The truck without a name Former ‘Cuchi itos’ feeds Pierce residents

Todd Rosenblatt

Food to go: Christian Olmedo stands by his nameless food truck waiting for customers to drop by Bri any Blust bblust.roundupnews@gmail.com

For the last four months a food truck with the name “Cuchifritos” slapped on its side has operated by the Pierce College science building, but the name doesn’t belong to them.

“Cuchifritos” was the previous operator’s business name and is associated with Puerto Rican food, not the blend of American and Mexican cuisine the truck currently serves.

The truck serves a variety of food from pastrami sandwiches to nachos supreme.

The “Cuchifritos” name owner, Diana Tinker, declined to talk to the Roundup about pursuing any actions to remove the name from the truck but did mention she was not happy about it.

The owner of the food truck by the science building is Christian Olmedo and he has had it for one year.

“I need to change it [the name],” Olmedo said, “I just don’t know what to call it.”

Tinker has addressed confused customers following @CuchiFritosLLC on Twitter about the mix up of the science building food truck and “Cuchifritos”

“CuchiFritos hasn’t been serving for months...whatever is being served at Pierce college with my CuchiFritos logo truck isn’t my food,” Tinker wrote on Twitter from her @CuchiFritosLLC account April 11.

Food trucks must at all times have a health grade visible or be able to provide one if it is requested by a patron, according to the County of Los Angeles Public Health’s mobile food facility inspection guidelines.

Olmedo said his truck has an “A” rating, but there is no way to confirm it at this time.

Environmental science major Qusai Bhaijeewah said he has been to Olmedo’s truck over 10 times.

“It’s closest and they [Pierce College] destroyed the cafeteria where I used to eat,” Bhaijeewah said.

He said his favorite meals from the food truck are chili cheese fries and a cheeseburger with American cheese.

“It’s [the food] not healthy,” Bhaijeewah said, “It doesn’t give you the energy you need.”

Accounting major Ashley Lanwick said she likes Olmedo’s food truck better than the Hot Sauce truck.

“The water is cheaper than the vending machine and the guy [Olmedo] is really nice,” Lanwick said.

Olmedo said he lowers the price of food by about $2 when he is on campus for the students at Pierce.

The truck also operates at various locations in Burbank and Glendale.