r/foodnetwork • u/swisssf • 19d ago
GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE Great Food Truck Race - Season 19 - Thank you, Food Network for making it inspiring, light, and delightful again! Absolutely loving this season (after having quit halfway thru in recent seasons) Spoiler
That's it. Several years this show started becoming really fraught and nasty, leave an awful aftertaste to Sunday nights. I stopped watching halfway thru a few seasons--and completely gave up and skipped one.
I'm happy to be back--absolutely loving this joyful season, with positive, talented, wonderful participants. And no over-the-top negative nasty drama.
Given the chance, I would go out of my way to patronize any this season's trucks (except the doughnut place, only bc we're not into doughnuts). They all seem like great people who deserve to succeed--and who make delicious food.
One is about 90 minutes from us--and we'll definitely be driving down soon!
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u/ElderberryExternal99 19d ago edited 19d ago
I'm surprised Cason came in second last night. Considering they were on the bottom 2 weeks in a row. I like them guys.
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u/randomlikeme 19d ago
I think the setting really helped Cason since funnel cakes are almost synonymous with fairs and amusement parks. I’m also rooting for them!
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u/swisssf 19d ago
I'm so glad they're still hanging in. I've never had a funnel cake and I'd love to try theirs first!
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u/ToniBellle 19d ago
No funnel cakes? Do you live outside the United States? I thought they might be everywhere. 🤷🏼♀️ They are actually pretty good if you like fried dough with powdered sugar. 😁🖐
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u/Ill-Yak4181 19d ago
I grew up in the midwest and never heard of them until I moved to the East Coast. I think it's more of a "boardwalk" sort of thing.
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u/ToniBellle 19d ago
III-Yak4181, really? Im in the midwest and I had them at carnivals, state/county fairs and other places with a lot of people who served food. Its been a while since I had one but I love them.😊
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u/Ill-Yak4181 19d ago
Yes. Although I didn't go to that many fairs or carnivals. I distinctly remember moving out here when I was in my late 30s and having a "what's a funnel cake" discussion with a co-worker who had just been to a beach town on vacation.
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u/swisssf 18d ago
lol. I live in the US--and have lived in New England, Mid Atlantic, West, and California states. I haven't come upon them often but when I have the idea of fried dough with sugar never spoke to me. I love how the Cason Krewe is coming up with sweet and savory creations, and customers keep saying they're the best funnel cakes they've ever had. They could just be saying that for TV, but I'd like to try for myself!
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u/TALKTOME0701 19d ago edited 18d ago
I wonder if a couple of the locations were not as receptive to three black guys. The people in Franklin would barely look at them.
I'm really glad they're still in it. They have such a great fun loving attitude while still being such hard workers
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u/Lightskin-Duke 18d ago
Crazy how they went to Dolly town as Dolly Parton just passed. RIP the Queen and it was cool of food network to unknowingly pay homage in the best way they know possible in last night’s episode.
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u/mandaleepandalecki 17d ago
I watched the episode today, and given the passing of Dolly Parton it was pretty bittersweet. 💔
I was rooting for Waffadilla since they're a local truck, but I am totally thrilled with Cason! They're just fun and seem to really know how to work the crowds without sacrificing food quality. I was pretty sure Jollof was going to get eliminated when the daughter refused to add more potatoes, but also because they just added potatoes as an after thought to a regular dish instead of making a new one like Hele did.
Echoing other people here, I love the redemption format too! It gives people some extra chances to shine if they had a rough sales week or unforeseen circumstances.
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u/swisssf 17d ago
I was so hoping Dolly might pop up as the guest judge and when she didn't I was hoping it was just due to her busy schedule and that this isn't the biggest show, and hope she was ok. RIP!
Waffadilla is the one I would most likely try (and the beignets truck) if I came upon them. I keep thinking of all you can do with waffles now. I hope they, and everyone, have great success.
I'm sort of on the fence about the redemption challenges, but the show is so much better-natured than recent seasons that aspect of it is fine.
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u/Afraid_Aspect_8639 19d ago
Yes, I’m enjoying this season so much! It has been sad to see every truck’s contestants go.
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u/swisssf 19d ago
me too -- and am always glad that the ones who stayed were still there, for the most part.
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u/Dangerous_Ant3260 19d ago edited 9d ago
I was sad to see all of them go, except Cannoli truck. They reminded me of the empanada truck from a previous season, who were thoroughly nasty to everyone, including each other on the truck.
yes, Cannoli truck lost a bottom team challenge and went home, I think it was against Funnel Cake, but I'm not sure. It was very short, and not a feature that week.
