‘Mingling Mouth’ becomes a local taste

“Mingling Mouth” hopes to leave a taste worth mingling about in every customer’s mouth. The Rockwall-based food truck is ran by Sunny and Mike Richter and is contracted with the city.

Its named originated from people getting together mingling over good food, according to Sunny.

The food truck serves smoked meats, tacos, sliders, bowls and even nachos with an Asian fusion.

Sunny said “Mingling Mouth” made its debut last April during Family Fun Fridays with the City of Rockwall.

“We saw an opportunity to bid for a contract with Leon Tuttle Park,” she said. “We won it out of four different vendors and started there in the fall.”

Since then the food truck has been a constant presence at Rockwall Baseball and Softball League, Go Outside & Play and other Rockwall events such as the Fourth of July celebration.

Despite being relatively new, Sunny said the city is keeping the truck pretty busy. She said city ordinances are pretty strict on food trucks, otherwise there would be way more in Rockwall.

“We’re hoping to work with the city to have a more lenient ordinance for food trucks that is more open,” she said. “We’ve talked to the mayor and parks and recreation to see if they would be willing to let us on their property to have a food truck come on every Friday.”

While the city hasn’t obliged yet, Sunny said they are getting close to their goal of securing a spot to station their truck so their supporters can always find them.

“Mingling Mouth” is a family affair, which includes extensive help from both sides of her and her husband’s families.

Sunny said the most rewarding part of the food truck experience so far has been the followers.

She said the motivation they get from residents and the outpouring of support and feedback keeps them going.

The positive response is even more rewarding because Sunny and Mike left corporate jobs to pursue the Mingling Mouth.

Sunny left corporate background screening and Mike retired from the eye industry.

“We took a big risk,” she said.

Sunny said the risk has been worthwhile.

Before securing a contract with Rockwall, Sunny said Royse City and Forney offered them contracts. But they were adamant about staying in Rockwall. They hope to have a permanent home in Rockwall soon.

“We have learned a lot,” she said. “It’s been a fun and challenging journey. It’s like a dream come true.”