University Station Food Carts, Portland OR | Cart Murmurs

What does it take to open a food cart pod? I got a behind-the-scenes tour of University Station Food Carts in Portland, Oregon, from Mahar Makboul, a.k.a. Mike, who’s the owner of the pod. Instead of surreptitiously filming myself stuffing my face, I wanted to actually know what goes on. How the carts get selected, what it takes to build and operate a food cart pod, and what it’s like trying to foster a small food centric community downtown. Mike shows me around the property and explains how he chooses new food cart operators, why owner-operated carts are the best, how he deals with competition and turnover, and some of the surprisingly complicated infrastructure involved in running a pod. We also talk about the realities of the restaurant industry. Mike previously owned a restaurant in Portland for 22 years. We talk about burnout, rising costs, shitty customers, greedy landlords, and why he eventually decided to move in a different direction. Most importantly, this conversation is about the people behind Portland’s food scene. The owners, cooks, families, and small businesses that make these places possible. Plus, I get a sandwich and a beer. Score. I’m trying to use this channel to explore Portland like a traveler, reconnect with the city I love, and meet the people who make it all happen. As someone who’s worked in (and still does, I guess) the restaurant industry myself, I’m especially interested in telling these stories. If you’re in Portland, go check out University Station Food Carts. Tell ‘em Curt sent you. Aaaand if you wanna buy me a burger or a beer you can click one o’ these here links. 💸 paypal.me/denomdemon ☕️ buymeacoffee.com/DammitCurt