Shawarma Boy: Saipan’s first and only food truck

With its bright yellow and outstanding orange colors, who wouldn’t notice Saipan’s one and only food truck? It’s Shawarma Boy—and not only is it bringing Mediterranean food to the Commonwealth, it’s bringing in the food truck industry, too.

Jonathan Nunag, one of the boys behind Shawarma Boy, claims that they are the first and only food truck here so far. The idea, he said, came from wanting to put up a food business.

Customers wait to be served their favorite shawarma by Saipan’s only food truck, Shawarma Boy. Catch them every week at the Thursday Market in Garapan. (Frauleine S. Villanueva)

Why shawarma?

Nunag and his business partner, Mark Badal, started their shawarma business way back in 2010 when they used to have a stand at the Thursday Market at the Garapan Fishing Base. However, they had to close down when they needed to focus on other jobs.

Fast-forward to when they were ready to restart the business, they couldn’t find a location.

“We really wanted to put up a small restaurant but it’s hard to find a spot here in Garapan. I came up with the idea—why not a food truck?” he said.

But why shawarma?

“When I was young I really liked food. When I tasted shawarma as a kid, I said to myself, if ever I’ll be putting up a food business, it must be shawarma,” Nunag said.

He said he likes shawarma for its simplicity, taste, as well as the sauciness of the food.

Right now, Shawarma Boy offers beef shawarma, chicken shawarma, a shawarma combination of the two, and shawarma rice with either beef or chicken.

Nunag says they are thinking of adding more to their menu as well as serving food during lunch times.
“Soon we’re going to have hummus,” he said.

Why the food truck biz?

Shawarma Boy won their truck in an auction. Nunag said they got it for $1,500 but then had to replace almost every part, including the machine and the tires.

Another difficulty that they encountered was securing permits.

“It was hard to secure a permit because they didn’t have any rules yet [regarding food trucks]. We were passed to different agencies,” Nunag recalled.

However, despite the birthing pains, the boys were successful in restarting the business. They were even able to secure a permit to use part of the land near the Garapan Basketball Court where they can park anytime they want—usually on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Just two months since opening, they are gaining popularity, selling about 250 shawarmas in the Thursday Market and having followers on social media.

Nunag said they are expecting to recoup their investment within 10 months.

Asked how it feels to have pioneered a business in the Commonwealth, Nunag says it all comes down to passion.

“It feels good, I feel proud that Filipinos are the first one to have a food truck business here,” Nunag said. “Cooking is really my passion [but] don’t expect to be rich right away. It’s more of you being happy with what you’re doing, being able to do what you’re passionate about.”

Despite potential rivals, Nunag wants more people to start their own food truck business.

“Just don’t sell shawarma like us. They can create their cupcake truck, ice cream truck, waffle truck, which is the biggest in the States. They can park here. I can give them space here, its okay. It will attract customers, it will be a destination,” Nunag said.

He even recommends it to first-timers in the business.

“Those foodies who want to put up their own restaurant, I suggest they put up a food truck first because it’s mobile, the capital is low. It’s easier also and the expenses are not high,” he added.