After four and a half years on Nashville streets, Gio’s Chicago Pizza, the deep-dish food truck run by chef Greg Knotek, is hitting pause. Knotek says health struggles and rising mobile food costs have made keeping the truck on the road unsustainable for now.
Knotek told customers he will step back to focus on his family and recovery, and he is planning a final service Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Citizen’s Kitchen in West Nashville, as reported by NewsChannel 5. He told the station that thieves had stolen the generator that powers the truck and that rising diesel and truck expenses have added roughly $600–$800 a month to his costs. “I might be down now, but I am certainly not done,” Knotek said.
From The Nations To The Road
Knotek first opened Gio’s out of a shared commissary in The Nations and later expanded the concept into a food truck, a launch covered by Axios. The operation also drew local praise, with Gio’s named Best Deep Dish in Nashville Scene’s 2023 writers’ picks.
Costs, Theft, and Recovery
A prostate cancer diagnosis and repeated equipment thefts have left Knotek stretched thin, he says, and the extra monthly fuel and truck expenses have eaten into already small margins. Those pressures, combined with the physical toll of long hours on the truck, pushed him toward the decision to pause while he heals. Those details were reported by NewsChannel 5.
Final Service And What’s Next
Friday night’s pop-up at Citizen’s Kitchen will be the truck’s last service for now, and Knotek says he will use the pause to focus on his health and family before deciding how Gio’s returns. He thanked Nashville customers for their support and encouraged regulars to stop by Friday to show their support for the small business.
