KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Do you like eating food outside that you bought from the back of a truck?
If the answer is yes, we have good news for you.
Knox County will soon be home to eight food truck parks, two of which will open later this year, all of them opening since the beginning of 2018.
In that time, more and more food trucks opened. According to the City of Knoxville, 123 food trucks currently have active operating permits.
All these trucks serve very different cuisine, from ramen to pasta to fried chicken to barbecue and everything in between.
Food truck owners said that variety is part of the appeal.
The community of mobile chefs works together not against each other.
Many really thrived during the pandemic when more people turned to dining outdoors.
That's what the Fai Kultida Blais, the owner of Fai Thai food truck noticed with her business this past year.
"The restaurant is good, that tradition, that go-and-sit-down, but I think people become more outgoing," said Blais. "They want to interact with other people and a food truck is fun and easy where you take just a second to get the food."
Fai Thai is the only food truck that serves Thai food. Blais said her success with her truck is leading to bigger things.
Fai Thai Kitchen will open on 522 Gay Street in downtown Knoxville this August.
It will take the place of Kopita Meat, which will combine into one space with its sister restaurant Kopita Vegan.
Blais said opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant wouldn't have been possible without starting her business on wheels.
"I'm so glad that I really dared to open the food truck in the first place," she said. "I would never have today if it was not for the food truck. It's like my baby, like my firstborn."
Fai Thai food truck will continue to serve food.
Not every food truck wants to be in a building and that's why food truck parks exist and thrive.
Central Filling Station opened in February 2018 in North Knoxville as the first official food truck park in the area.
It's the first of eight.
Southside Garage is a food truck park and bar on Sevier Avenue in South Knoxville.
The Cave at Hey Bear Cafe hosts food trucks off Middlebrook Pike in West Knoxville.
35 North opened toward the end of 2020 as Farragut's first food truck park and bar.
The StrEat Park opened shop earlier this year for trucks and vendors off Lovell Road.
Northwest Knox County is up next when it comes to spreading the food truck park love, with three new venues about to open in that area.
The Powell Food Park on Emory Road is preparing for its grand opening at the beginning of August.
Corner 62 plans to open in the next month as a food truck park, bar and live music venue on Schaad Road next to the new Food City.
Karns Food Truck Court has its grand opening off Ball Camp Pike scheduled for September 4.