A Burger King chef who never missed a day of work in 27 years has launched his own food truck after going viral on TikTok in 2022.
Kevin Ford blew up on the social media platform after sharing what his bosses at Burger King had gifted him in return for working so long without a single missed shift. The measly gift included a movie ticket, a Starbucks cup, a bag of Reese’s Pieces, two packs of Life Savers, two pens, a lanyard, and two keychains
The abysmal recognition resulted in TikTok users banding together to launch a GoFundMe campaign for Ford, raising $464,675 USD to date and helping the hardworking father purchase his first home.
Now, Ford is officially leaving behind the fast food chain he worked at for nearly three decades, having bought a food truck that will be used to kick off the next stage of his life.
The food truck was purchased and built with a company from China, costing Ford around $20,000, and is fully equipped for all kitchen needs.
Ford named the truck ‘K27Y’ as a reference to his rise to online stardom – standing for Kevin 27 Years – and has proudly been showing it off to his TikTok followers.
He also plans to team up with his Le Cordon Bleu-trained daughter to run K27Y and will start his business selling food he is already very well familiar with: burgers and hot dogs.
While American Classics will get the ball rolling, Ford said he wants to include Filipeno infusion further down the line as a tribute to his fiance.
Once K27Y starts making a profit, Ford also plans to officially step away from Burger King and be done with the franchise. He hopes to do so by May 2025, as the fifth month of the year will officially mark 30 years of employment.
As of now, there is no opening date for the food truck, though Ford is looking into starting pop-ups in October. And fans on TikTok are excited to get in line, with some already suggesting Ford should collab with Keith Lee.