JUPITER, Fla. — It's not your typical food truck. This one floats, has boat lines next to its grill and usually can be spotted around the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.
Justin Lindemann's business, the Food Yacht, a dock-up/walk-up food truck-style boat eventually evolved into lucrative high-end dinner cruises business.
But now, the "food truck of the seas" is devolving to make ends meet amidst the coronavirus pandemic but is looking forward to Palm Beach County boat ramps opening Wednesday.
"[Now I am] switching back to the original food truck-style operation," Lindemann said.
The Catfish Are My Pets
"The catfish are my pets," said Justin Lindermann as he threw cheese into the water attracting a swarm of fish before he took WPTV NewsChannel 5 on tour. Often we were the only boat around the Jupiter Inlet.
"It's like being in one of those movies where you're the last people alive," said Lindemann. "Like, this is what it feels like after the apocalypse."
"Square Grouper, it's noon, and it's a ghost town," pointed out Lindemann.
The Jupiter Inlet Before Boat Ramps Open Wednesday
Look how empty the #JupiterInlet is! It won't be that way tomorrow when PBC opens up public boat ramps. #foodyacht Story at 5 p.m. on @WPTV #TasteSeeSoFla pic.twitter.com/erk0sPyB6l
— T.A. Walker (@timallanwalker) April 28, 2020
He's looking forward to more boats being on the water starting Wednesday when Palm Beach County opens back up its public boat ramps.
"I'm still out here... trying to feed people," said Lindemann.
The Food Yacht serves crab cakes, lobster rolls, hot dogs and what he calls "the best burger on the water." He said the burger has helped sober up a few people a time or two.
Right now, the Food Yacht is open on the weekends from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is docked behind Jupiter Dive Center, and takes all forms of payments.
"I take everything but IOUs," joked Lindermann.