Unlike other The Great Food Truck Race episodes, the second challenge came after all the sales were completed. Given the difficult two days, everyone was looking for a big win in the second challenge.

Last year, The Great Food Truck Race partnered with Sonic on a themed challenge. The partnership is back again this season. In this challenge, each food truck had to create a dessert based on a Sonic Milkshake flavor.

Given the tons of Sonic Milkshake flavors, it was surprising that the four flavors were rather tradition. Where was the big, bold flavors? Where was the creativity?

The four food trucks had to impress visitors with their desserts based on the flavors of Sonic Milkshakes. A few of the desserts were rather obvious. Again, creativity could have been pushed a little more.

If you didn’t guess, Nola Creations made a beignet and Brunch Babes made donuts. Yes, both desserts were popular with guests, but couldn’t they have pushed more? Maybe Brunch Babes could have made some type of fried strawberry cheesecake on stick?

Frank N’ Slides made a deconstructive banana cream pie. Rolling Indulgence peanut butter s’more. Again, while all the desserts were tasty, they didn’t necessarily push the creativity aspect.

Winning this challenge was Brunch Babes. They were able to get $200 added to their final total. That extra money boosted them into first place.

Unfortunately, the food truck sent home was Frank N’ Slides. It just wasn’t a strong week for them.

With three food truck left, who will win The Great Food Truck Race? Is your favorite still in the running?