An American staple, a perfect counterpart to tomato soup and a golden sandwich filled with melted cheese are some of the ways to describe a grilled cheese sandwich.
Although viewed by many as just a tasty sandwich, Allison and Terry LaRue, owners and operators of local Memphis food truck Say Cheese!, view grilled cheese as much more.
“My husband Terry was working nights at Germantown Methodist Hospital, and I was teaching full-time, we have four kids,” Allison said. “We were hoping it would be sort of a way to see each other more and spend more time as a family.”
Allison said the idea for Say Cheese! was sparked from Terry’s hospital celebration coordination.
“Terry was in charge if someone was having a birthday or something like that at the hospital,” Allison said. “He would haul our electric griddle from home and make grilled cheeses, and that’s kind of how it started.”
After two years of looking for a food truck, the LaRues purchased a concession trailer, which is non-motorized andpulled by a truck, in November 2014. Say Cheese!, a gourmet grilled cheese themed food truck, officially opened for business in February 2015.
Say Cheese! is different than other food trucks in Memphis because of its uniqueness, Allison said.
“What makes us different than other food trucks is that we are the only one in town that does grilled cheese,” Allison said. “We’ve never served anything other than grilled cheese, chips and soup, and we only have seven sandwiches.”
In addition to being the only food truck in town that serves grilled cheese, Say Cheese! is also a highly requested food truck, Allison said.
“Now we pretty much are booked by people who want us to come to a party or an office building or some sort of event like a parade or festival,” Allison said.
In the time since the creation of Say Cheese!, Allison and Terry LaRue have learned how difficult the food truck industry can be.
“It’s a lot harder than anyone could ever imagine,” Allison LaRue said. “I think a lot of people start out doing it thinking it’s going to be supplemental income, or something they just do on the weekends or something just for fun.”
Although starting Say Cheese! was hard work, owning and operating a food truck in Memphis has been an adventure, Terry said.
“It’s been a crazy ride since starting,” Terry said. “It’s fun being in the food truck business, but hard work also.”
Overall, the couple said they are happy they started the truck and enjoy the liberty the job brings.
“We started it to become our own bosses and have freedom in our lives,” Terry said. “I don’t regret our decision at all about starting the business.”
Allison and Terry LaRue have been owners and operators of their food truck Say Cheese! since 2015. The couple left their jobs to start their business and become their own bosses.
Say Cheese! is the only food truck in town that serves grilled cheese. The menu is kept simple with seven sandwiches, chips and tomato soup.
