Seven of the country's best Food Trucks start the cross country journey in Southern California. An early twist leaves the teams scrambling. They think they are starting in LA, but quickly learn that the first city they must conquer over 100 miles away in San Diego. How will they handle this switch? Teams will struggle to find a location, source their food, and market their trucks in a brand new city. After a frenetic weekend, the truck who makes the least amount of money will be sent home.
The remaining six trucks arrive in Santa Fe, New Mexico where they are greeted by a snow storm. Will the weather affect sales or will some trucks be able to succeed despite the low temperatures? The teams are thrown a curve-ball when they have to add green chilies to their menu. After another frenetic weekend, the truck who makes the least amount of money will be sent home.
The remaining five trucks head further east as they arrive in Forth Worth, Texas. The teams hit the streets in a whole new city and have to start over from scratch. Where will they set up? Will they change their menu? How do they get the word out. Things are running relatively smoothly until they are all give a giant side of beef that they have to carve and incorporate into their trucks. This elimination is the most intense yet.
The final four trucks arrive in New Orleans, eager to take advantage of the culture and nightlife of the Big Easy. But wicked weather drenches the teams and leaves them scrambling for customers. An epic battle ensues at the edge of the French Quarter, until a surprise catfish cook-off sends one team back to the streets and the others to a slimy, grimy punishment that no one will soon forget. One more team is eliminated, setting up a small-town showdown 700 miles north in Tennessee.
The final three trucks arrive in tiny Jonesborough, Tennessee, ready to battle it out for the attention of its 5,000 residents. Each customer is precious, as the town is excited to see the trucks but shuts down after sunset. The teams get yet another surprise when they must "go back in time" and cook a five-course meal in the style of the pioneer-era chuckwagon. Then it's back to Main Street for a nip and tuck battle that sees the low-earning team eliminated by a mere $37.
The final two teams roll into New York City and are shocked to learn that everything they think they know about this race is out the window for this final leg. The teams race off into the Bronx, needing to travel to all five boroughs of New York and reach a sales threshold in each one. One final cooking challenge sees the teams cooking the other's signature dish, setting up an epic finale in Manhattan. The winning team races on foot to the top of the Flatiron Building, where Tyler is waiting with a $50,000 check... and the first winner of the Great Food Truck Race is declared.