The Burrito Buggy has parked in Athens since 1984, serving up burritos and tradition for generations of students and locals. The Buggy has gone through several owners in its 41 years, but Gary Charles has owned it for the past four years.
Since the Buggy was purchased from childhood friends Eli Flournoy and Jim Stricklin, Charles said business is thriving, and has not experienced any decline in customers or demand. He said the Buggy sees a couple of hundred people every day it is open.
The Buggy also travels around the state often, recently coming back from a trip to Loveland, where it catered for a WOUB Public Media fundraiser at Cappy’s Taproom and Bottle Shop. Charles said the owner of the taproom is an Ohio University alum and told him the Buggy gave the bar the busiest day it has ever had.
Charles said the Buggy encounters OU alums wherever it travels, due to the alumni chapters around the state. Its popularity since 1984 has brought many opportunities for the truck to grow and improve, which is exactly why Charles came out with the Burrito Buggy XL last year.
The Burrito Buggy XL offers a wider variety of menu items, including fried foods like fries, cheese sticks and mac and cheese bites. Although the XL truck offers more options for customers, Charles said there is no difference in popularity between the trucks. Most of the time, the bigger buggy is used unless they are traveling to cater.
The Buggy is available for catering all over the state, giving nostalgic OU alums a chance to enjoy a burrito the way they remember it from college. Charles said the buggy gets at least three or four catering orders a month, which consist of the Buggy parking on the property for guests to enjoy its cooking.
Todd Stiles, an OU alumnus who graduated in 1989, has been a long-time fan of the Buggy’s burritos since he was in college. He said he visited the truck at least once a week. An Athens native, Stiles said he knows Charles personally, as well as many previous workers from Athens High School and OU.
Stiles said he always gets a beef burrito without onions or hot peppers with mild sauce and extra cheese, and recently visited the truck over homecoming to get two of these burritos. Now that Stiles lives in Columbus, he said he only gets to see the truck about four times a year when he visits.
“You don't have it in Columbus,” Stiles said. “So yeah, definitely, I look forward to it every time I'm in Athens.”
The reason Stiles continues to visit the truck is for its special sauce. He said it’s not the same as other Mexican cuisine staples like Chipotle or Taco Bell.
“They have a special sauce on the burrito that ... is just incredible,” Stiles said. “You know, a weekend in Athens is not complete unless you get a burrito from the Burrito Buggy.”
Although prices have increased on burritos since Stiles was in school, he said the burritos have gotten bigger, making the price increase worth it. Along with the portion sizes increasing, Stiles also said the quality of the food hasn’t changed.
Saleh Al-Esaili, an Athens resident, has ate from the Burrito Buggy all his life.
“I have been visiting the Buggy since I was a kid,” Al-Esaili said. "I'm 32 now, so the Buggy has been around and passed multiple owners. I actually grew up with the girl whose family owned it.”
Despite the numerous owners, Al-Esaili said the recipes have remained the same, and the food continues to have the same taste. He said he enjoys the street tacos along with the beef and cheese explosion burrito, and visits the Buggy whenever he gets the chance.
“I was going once a week when they were, like, more around,” Al-Esaili said. “Now I started work, so (I go) whenever I can catch them.”
For those looking to taste these famous Athens burritos and Mexican cuisine, the Buggy will be at its usual spot next to the Sunoco on Court Street during this year's Santa Fest.
