11 Food Truck Popular Items You Can't Miss

2. Gourmet Burgers and Smashburgers

Gourmet burgers on trucks are more than one-off patties; they’re carefully built sandwiches that use technique to deliver texture. The smashburger method—pressing a thin patty hard on a hot griddle—creates crisp, caramelized edges and intense beef flavor. Many trucks take this foundation and add artisan buns, house-made pickles, and specialty cheeses such as smoked cheddar or burrata-style spreads. Premium touches like truffle mayo, whiskey-glazed onions, or a bacon jam are common on higher-end trucks. Value-wise, a good smashburger is often a satisfying single-serve meal; choose a double only if the truck is known for thick patties or a brioche bun built to hold more. For those who skip beef, look for well-seasoned turkey or plant-based patties that are treated like real burgers—seasoned, pressed, and seared. If you’re curious about local flavor, some trucks add regionally inspired toppings like applewood-smoked bacon in the Northeast or pepper-jack and chipotle in the Southwest. Order a classic single with cheese to judge technique, then move to a signature build if you love what you taste.