POCATELLO — The beloved breakfast and lunch eatery that has graced the Gate City for a half-century officially launched a food truck venture.

Jumbos Xpress Cafe debuted to immediate fanfare, unexpectedly prompting an influx of longtime supporters to travel across town to show their support.

Jeri's Jumbos on Pole Line Road began in 1966 thanks to George and Jeri Pieper and remains a family-owned business. In 2000, the couple's daughter, Lisa, took over with her husband, Willis.

"It was about 2016 that I was like, 'OK, I think I need to take this serious,'" third-generation owner Heidi Hunsaker said about following in her family's footsteps. "I saw the potential and the legacy that my grandma had created that I wanted to carry on."

Hunsaker purchased the business in 2024 and has dreamed of starting a food truck venture for years.

"I tried to convince my mom a couple of times when she owned Jumbos that a food truck would be a good idea," Hunsaker said. "She was like, 'No way.' She didn't see it."

Two years ago, the family business began operating a concession stand at Ross Park Swimming Pool. With customers visiting the pool solely for a taste of Jeri's Jumbos burgers, the dream of a food truck seemed more attainable.

"That kind of gave us that smaller-scale, more takeout-style food experience," Hunsaker said. "It was at that time that we thought, 'OK, let's do a food truck. We've done this. We think we can do that.'"

Located at 4539 S. Fifth Ave., Jumbos Xpress Cafe is currently open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hunsaker said the location is prime as growth continues in that area and her children attend Century High School.

"Those high school kids are very limited on what they have," Hunsaker said, commenting on how her children could barely make a timely trip to Taco Bell at 1133 S. Fifth Ave. for lunch. "We just saw the need to be out there, so we leased the property, and that's kind of where we plan on staying."

The hours and menu for Jumbos Xpress Cafe are subject to change as Hunsaker and her staff figure out traffic and demand. Weekends are possible after the first of the year, but to Hunsaker, consistency is key for Jumbos' customers.

"One thing we get told at Jumbos all the time by customers is that they love our consistency," Hunsaker said. "Not only with food but hours, too. And our staff. So many of our staff have been there for so many years, so we're just consistent."

Currently, the food truck has similar food options to Jeri's Jumbos but with an emphasis on meals that can be taken on the go. One particular menu item of focus to Hunsaker and her team is green chile.

"It's not just any green chile," Hunsaker said. "We're really focusing on the fact that it's Colorado green chile."

Ahead of opening the food truck last week, Hunsaker drove to Colorado and retrieved 67 pounds of Pueblo green chiles and plans to do so regularly to stay in stock. According to Hunsaker, green chile is not a common menu item in Southeast Idaho.

Hunsaker was not anticipating the amount of community support Jumbos Xpress Cafe received during its first week of operation. The word caught fire on Facebook, and what was originally planned as a soft opening turned into a booming business from the start. Despite the influx of customers, Hunsaker said wait times never exceeded 10 minutes.

"I was mind-blown," Hunsaker said. "So many of my regular customers from Jumbos, they're just the sweetest, most supportive people ever. Like, how many of them have come out — I had no idea we would be as busy as we were."

Jumbos Xpress Cafe plans to have a grand opening or ribbon-cutting ceremony sometime in the near future as the venture rolls on. To keep up with the latest about the mobile Jumbos venture, follow its Facebook page.

More information, including menu items and hours, can be found at jumbosxpress.square.site.

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