Portland food cart pod pivots during recent wildfire smoke

By Benjamin Olshin ‘21

Nob Hill Food Cart Pod in Portland’s Alphabet District. Photo by Benjamin Olshin.

COVID-19 has significantly impacted restaurants, from slashing profits to causing shifts towards delivery and pickup. During the recent wildfire smoke, food cart pods handled more than COVID-19.

During the stint of hazardous air this September, many Portland food carts closed to protect staff. Carts at Nob Hill Food Cart Pod, a new food cart pod in the densely residential Alphabet district, were among them.

Greg Opsahl is an owner of the pod and shared why many cart owners chose to close for multiple days beginning as early as Sept. 7. 

"The windows are open all the time," said Opsahl, describing the carts. The carts’ needed ventilation results in smoke entering the vehicles.

Opsahl estimates that daily business sunk 80% compared to a typical COVID-19 summer day. The carts also shifted their food distribution: before the smoke, carts distributed a relatively equal amount of food through takeout and dine-in. During the smoky days, carts provided food almost entirely through takeout, especially using takeout services like Grubhub and UberEats.

As many brick-and-mortar restaurants have closed or seen dramatic sales decreases during the pandemic, business at Portland food carts has soared. Obsahl says that food carts provide a valuable avenue for people to socialize when many bars and restaurants remain closed. Without paying for waiters or large venues, food carts are cheaper than traditional restaurants and are therefore able to draw a larger customer base.

While the recent rain took out the smoke, it now presents the beginning of another challenge for Nob Hill Food Carts. As Portland becomes colder and wetter, the pod will see decreased sales. 

However, Nob Hill Food Carts is preparing for the weather by installing new umbrellas in their outdoor seating area so Portlanders can continue to enjoy the carts through the winter.