01/03/2026
🙏🏾 As we step into 2026, I want to be real with y’all I don’t fully know what direction The Cheesesteak Hustle is heading in.
And that’s not easy for me to say.
This year marks my fifth year as a small business owner, running this food truck. If you’ve ever chased a dream like this, you know it’s not for the weak. I started this journey alongside my brother, my business partner, running up and down the highway together. But for the last two years, it’s just been me left to carry the load.
And that load is heavy.
The Cheesesteak Hustle has truly become a one-man operation. Every order is made fresh. That means I’m the one greeting you, taking your order, running back to cook it, talking with you while it’s being made, bagging it up, handing it off and then doing all the prep, cleaning, and resetting so I can do it all again. Every single day. It’s a lot for one person, but I give it everything I’ve got.
When I started The Cheesesteak Hustle, it wasn’t just about feeding people. It was about providing for my family and giving back to anyone in need. And yes, that sometimes meant losing profit. But I never regretted it. I trust God fully, and the smiles I see when y’all take that first bite mean more to me than anything else.
The last two years have come with some real challenges consistency and support.
I’m not as consistent as I once was, and that’s because my kids are growing up fast. They’re in every club, activity, and sport imaginable 😩. Being present for them matters deeply to me. Even so, I still do my very best to show up when I say I will.
Support has also been tough, especially here in Jacksonville. This is a transient military town where franchises thrive because people stick with what they already know. Local businesses like mine don’t get that luxury we have to earn trust over and over again, from scratch.
On top of that, inflation has been relentless. I fight daily to keep prices as low as possible. I only raise them when rising costs leave me no other option.
And then there’s online support something that costs nothing but means everything. Liking or sharing a post, leaving a review, telling a friend, or even suggesting a new specialty item helps more than most people realize.
Another thing I want to be honest about I’m asked for donations all year long. And I give whenever I can, even when the business really can’t afford it.
What hurts is realizing that some of the same people and organizations I support financially can’t take ten seconds to share a post or stop by the truck. Support should go both ways, and when it doesn’t, small businesses feel that imbalance deeply.
As many of you know, I’m a huge supporter of small businesses myself. I know how hard this life is. I actively look for ways to support, promote, and recommend other small businesses because I believe in community over competition.
🌱 Supporting The Cheesesteak Hustle and small businesses like it isn’t about trends. It’s about real people, real families, and real community. When small businesses are constantly beaten down, especially online, it pushes them closer to disappearing altogether.
🙏 From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who chooses to support The Cheesesteak Hustle and truly understands what that support means. I see you. I appreciate you. And I couldn’t do this without you.❤️ Love Ray Ray & The Cheesesteak Hustle!
