Congdon's food truck park to see new safety measures, fewer trucks
COURTESY/CONGDON'S FAMILY RESTAURANT & BAKERY
The reopening of Congdon's After Dark in Wells was delayed until June 4 to draft a new layout designed to promote social distancing.
Congdon's Family Restaurant & Bakery is getting ready to open its evening food truck park with new safety measures, a response to the pandemic.
Originally scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend, the opening of the park, called Congdon's After Dark, was delayed until June 4 to draft a new layout designed to promote social distancing.
The park will begin with weekend service, then will begin offering daily service on June 18, Congdon's said.
The picnic tables that were once centrally located will be spread throughout the property, six feet apart or more. Other key additions include another entrance/exit to the beer garden, more park staff, signage promoting distancing, sanitation stations, and more frequent cleaning of eating surfaces and bathrooms.
Guests will be encouraged to wear masks when they're not eating. There will be no indoor seating for the time being, and the kid's play food truck will be closed. Monday car shows and Tithing Tuesday fundraisers have been postponed for the time being.
When all tables are occupied, guests will be encouraged to take their meals to go or eat in their vehicles.
Congdon's After Dark opened in 2017 with three food trucks serving dinner in the parking lot of on Route One in Wells.
The park now hosts six to 10 food trucks each night, rotating different cuisine styles and hosting events like fundraisers, beer releases and kids events.
Last year, the park hosted an overall total of 32 food trucks.
Owner Gary Leech said some trucks have chosen not to operate this year, or have cut back services. The total for 2020 is expected to be more than two dozen trucks.
“The park is perfect because it's outside and we can move things around to accommodate the state's requirements as well as some of our own changes,” Leech said in a news release. "We will adjust as we go. We've improved the park every season and this is no different, even though it's very different circumstances."
The beer garden will be able to provide guests alcoholic beverages that can be taken to-go thanks to a tamper proof seal. The beer garden is one of the park's most popular attractions, featuring Maine-focused beers, including the signature Honey Dip Blonde ale made with Congdon's famous honey dip doughnuts by Barreled Souls Brewing Co., served with a doughnut hole garnish. The garden also serves signature cocktails, wine, cider and hard seltzer.
The park will feature a new addition in 2020, the Congdon's "Sugar Shack,” a self-contained unit that makes miniature doughnuts fresh for guests and allows them to see the cooking process. Leech said he expects it to be ready around mid-summer.
Earlier this month, Congdon's, known for its doughnuts, shifted its attention to a one-day “chowder fest” fundraiser for Good Shepherd Food Bank.
Oakhurst Dairy, Shields Meats and Produce Inc., Southern Maine Masonic Lodges, Mike's Clam Shack and Bluebird Ranch Family Restaurant donated money, supplies and ingredients for the event.
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