We’ve seen food trucks experience a surge in popularity over recent years, usually using Twitter or Facebook to keep potential diners updated on their whereabouts. Just recently we saw the Roving Mammoth putting an alpine twist on the concept, and now we’ve discovered Air France putting another new spin on the food truck: free food! The Air France food truck toured Manhattan for five days in March, with menus created by Michelin-starred chef Joël Robuchon. The truck’s location was announced each day on the Air France Facebook and Twitter streams, along with invitations to photograph the truck for entry into a competition for Air France travel goods. Patrons of the food truck could arrive for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, with meals such as “grilled beef filet with wine truffle sauce and potatoes a gratin” and “smoked salmon shrimp rondelle” all available for free. Whilst sampling the culinary delights of the truck, diners could also enter to win a pair of Air France tickets to Paris, and were encouraged to donate to City Harvest to feed the hungry and less fortunate in the city. According to a report on airlinetrends.com, an estimated 3,000 meals were given away during the promotion. Convincing the public that airline food can be gourmet is a tough task for any marketing team. But if you have the goods to back up the claim, then confident tryvertising strategies such as these are a sure fire way to win hearts and minds. A ploy to try out yourself? (Related: Balloon-enabled pizza picnic delivery.) Spotted by: airlinetrends.com