Nestled in a welcoming corner of the community, Hunger Hut has built its reputation on comfort food served with genuine warmth. What began as a daily stop on the way to work eventually turned into a life-changing opportunity for its new owners, who took over the beloved food truck after years of friendship with the previous family. Inspired by passion, resilience, and a desire for independence, they’ve continued to serve customers while adding their own personal touch to the menu. In this interview, they share their story, challenges, and how Loyverse POS became an essential part of running their growing business.

What is the background of the business?
The Hunger Hut food truck has been in the area for several years. When I used to go to work, I would stop by regularly and became friends with the previous owner—it was a frequent stop for me and my partner, and over time, we built a friendship. After running the truck for five or six years, they approached us to ask if we were interested in taking over the business. We said yes, and we’ve continued running it in the same spirit they built.

Were you in another job when you received this offer?
Yes, I was working in a food factory. The previous owners made the offer because my parents and I were dealing with health issues, and they thought it would be better for us to be independent and work for ourselves. So, we thought: why not?

Do you have competitors in your neighborhood?
We are actually the only food truck in this neighborhood. We also participate in events whenever possible. So far, the food has been well received and the feedback has been great. We’re happy!

What are your top sold products?
We offer burgers, hot dogs, dirty fries with bacon, sausages and eggs, sausage rolls, and cold sandwiches. We kept many items that were previously served, but we also added some variations and made small changes to give the business our own personal touch.

What were some of the challenges you faced once you took over this business, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was building our customer base. The previous owners had loyal customers who came regularly. When we took over, we worked alongside them for one month without any experience, and then they returned to Portugal, leaving us on our own. That lack of experience affected us at the beginning, so we had to rebuild slowly. We could still use more customers, but everything else is running as it should.

When did you first learn about Loyverse, and what made you decide to implement it?
Before using Loyverse, we relied on traditional pen and paper. But because the windows were open and space was limited, we sometimes lost order tickets. I started looking for something free to use and came across several apps, but Loyverse was the best option. After researching it, we gave it a try, and it has been working well since we started using it last July.

What features have been most useful for you?
The first was order synchronization. My partner and I each have a tablet for taking orders, and I needed a system that would show new orders on both devices. That was one of our main requirements.
I also like that we can print receipts. When I prepare an order, I print the receipt and place it under the food plates so my partner can quickly hand it to the customer if he's busy with someone else.
And then there’s the sense of organization—we can arrange items into categories, use modifiers for extras, and keep everything structured. Honestly, I don’t think we would ever switch to another POS system.

Have you integrated Loyverse with any card payment system in your country?
Yes, we’ve integrated Loyverse with SumUp, and the integration is seamless.

Do you use any of the additional Loyverse apps?
Yes, we use the Kitchen Display System. We currently have two KDS screens connected. When a new order comes in, it appears on both screens: one for my partner and one for me.

What are your plans for the future of Hunger Hut?
We’ve considered opening a second location if the business reaches the level of success we hope for, where we could have someone working for us. But we still have a long way to go.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start their own food truck business?
First, I would suggest having some basic knowledge before getting started. But even if you don’t, don’t be afraid to take the risk. I had no experience when the offer was placed on the table, but now we both agree it’s the best decision we could have made