Pizza Food Truck To Open In Waltham

WALTHAM, MA — The Gulf Station at the corner of Trapelo Road and Smith Street is about to be home to a pizza truck.

Thursday will be Sal's Pizza first day as an officially regular fixture at the corner after popping up around Waltham last year to see if there would be interest.

"We received great feedback from the Waltham residents, so we knew we had to come back," Julianna Muise of Sal's communications team.

The food truck will be there 11 a.m. through 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and with the opening it is launching a new app as a way to address challenges that have come up for all restaurants amid the pandemic.

"When COVID hit, Sal recognized the need for contactless delivery that we can fully control, rather than just relying on third party apps such as Uber Eats and Doordash," Muise said.

Both delivery services charge their own fees.

Sal Lupoli opened Sal’s Pizza in 1990 with his brother, Nick, in Salem, N.H inspired by Boston’s North End eateries. Since then the regional chain has grown to six other spots in New Hampshire and six spots in Massachusetts. There's also a food truck in Cambridge and Lowell and the group is eyeing Westford, too.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, some 20 percent of restaurants in the commonwealth have closed permanently, the highest concentration in the New England region, according to Massachusetts Restaurant Association president Bob Luz.

The Pioneer Institute, a conservative think tank, also predicts that the state’s restaurant industry will lose an estimated $2.13 billion by the end of 2020.

But Sal's decided to use the moment to creating an outdoor pizza shop, payment via a mobile app, and contactless delivery by drivers.

"I have been in the pizza-making business for 30 years and believe Sal’s Mobile will allow more people to experience our one-of-a-kind pizza in a new and different way," said Lupoli. "All the characteristics that make the Sal’s Pizza brand so recognizable will be found in our Sal’s Mobile trucks. While the delivery style may change, the taste and quality will remain the same."

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how .