Crossroads Diner

One of the newest and uniquely wrapped food trucks on the streets of Toronto is Crossroads Diner.

The truck is the brainchild of David Gleeson who started working in restaurants in his mid-teens.  Like many successful people in the business, David started his career by washing dishes. He eventually graduated to working the line for about five years in restaurants around Toronto, Vancouver and Dublin, Ireland.

It was during that time David realized that the only way to really advance in the restaurant industry is to have your own company. He left the restaurant business for a few years and started working in shipping and warehouse management, firstly, to build up capital and secondly, to acquire some organizational skills which he knew he would need to properly run a restaurant.

He decided to open a food truck instead of a traditional bricks and mortar restaurant for a variety of reasons, among them, having the flexibility to pack up and move to a new location if one isn’t working, having less overhead, and most importantly, being a part of the small tight knit community of food truck owners who really look out for each other and assist when they can.

David partnered up with long time friend Alan Usher who he has known since high school. They’ve worked together for many years in the same kitchens and they both had the same goals so it was only natural that they teamed up to open the truck.

David’s love for diner food is reflected in his menu that includes burgers, a chicken/Caesear salad wrap and a peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich called The Elvis, according to Alan, “It’s really good, but you should only eat one of them per month”. Most of his fruits and vegetables are sourced from Ontario farms, his grass-fed beef from a local butcher shop and his chicken comes from a Mennonite farm.

David Gleeson, Alan Usher & their friend Henry (window)

David is well aware of the obstacles faced by food trucks (courtesy of Toronto by-laws) but hopes that eventually the city will start listening to what people are saying about their love for proper street food. He even goes as far as to predict that within five years food trucks will be welcomed to the streets of Toronto as they are in other cities such as New York.

Menu board

Royale With Cheese

Chicken Caeser Wrap

The Elvis