The first food truck opened in downtown Peoria Thursday. Almeida Foods will be at Adams and Hamilton Boulevard Monday through Friday year-round. Co-owner Chuck Almeida and his wife run the food truck, and are from Cuba, Illinois. He says they chose the location after successful run at the farmer’s market:
"Our customers down at the riverfront all summer long, are from here. They have been asking us all summer where are we going to buy your food when the riverfront marketplace is done."
Almeida says the more than $40,000 food truck offers items including tamales, burritos, tacos, various baked goods and a breakfast menu. He says customers in the colder months can order their food early for pick-up.
Almeida is also planning more changes if business picks up:
"If the response is good and we think it will be, we're going to have a runner that actually, one of the office buildings people get together, and they place their order, were going to have a runner take that order and just run it right up to the office."
It will cost Almeida Foods $3,400 for a yearly city-approved permit to operate the food truck.