While Craig Falconieri has just started out in the roadside grill trade, he's hardly a stranger to good food. “I've been in the food service business for almost 50 years,” Craig says.
Formerly the owner of a restaurant in Mashpee, Craig went on to work for several years as the food service manager at Plymouth Plantation. When his position was eliminated due to budget cuts, he decided to start another eatery, this time on a more modest scale. He considered a food truck, but found it prohibitively expensive. Instead, he settled on a hot dog cart. “It's what I could get into and was affordable,” he says.
The result, Falco's Franks, can be found in the parking lot of the BP station on the corner of Davis Straits and Dillingham Avenue on most days between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Offering a menu of simple and satisfying choices such as hot dogs, red hots, and sausages, Falco's Franks is quickly carving out a niche for itself.
In business since only the beginning of the summer, Craig already has a loyal following of regular customers, some of whom choose to signal their usual orders with a honk or two of the horn. Craig's grill is always hot, so Falco's Franks is able to offer the convenience of fast food, without the usual sacrifice of flavor.
Business has been good, though the cart hasn't been around long enough to build up a huge following. “It's a process,” Craig says. If Falco's Franks continues to prosper, a food truck may be in the future after all.
In the meantime, Craig is enjoying serving up simple, delicious, and affordable franks. He's also think of expanding his menu when the weather starts to get cooler, to include his signature seafood chowder.
Even more fun than the cooking is the chance to meet new people. “Yeah, I love it,” he says. “That's the best part.”