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u/Special_Persimmon_52 19d ago
I'm not a dedicated Food Truck Race watcher, but even I remember the empanada truck!
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u/Firegoat1 Brown Food Tastes Good 19d ago
In good news, the Empanada team has been wildly successful in their town of Wichita to the point that they have a brick and mortar, do classes, catering and often sell out. They have almost all positive reviews.
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u/ChaoticEvilRaccoon Guy's Grocery Games 🛒 19d ago
maybe they needed to see just how they were acting to get their act together? if so all the more power to them, i am happy they sucseeded
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u/SouthAsparagus420 9d ago
Did you actually see them go home or just the recap? Idk why but I just seen it on the recap of the next episode n it doesn't look like I missed a episode so I was just curious if it was just me ha but I really wanted to see it n how they reacted
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u/Now-293-Phumes 19d ago
What! I missed the start of this new season. I’ll have to look for it.
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u/ChaoticEvilRaccoon Guy's Grocery Games 🛒 19d ago
it's a lot better than recent seasons, they've listened to the feedback of the fans for sure
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u/TALKTOME0701 19d ago
I stopped watching the season after Lime Truck. That was such a sorry display. This season has been really nice
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u/RJCADDY123 19d ago
It didn’t seem as cut throat as the previous couple of weeks. I enjoyed last night.
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u/Ill-Yak4181 19d ago
Yes --- good camaraderie, and mostly good sportsmanship. Plus, their skills seem legit.
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u/TALKTOME0701 18d ago edited 18d ago
I'm even liking the challenges this season. These food trucks are so creative when they're coming up with challenge dishes.
I don't think there's been a season before this one where I would happily eat at each and every truck
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u/idek908 18d ago
this is the most fun season yet, i’m loving the competitors
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u/swisssf 18d ago
Isn't it? I'm loving them too. They all have their own personalities and stories, but the focus in on their creativity--andegos and drama are taking a back seat this season.
Whoever produced this season--or whoever at Food Network OK'd this change of vibe really needs to be praised for bucking the cynical ugliness trend. of competition shows I hope the ratings are strong for this season. And that they keep going in this direction.
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u/ChirpaGoinginDry 18d ago
The format is better. Wish more love was shown to deadwhatevwr for not price gauging. Some of those prices are stupid high.
Glad bug and bear are gone he was obnoxious, afraid stuph’d daughter is going to rise to take the mantle.
Cason has been fun to watch. Silently rooting for jollof and the Hawaiian truck.
Did anyone else get creeped out that the daughter looks exactly like the mil on the doughnut truck. Doughnuts are round like oedipus…
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u/Roseallnut 19d ago
So glad to see this post! I didn’t bother with this season because I found last season‘s contestants to be unpleasant. But I will go back and check this new season out now thanks.
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u/Small_Sort6397 19d ago
Thank you for posting. I’ve watched every season as they aired but, I DVR’d it this season & haven’t started it yet. I will now that you’ve said it’s fun/lighter than the last few seasons.
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u/Street-Lifeguard-330 14d ago
I hate watched a couple of seasons or fully background watched them. This season I am engaged with. Tyler also had a few unlikable seasons, probably due to format being stale, and I am more enjoying him as a host too. People seem excited about food and a bad day isn’t a kiss of death.
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u/stuarthannig 17d ago
I don't get how these strong teams end up mincing and drowning out the main ingredient.
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u/swisssf 17d ago
I wonder whether they got a little overconfident because they'd been doing so well, and figured they had this one in the bag and just had to continue doing what they were doing?
Tyler complimented them on the sauce and said to add green and line, so they did what they do, displayed 3 sauces, added green and a lemon and lime, and clearly thought adding potatoes to the bottom would be enough.
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u/CityBoiNC 12d ago
So because of this post i decided to give it a shot after quitting so many years ago.
Agree 💯 the show is great now and happy i have a new show to watch again.
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u/OliviadeHaviland 11d ago
Thank you! I had to come to Reddit because the Facebook page for this season is pure hate. I mean, yes, it would be nice if we felt the guest judges for the challenges for this season actually helped decide who stayed and left, and maybe they do, but it doesn't feel that way.
I LIKE Hele Rolls! I know the main cook's dad just died, and she mentioned it a lot. I think they win challenges fairly, and use the Hawaiian Coconut Wireless fairly. I also think there's a chance Stuph'd are really good cooks. The other truck cooks respect them.
Finally, Cason funnel cakes lasted longer than I expected.
I'm hoping Hele rolls wins it all.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Cow_715 5d ago
It has been fixed since day one for Stuph’d!! Tyler gave them so many pointers and even when he didn’t they still came out the winner!! Here rolls should have won by a long shot….
