Mobile catering has come a long way as it moved from ‘kitchen on wheels’ to ‘restaurant on wheels.’

The simple, convenient concept of bringing food to people has grown substantially. In a retrospective by Flavorwire, they note that the earliest of food trucks served single dishes (egg salad, ice-cream) and steadily got more elaborate as transportation, branding, and kitchen equipment got more sophisticated.

These photographs below capture the earliest versions of the food truck and its evolution through decades of service to America’s hungry populace.