Home Local News Brittons’ food truck in Rockingham a dream come true

Brittons’ food truck in Rockingham a dream come true

Olin Britton Jr. bags up orders Friday afternoon at the Britton's BBQ & Grill food truck in Rockingham.
Photos by William R. Toler - Richmond Observer

ROCKINGHAM — Olin Britton Jr. took orders from the constant stream of customers Friday afternoon while his wife of five years, Lorraine, cooked them up right behind him from the kitchen area of their food truck.

For the past three months, Britton’s BBQ and Grill has been stationed in the parking lot of the plaza in front of Harbor Freight and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.

But, as Olin Britton said, being a food truck, they’re not nailed down to one location and can take their restaurant on wheels anywhere.

Lorraine Britton, who grew up in the Piney Grove area, worked at the Sara Lee hosiery plant for years before cooking at Plantation Pantry in Roberdel.

“Cooking is my passion,” she said. “I love to make people smile with my food.”

Before starting the food truck business, Lorraine Britton said she used to cater events on the side — which they still do.

The Brittons had been talking about getting into the food business for a while.

Olin Britton, a Georgia native, said he was in an accident where he died twice and had to have more than a dozen surgeries.

Lorraine Britton was taking care of the bills while he was “waiting on his money” and said he told her, “Baby, I’m gonna give you the world.”

So when the lump sum came in, he bought the food truck.

Joining Lorraine Britton in cooking is Phyllis Oliver, who worked at Bill’s BBQ in Cheraw, South Carolina — which is now closed — for about 25 years.

She started working with the Britton’s shortly after meeting them.

“That’s where God led me,” Oliver said.

“She’s a big help,” Lorraine Britton said.

In addition to barbecue, Britton’s serves up hot dogs and sausage dogs, hamburgers, chicken wings and fried chicken and fish plates. Coming soon to the menu: chicken and waffles.

“We try to do different things to see what people like,” Lorraine Britton said.

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Everything is homemade, including the sides. They even sell pork skins of varying flavors.

They said the most popular items are the barbecue sandwiches and the wings.

The Brittons have been surprised by the overwhelming support from Richmond and the surrounding area — including Wadesboro, Wagram and Cheraw.

“We didn’t know it was going to jump off like this,” Lorraine Britton said. “People show me love from everywhere.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic may not seem like the ideal time to start a business, Olin Britton said it actually worked out because of carry-out orders.

During the last hour of business Friday, customers kept coming to place their orders. Although the operating hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the last customers picked up their plates around 5:30.

Olin Britton said it’s like that every day.

But the Brittons have loftier goals than just operating a food truck.

“Maybe one day, the good Lord will make this a restaurant,” Olin Britton said.

 

 



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Managing Editor William R. Toler is an award-winning writer and photographer with experience in print, television and online media.