07/23/2026
A VETERAN GUIDE TO "THE TASTE"
There are plenty of food options for every palate at Kingsport Fun Fest!'s Taste of Tri-Cities.
But if you just show up, wander around aimlessly looking at menus until something speaks to you, and then jump in line, you're going to spend more time in line than enjoying FunFest.
There is a better way.
A QUICK DISClAIMER:
This is not an exhaustive list of food trucks or menu items at The Taste. Just because a dish or truck does not show up in this write-up does not mean it is not worthwhile.
Even with as many nights as we have spent as a family on the lawn outside J. Fred, we have not tried them all.
But there is still Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for that.
So here goes nothing…
THE CHALLENGE
Some of the most delicious food options at The Taste are, shall we say... not fast.
For instance, I was there tonight before 5:00 PM and ordered my first sandwich from a truck. I was handed a buzzer and told it would be 15 minutes. There was no one in front of me, and no one waiting.
And that was no problem. It was expected. It is WHY we chose to go to that truck tonight. We know that good things made well take time, and we went early on purpose.
And it was worth it.
But if there had been 30 people in line in front of me, it would have been a pass.
The point is, the combination of delicious and slow can be a challenge when several thousand people descend on one location.
Demand for the tastier offerings is high, and the capacity to produce them quickly is low, leaving an imbalance between supply and demand.
So to really get the most out of The Taste, it takes a little strategy.
To be clear: the purpose here is not to offer an in-depth food review. We’ll certainly talk more about our favorite meals, but in general, we’ll leave food reviews to the pros like ZachBites (who was onsite last night as a judge for The Taste - check him out. My bet is he'll be giving some solid recommendations over the next few days).
What we are talking about here is strategy and experience. Of COURSE we will talk about the food, because you have to weigh the food quality to determine whether a line is worth it.
But do not think of this as a food review. Think of it as an overall strategy for how to approach GETTING the food.
This guide also assumes a multi-day approach. If you are planning on going to The Taste just once, you do you. But you are missing out on a lot of fun and some truly great food.
That said, here goes.
THE CORE STRATEGY
Start with the vendors that are both excellent and vulnerable to long waits. If you want Maybe Today, Baked & Loaded, or specialty pizza from Opie's Pizza Wagon, go early.
Those are “commit before the crowd” choices.
Save the fast, reliable wins for later in the evening. Southern Craft BBQ is the rare high-quality vendor that can handle a crowd, so do not panic if the line looks long.
Southern Craft is like Pal's. The line may stretch into the street, but they are going to get you through in a hurry and leave you with a smile on your face.
The French Quarter is also a good safety valve for when the lines get long: enjoyable food, wide variety, built for speed.
And don’t fall into the trap of eating every full portion yourself. The best way to experience The Taste is group-based: splitting heavy items, comparing bites, and keeping enough room to keep exploring.
KNOW BEFORE
One thing we would encourage you to do is to spend some time on the drive TO The Taste familiarizing yourself with the menus. Your Kingsport Chamber always puts the menus from all of the trucks on the FunFest page. You can find the 2026 menus here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1J1S5NaQAH/
Knowing before not only helps you organize your plan before arriving, it also keeps you from getting to the front of the line and THEN deciding what you want, which further slows down the lines for everyone.
FIRST PRIORITY: THE EARLY TARGETS
If you want the Ridgeline sandwich from Maybe Today (and you DO want the Ridgeline sandwich from Maybe Today), make that an early move. Upgrade to the candied bacon (this is not optional if you are doing it right). Add a side of trail bacon for your group.
Baked & Loaded is also an early-window play. The food is excellent. Their creative combinations elevate the humble baked potato in ways we never thought possible. But the line can turn into a long commitment once the evening crowd arrives.
Opie’s Pizza Wagon is another early play for us. They have done a good job in the last couple of years figuring out how to move more quickly, mostly by mass-producing cheese and pepperoni pizzas to be hot and ready. But the specialty pizzas are the reason to go if you have time. And those things take time.
NOTE: Last year Opie’s actually introduced a separate line just for people getting the quick pies. That was baller for our youngest, who LOVES Opie’s but just wants a cheese pizza. We do not have to wait 45 minutes for the people in front of us to get their Notorious PIG order. We just walk up, pay, and grab a pie. If we want the specialty pies, we’ll happily wait for them. But it is nice to not have to wait in a long line for a simple one!
Genius.
BEST "ANYTIME" WIN
Southern Craft BBQ is like a cheat code at The Taste. Again, do not be intimidated by the line. It moves shockingly fast for the quality. Get the brisket tots if you want the strongest order. Pork nachos are also good, but the tots are the move.
Taco51 is a repeat-worthy option. The nachos, tacos, and Mexican street corn are all worth an order, and the line is manageable enough that it does not require elaborate planning.
Smashed Tri-Cities is not “just a burger.” Get the burger with a side of fries rather than the burger fries. It gives you the best version of both.
