The Story of The Lady Bug Lunch Box

THE STORY OF THE

LADY BUG LUNCH BOX

TEXT BY MEG APRILL PHOTO BY ELIZABETH BILLMAN

On a crisp fall afternoon in The Pumpkin Hollow, many visitors arrived to select their perfect jack-o-lantern and enjoy traditional fall favorite treats like candy apples and cider donuts. But upon entering the patch, visitors were greeted by the delicious aromas escaping a bright red food truck known as the Lady Bug Lunch Box. Peering out of the order window is a small woman with a wide, friendly smile and tiny ladybug earrings. As guests gather around the truck deciding whether to savor steaming chili, creamy mac and cheese, and mouth watering burgers, she chats with the customers, leaving everyone with a smile and delicious grub.

Pam Dwyer, owner of the Lady Bug Lunch Box, explains that the thing she loves the most about being a food truck owner is that every day she finds herself someplace new surrounded by new people. “Every time I open my window I get a new view. So if I’m at a pumpkin farm, a sorority house, drag races, auctions,” Dwyer says, “it’s always something different every time I go out.”

Running the Lady Bug Lunch Box is not the first time Dwyer has owned her own small business. Prior to being a food truck owner, she had her own restaurant. Dwyer admits that it was the hardest thing she ever did. She says, “I survived the lease, didn’t make any judgements or bankruptcies, but I hardly made any money. I said there has gotta be a better way to make money.”

And so, 20 years ago she decided to buy her trailer and Dwyer’s food trucking business was born. According to Dwyer, food trucks are able to cut out all of the overhead expenses of a restaurant. There is no lease to pay, no employees, and you are able to travel to wherever your customers are. But that is not to say that being a food truck owner is easy by any means.

Waking up, loading the truck, driving to her location, cooking all day in the truck which can get to 100 degree heat, driving home, unloading, and cleaning is just a quick glimpse into what a normal day looks like for Dwyer. That doesn’t even include the hours of shopping she needs to do in order to prepare for a week of work. Dwyer emphasizes the importance of being creative and dynamic as an entrepreneur. She says you really have to love what you do, because your small business becomes your life.

When trying to decide on the name of her food truck, she had a little song in her head from the many years she spent watching Sesame Street with her kids. It went, “1,2,3,4 ladybug picnic, 5,6,7,8, ladybug picnic.” Slowly, the jingle became, “1,2,3,4, ladybug lunch box,” because the truck was in the shape of a box.

Dwyer thought that ladybugs were the perfect mascot for her new food truck since they are the state insect of New York. The ladybug is featured on the side food truck, from the flags that fly from the top of the truck, and even on little nic-nacs like Dwyer’s earrings and more.

Food trucking is a lot of hours. You see these?” Dwyer says as " she lifts up her leg revealing her chucky sneakers through the order window. “These are on my feet from like five in the morning to like 10 o’clock at night. "

Dwyer’s creative and outgoing nature isn’t the only thing that makes her a successful entrepreneur. She serves delicious entrees that keep customers coming back. The Lady Bug Lunch Box menu consists of burgers, sausages, spicy grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, salted potatoes, salads and more.

The Lady Bug Lunch Box can often be found on the corner of State and and Fayette Streets near Firefighters Park during the week and for the rest of October at The Pumpkin Hollow Saturdays and Sundays. The beauty of food trucking is that you never know where " you're going to end up. "

Pam Dwyer

Owner of the Lady Bug Lunch Box