That IS a Tasty Burger! The Spice is Right Food Truck: A Labor of Love

Exciting flavors, interesting food combinations and great ingredients are what you’ll find on the menu at The Spice is Right. The food truck parked itself in Wilkesboro four years ago, and ever since people have been lining up to get the delicious food created by Jeff Payne.

A native of Wilkes County, Payne has enjoyed traveling with his wife for years. From Gettysburg to Charleston, everywhere they went they made sure to try out new restaurants and new foods. “I guess you’d say we were foodies before it was trendy to be a foodie,” Payne says. “When I ate something I liked, I would come home and try to cook it. There weren’t cooking shows on TV, or the Food Network. I just figured it out by trial and error.”

The Food Truck Choice

All those flavors Payne encountered on his travels became an inspiration for starting his own business, along with some encouragement from friends and family.

“I was looking places where I might start up a restaurant,” Payne says. “I hadn’t found anything that really hit me as the perfect place, when a friend came to me and asked if I would be interested in putting a food truck at her outfitter operation in Todd.” Payne, an avid fisherman himself, thought that sounded like a perfect opportunity, so he looked around for a food truck, and the Spice is Right was born.

After a couple of summers up in the mountains, Payne decided to put his truck in a permanent location, and the rest is history.

These days, you’ll find Payne dishing up flavorful meals out of his bright yellow truck. Out beside are few picnic tables, making a great place to gather with friends for a meal, bring the kids and the dog, or just grab a quick bite to take home to the family.

“For almost 30 years, I did what I had to do to earn a living,” Payne says. “Now I’m doing what I love, and I enjoy every minute of it.”

Coming to Wilkesboro? Check out The Spice is Right and our other great restaurants for a taste of the foothills.