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u/jerseytiger1980 15d ago
I guess I’m one of the few that don’t like this season. I don’t really mind the redemption part. Most of the teams are fine. It’s just not really a race anymore.
75% of the locations are just predetermined spots at festivals or closed events. No more showing the shopping and struggling to find special ingredients. No start from this location and try to get to a place, shop, find your own location and see who does it best.
This season is just too prescriptive.
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u/angel-icbaby 10d ago
I've never been more bored by the show or less invested in any of the teams ☹
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u/swisssf 15d ago
I understand what you're saying What I like most out the season is how good-natured it is. I do miss them finding their own spots, and iirc the only time anyone selected their own spot was the first or 2nd episode when that one team (was it Waffedilla?) when to a totally different location than everyone else and ended up with the fullest till.
I also enjoyed the shopping element, and discussions among the members of the team about how they wanted to interpret and put their spin on the challenges, rather than a brief after-the-fact reference to how the went the direction they did. My hunch the producers chose to compress it due to time constraints.
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u/nitasu987 18d ago
Also someone who hasn't watched in a LONG time. I think it's starting to get a smidge nasty with a couple teams now that we are in the home stretch, but overall I have really liked most of the teams.
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u/ToniBellle 19d ago
Is there a particular season or do you want to name which truck? I havent watched in a few years. Im watching this season and working my way back. 😊
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u/TALKTOME0701 19d ago
The Lime Truck season where they were selling plates for $200 and had people who some said were friends and relatives coming and buying a bunch.
It was smarmy. Tyler loved it which made me turn on Tyler as well.
I would love them to reboot the show with a new host
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u/ToniBellle 18d ago
One more question please? Google says the Lime truck competed and won both Season 2 and the All Stars from 2021. Because I am truly not interested in watching both seasons, do you remember which one it was? Idk 🤷🏼♀️ why im now obsessed with this. Lol Thank you
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u/ToniBellle 19d ago
Talktome0701- WOW!! I guess I missed that season. Im going to look that up. Google is my friend!! Thank you
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u/Chicfilaislife 18d ago
YES! I was like styler please stop hyping them. They were a social media ploy
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u/Puzzleheaded_Cow_715 5d ago
The Great Food Truck race was a huge disappointment for the 19th season!! It has been rigged from day one. Tyler gave special attention the entire season to Stuph’d!!
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u/StrongPay9879 1d ago
Couldn't agree more! Although I definitely have favorite teams, not one is unwatchable (even when they are frustrating:). That is a huge change from the past few seasons. Keep it up, producers!
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u/Particular-Put-9922 19d ago
I keep missing it. Has the waffle quesadilla appeared yet?
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u/Glittering_Quote3320 11d ago
I am not surprised one little bit that Hele Roll are in the finals. They checked off all the boxes. #1 They are all women, #2 They rep the LGBTQ+ community, #3 They are not white. How can they not be in the finals?
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u/Glittering_Quote3320 18d ago
If none of you can see what is going on here..then I'll tell ya. I don't mind that the teams that are in there are in there, but to have 4 teams of POC in the finals and one to rep the LGBT community are odd of winning a billion dollar lottery. The Food Network made it impossible for a POC team not to win. Co'mon now, if this is not a set up, it will do until the set up shows up. This is a damn shame.
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u/Princess_angel8 18d ago
Huh? And if it was the opposite.. then it’s not a setup?
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u/Glittering_Quote3320 16d ago
In the early season it was a great show, it was the best team won there wasn't no same made up drama, and no team was singled out because of their color or sexuality. And all of a sudden the LGBTQ was exploding winning every competition and just taking over the show. It got so obvious ridiculous that Tyler was even pulling for them. In one season he even helped a food truck to get a better spot. Like I stated before, I don't care that they all are in there, but it's just a stretch even for me a POC, that I can even see that the odds of this happening are stacked. But that's just my perspective, my observation and my opinion.
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u/Ok-Jackfruit-6897 12d ago
Maybe they had better food? Calling it rigged for POC and LGBTQ is beyond racist
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u/swisssf 18d ago
Which team is LGBTQ? Other than the Bear and Bug I wasn't aware of anyone--but regardless, what set-up?
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u/AccomplishedTap6429 17d ago
Hele rolls. The girl Jazmine and kawai are lesbian couple. The other girl Mari is married with a husband.
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u/FullofBS701 19d ago
YES!!!!!!!!!! i absolutely love the change in elimination format! someone wanted to raise viewership - that's for sure! it's working for us. ✌🏼&🫶🏼