Pasco’s Food Truck Friday exceeds expectations

Officials with Pasco Specialty Kitchen and the Downtown Pasco Development Authority are pleased with how their first season of Food Truck Friday went.

Food trucks that participated reported $95,000 in gross sales during the 33-week season, a news release said. Food Truck Friday also led to more than 10 jobs being created and dozens of other business opportunities for vendors, such as catering and contacts for other events. It also went far in driving economic development in downtown Pasco.

“As with any new first-time program, we didn’t know what to expect, but our expectations were exceeded on every level — from community support and loyal customers from Kennewick and Richland, to customers from as far away as Pendleton, to awesome sales produced for these small businesses and food trucks vying to participate,” said Marilou Shea, the specialty kitchen’s director and creator of the event. “

The event is expected to return in the early spring, featuring its popular $4.95 special, officials said. A number of vendors who participated in the first season plan to return, and there is talk of introducing a loyalty program, Shea said.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Pasco’s Food Truck Friday exceeds expectations."