Lil' Annie's provides food truck fare in Plains

With only two eating establishments in Plains, and no full restaurants open on Saturdays, the owner of the newly established Lil' Annie's Food Truck was almost a sure thing.

Lil' Annie's Food Truck opened for business only weeks ago, but with the warmer weather here, Mary Ellen Raber, owner and operator, said business is getting busier. "I love cooking; it's been a passion of mine and I always wanted to have my own restaurant," said Raber, who named the business after her mother-in-law.

Mary Ellen and her husband, Andrew, moved to Plains in 2018 from Ohio with their three children - now they have five. They considered buying the now closed Farmhouse Cafe and thought about the former Benji's Restaurant, but ultimately decided to go with the mobile diner. Andrew said they selected outside the 406 Outlet instead of the greenway because there was readily available power, water and sewer hookup.

Tacos are the mainstream menu items - beef, chicken and pork - but she has 14 different foodstuffs on the menu, ranging from $4.25 French fries to an $11 nacho boat, along with a variety of drinks, such as milkshakes, smoothies, bottled water, and nine flavors of coffee. Mary Ellen said one of the more popular items is fried breaded pickles. She said the tropical twist is probably the most popular of the four types of smoothies they have on hand. She said that for those who aren't in the mood for Mexican food, they also serve chicken strips and Cobb salad, along with different types of sides. "I don't use any packaged food; it's all homemade, and I think that's a plus," said Raber.

Raber bought the 8x20-foot trailer new in Texas last year. Andrew said it was nearly complete, adding only refrigerators and freezers. Joyce Troyer of Plains, who cooks with Raber, helped select the menu items.

Raber never worked at a restaurant, but was a professional caterer and helped her mother with her catering business. Lil' Annie's Food Truck is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., though she normally starts prepping at 7 a.m. However, they might go to Tuesday to Saturday in the late spring or early summer. Business was a little slower in February, but it's picking up quickly. She said they might close down next winter, depending on the weather. They closed only one day earlier in March due to an unusually cold day.

They have a small device that beeps and vibrates for customers to hold while awaiting their order. She said this allows customers to sit in their vehicle while waiting. Raber plans to get picnic tables and chairs as the weather gets nicer in case people want to eat their meals there. She said that some day she'd like to have an actual restaurant, but for now the taco truck is working nicely. People can also order online by using a QR code.

Raber said she might tweak the menu down the road, but it seems to be what her customers want. "We've been blessed with our customers and we have a lot of repeat customers and that's important."