The dogs will be let loose on Bangor this spring, when the owner of Orono burger and hot dog eatery The Family Dog opens two brand new food trucks, set to hit the pavement in the Queen City this spring.
Bob Cutler, owner of The Family Dog, announced his plan to operate two food trucks Tuesday evening at the January event for Bangor Greendrinks, a monthly networking event that was held at his restaurant. The trucks will be called The Stray Dog, which will serve The Family Dog’s main menu of dogs, burgers and other sandwiches, and Grammy’s Grilled Cheeses and Melts, which will serve an array of traditional and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Both trucks will open with a limited schedule in April and a full-time schedule in May.
“I wanted to get into the Bangor market, but I didn’t want to do the same thing we’re doing in Orono and just repeat it in Bangor,” said Cutler, who opened The Family Dog in late 2012. “This is a really fun way for me and my staff to get creative with our menu and be flexible and try different things. It also allows us to offer a lower price point for our customers. It’s going to be a ton of fun.”
The Stray Dog will reflect The Family Dog’s menu, which in addition to gourmet hot dogs and burgers includes chicken sandwiches, subs, salads, french fries and a full ice cream bar. Where the brick-and-mortar restaurant has a more structured menu, however, The Stray Dog will test out more unique menu items.
“The Stray will not only offer our most popular hot dogs and black bean burger, but we will ‘stray’ off and introduce [new] items,” said Cutler.
The Grammy’s truck is modeled after the grilled cheese sandwiches Cutler grew up eating with his grandmother. Traditional grilled cheese will be offered, along with lots of different types of cheese and toppings such as avocado, buffalo chicken, short ribs and bacon. Bagel Central — which is expanding its baking operations this spring — will supply thick loaves of different types of breads.
“Many of these sandwiches are reminders of the meals my grammy made for me,” Cutler said. “This menu was exciting to construct with my staff, and the addition of Bagel Central breads makes each sandwich an amazing experience.”
The trucks will use the Kmart parking lot on Hogan Road — the former location of the now-closed Cielos Mexican Food Truck — as the main base of operations, initially, and will move around town throughout the summer to park in many different locations around Bangor. Cutler plans for both trucks to be a regular fixture at places like the Outdoor Market and Cool Sounds Concert Series in downtown Bangor, at River City Cinema’s summer outdoor movie series and at Bangor International Airport.
Because food trucks are mobile endeavors and pay no property taxes, Cutler is aware they don’t always contribute to a community as much as other businesses. To that end, Cutler said he will donate a portion of every dollar earned back to the Bangor community. He is working with the Bangor City Council and other officials to find good places for that money to go — though as a sports fan Cutler is particularly interested in donating money to the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department.
In Orono, The Family Dog sponsors Marden Park, a baseball field located at the corner of Park and Crosby streets, where Orono Little League plays. On May 16 of this year, Cutler also plans to host a beer and music festival at The Family Dog, featuring local music and beer and raising money for a local charity.
“As our elected officials and city staff navigate the budget every year, there are great programs that are asked to do more with fewer resources,” Cutler said. “It’s our hope we can assist those programs and in turn be a part of the continued growth and success of the Bangor community.”
Social media accounts for The Stray Dog and Grammy’s Grilled Cheese will launch in the coming days and will be the primary means of communications about the trucks’ whereabouts in Bangor. Two Twitter accounts have already been launched; follow both trucks at @thestraydogME and @GGCtruck.
For more information about the Family Dog in Orono, like them on Facebook.