PEAK CROWD SURVIVAL
Saturday night is when strategy matters most. Popular concert plus fireworks equals BIG CROWD. This is when you stop chasing the slowest lines and start choosing wisely.
That is usually the night we hit up Southern Craft. Their combination of high-quality food and efficient food service is unparalleled at The Taste.
The French Quarter also remains viable during crowd pressure because they move people through so well. That is sometimes our backup play on Saturday: good food, consistent ex*****on, and usually little to no line. It is not the flashiest choice, but it may be the smartest one when everything else is slammed.
THE RESET MOVE
By Friday night, after a couple days of fried, smoky, cheesy, salty festival eating, Blended Pedaler becomes more than a smoothie stop.
It is a reset.
An acai bowl or smoothie gives your stomach a break without making you feel like you left the fun. It also works as a lighter dessert option when everyone else is chasing pie, donuts, and ice cream.
DESSERT PLAN
Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop is a dessert anchor. Key lime is the top pick, with I-40 chocolate pecan as the group favorite contender. S’mores is the bronze medalist among their offerings, but WOW with that key lime. And their pies are homemade, but they are also pre-made, which means they can serve FAST.
Diggy Donuts is a nice change of pace, especially if you get a mixed order and let the sauces mingle a little. Caramel stands out, though chocolate and raspberry have their fans. Shareable.The thing that makes Diggy so unique is how sharable it is. $10 gets you a boat of donuts to share with your crew.
New to The Taste this year is The Golden Cone, by Chef's Pizzeria. They just rolled out their sweet new ice cream truck, and every flavor is made from scratch. Their banana pudding ice cream is chef’s kiss, pun fully intended. And they just won the award for best dessert at The Taste.There are also two ice cream options this year.
And, of course, Dip's is always a favorite. Any flavor is fair game, and the root beer float has at least one serious supporter in our crew.
Blended Pedaler has already been mentioned as a gut-reset meal, but it may be even better as a healthier dessert option. Last night, Ethan refused to try a bite of anyone else’s entree, saying, “I only have room for Blended Pedaler.”
That’s love, friends.
FOR THE KIDS
Bringing kids to The Taste can be an adventure. You do not exactly want to spend $14 on a sandwich just for the kid to take two bites and then ask to go play.
There are several kid-friendly options, especially Opie’s quick cheese and pepperoni pizzas. But there is also something new under the white tent this year that would have been a GAME CHANGER for us when our kids were younger.
If the kids are not feeling anything from the food trucks, there will be $5 kids packs available at the drink tents and stadium concessions while supplies last. Each pack includes either a ham and cheese Lunchable or a grape Uncrustable, plus Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, and a Capri Sun.
That is a clutch option. Sometimes the best festival meal for a kid is the one they will actually eat without breaking the bank. And bonus: you’re supporting the area high school bands!
BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS
Here’s a fact: festival food is not cheap.
But that does not mean you have to choose between enjoying The Taste and taking out a second mortgage.
The best budget strategy is what we will call **shareables plus supplemental**.
Here’s what that means: instead of buying a $15 sandwich or loaded entree for every person in your group, pick a few high-impact food truck items to share. Get the Ridgeline. Get the smashburger. Get the specialty pizza. Get the thing you actually came to try.
Then supplement around it.
Bring picnic snacks from home. Pack drinks. Grab a cheaper pizza-by-the-slice option at the band tent. Use the $5 kids packs if your younger kids will not appreciate the difference between an Uncrustable and a specialty tater. Let the festival food be the experience food, not necessarily the entire meal for every single person.
Go as a group and split the heavy items. You get more variety, less waste, and a much better shot at trying the best stuff without everyone buying their own full portion.
I also personally love the “dad tax” strategy. There have been plenty of times we have gone to The Taste and I have not ordered anything for myself because I knew my kids would not finish theirs. That means I get to try multiple things and still end up more than full by the time everyone is done.
And if not, I can always march over to that fast line at Southern Craft and grab some tots.
The point is: you do not have to go broke to enjoy The Taste. You just need a plan.
A WINNING STRATEGY
Get there early. The earlier the better. Better spots to sit, shorter lines, and time to finish eating before the movie, balloons, or concert.
But even if you cannot come early, there are still smart plays on the table.
Pay attention to line size and line speed. All lines are not created equal.
Save room for dessert. Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop, Diggy’s Donuts, Blended Pedaler, The Golden Cone, and Dip’s are all worthy of waiting in line one more time.
Plus, standing in line burns calories, basically making it a calorie-neutral experience.
Right?
RIGHT?
Right.
The goal is not just to eat the most food. The goal is to balance eating the best food you can find with being able to actually relax and enjoy the experience of picnicking with your friends and neighbors.
When you find that sweet spot, you have conquered The Taste.
What about your family? What are your strategies and go-to options at The Taste?
