Not to be confused with other Mac Daddy trucks across the country, Mac Daddy of Rhode Island is the first gourmet mac and cheese truck of its kind in this area. This year, it was the winner of Motif’s 2023 RI Food Truck & Drink Awards for Best Other Cheese, Favorite Pop Up, and Overall Favorite Food Truck, 3rd Place. Owned and operated by Allie Moitoza, you can find this bright orange truck at Mulligan’s Island every Friday, or follow them on Instagram (@macdaddy_ri) to figure out where they are bringing the cheesy goodness of their cavatappi noodle next. Previous specials have included hot weiner mac, caprese mac, chicken bacon ranch mac, and chicken parm. Regular menu items include buffalo mac, a panko crusted mac called Bray’s mac, and a pulled pork option (which Allie mentions as a customer favorite).
The truck launched on Cinco de Mayo this year and has already built a fan base. “I get a lot of suggestions for toppings from customers,” Moitoza says, disclosing that her own favorite is the buffalo chicken mac (“It has a kick, but I top it with blue cheese crumble, which balances it out.”)
Starting a food truck “Is something I’ve wanted to do forever. I just kept putting it off and putting it off, but kept saying, ‘There are no mac & cheese trucks!’ That’s my favorite. Finally, I just said, ‘I’m doing it.’ I’m just a single mom, and I finally saved up enough that I could go for it.” She credits some of her inspiration to the Friskie Fries trucks, and “all the amazing things they do with fries.”
“I’ve just worked at restaurants – restaurants are all I know. So I knew a little about what to expect.” Moitoza says. “It’s a lot of work – especially the prep. Sometimes I feel like all I do is prep, but I’m not complaining, I love it. It’s all the hardest parts of running a restaurant, but on wheels.” She credits the support of family (“They’re always helping out”), her friend and advisor Gene, and her son and publicist, 10-year-old Brayden, with helping make MacDaddy a reality.
Her son is a relentlessly positive advocate for the business, and weighs in on menus and more. “It’s so funny – sometimes he’s a better restaurant employee than grown ups I’ve worked with. He just always wants to help, and he doesn’t mess around.”
What’s the secret to a great mac & cheese? “Shredding the cheese. We don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. We shred all the cheese ourselves. I’ve built up some forearm muscles, but only in one arm.”
You can find MacDaddy on occasion at breweries like Linesiders, Ravenous, Long Live Beerworks, Shaidzon and regularly at Mulligan’s Island’s Food Truck Friday, as well as special events.
There’s no doubt that this creative take on a comfort food favorite will continue to grow and deliver, cheese and thank you. •
Motif incorrectly profiled a different MacDaddy food truck in our previous issue. Motif regrets the error.
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