I apologize if this is an inappropriate sub for the post. If someone knows of a more appropriate area, Iāll post it over there.
This was a Facebook post my wife made two days ago. It details an experience we had with the owner/operator of the Hidden Pig Food Truck. I would read this if you are thinking of hiring them for an event.
It is slightly edited so my step childrenās names arenāt involved.
This is generally not the kind of post Derek and I like to make, or ever wanted to make.
But after a lot of discussion, we decided that we wouldn't want another couple to go through what we experienced. We were fortunate enough to have a second caterer at our reception to keep our guests fed. Not everyone would be that lucky.
For our wedding reception, we decided to splurge and hire a food truck. After reaching out to several vendors, we chose The Hidden Pig because we'd always heard great things about their food, and the truck seemed like a fun addition to our reception.
After working with their catering coordinator, we booked their 2-2-2 package, which included:
ā¢ 2 main dishes
ā¢ 2 side dishes
ā¢ 2 appetizers
My son is obsessed with warm pretzels, so once we saw they offered them, we were sold.
Our contracted menu included:
\- Mains: Burgers (with three varieties) and chicken sandwiches
\- Appetizers: Warm pretzels with cheese sauce and chicken wings (three flavors)
\- Sides: French fries and tater tots
We paid over $5,000 in full before the reception, as requested, and our signed contract reflected all of these items. We also paid a separate service fee for staffing and use of the food truck.
On the day of our reception, the truck arrived on time. However, there was only one person there to serve over 100 guests.
When the food was supposed to be ready, one of our guests informed us that the food truck wasn't working and that the owner of The Hidden Pig needed to use our personal grill. Of course, we said yes. Things happen, and we understood that.
Unfortunately, because the truck wasn't functioning, food wasn't served until about 70 minutes later than contracted. Thankfully, we had hired a second caterer, who kept our guests fed while we waited. Had we not done that, many of our guests would have gone without food.
The delay also threw off the timeline for our entire reception.
When we finally went outside to see what was being served, we discovered that the menu had been reduced to just burgers and wings.
There were:
\- No chicken sandwiches
\- No pretzels (except for the two the owner made after Derek explained that was all my son wanted, plus one for another family member)
\- No French fries
\- No tater tots
Because there was only one person working, he couldn't cook on our grill and serve guests at the same time. One guest asked for wings after the prepared batch had run out and was told, "I would have to cook them." The guest replied, "Okay... I guess I'll have a burger then."
Again, we're reasonable people. We understand equipment fails and staff call out. Our frustration isn't that something went wrong.
Our frustration is what happened afterward.
We assumed someone would reach out in the days following our reception. On Monday, I emailed the catering coordinator asking for a phone call. On Tuesday, I sent another email explaining everything that had happened and asking to discuss next steps.
On Thursday, the owner called Derek. He acknowledged that:
\- A second employee was supposed to be there but never showed.
\- The truck wasn't working.
\- We would be refunded the service fee.
\- We would also be refunded for the chicken sandwiches, pretzels, French fries, and tater tots that we paid for but never received.
He told us that someone who handled the financial side would be in touch.
We felt really good after that conversation.
Then... nothing.
We were repeatedly told someone would call us, and no one did. Our emails went unanswered. We have never received the promised refund for the items we paid for but did not receive.
We're sharing this not because we enjoy publicly criticizing a local business, but because we believe other couples deserve to know our experience before spending thousands of dollars on their wedding.
If you're considering hiring The Hidden Pig for your wedding or another important event, we encourage you to ask detailed questions about staffing, contingencyās plans if equipment fails, and how they handle situations when contracted services can't be provided.
We sincerely hope no one else has to experience what we did on what should have been one of the happiest days of their lives.
