He said he wanted to be more present in his family’s life, which includes his 5-year-old daughter, Cora, and wife, Liz.
“I’m only going to get one chance of being her dad,” Whitfield said.
Whitfield started Underdogs Mobile in 2016. He previously told this news outlet after 15-plus years in corporate HR, he was at his breaking point. He said he didn’t know what he wanted to do when his wife suggested that he should start a food truck because he has always loved cooking for others.
“By no means am I a classically trained chef, but I had an idea of what people would want,” Whitfield previously said.
When asked what made his food truck successful, Whitfield said they delivered on their promises and were easy to do business with. After seven years in the food truck industry, he said Underdogs Mobile grew each year and was debt free.
“I am beyond grateful that I can walk away head held high and financially successful,” Whitfield said.
Whitfield said he has returned to the corporate world, but has hopes of someone continuing his business or buying the food truck and equipment inside to start another concept.
“I lived the American dream,” Whitfield said.
The thing he said he will miss the most is the people. He explained their long-time customers have been part of their family and have watched their daughter grow up. When they found out about the pregnancy, they put the ultrasound photo on their tip jar and turned it into a diaper fund.
“Every year after, we’ve just kept a picture of our daughter on the tip jar,” Whitfield said. “People have watched her grow and it became Cora’s dresses and baby doll tip jar.”
Whitfield said as they close shop if someone needs a Chicago dog fix, he recommends his friends at Chicago Gyros & Dogs who have a restaurant at 3979 Indian Ripple Road in Beavercreek.
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