LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2026 | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 2013
2026 STATUS: UNVERIFIED
We haven’t been able to verify that The Pocketful truck, formerly Crisp On Wheels, is still operating in 2026. This 2013 review is kept for the record. No hours are posted, and the last public posts under the name are from 2015 and 2016.
Verified falafel in Midtown: Moshe’s Falafel trucks on W 46th St and at 1411 Broadway, frying kosher falafel to order since 1981.
KEY TAKEAWAY
The Pocketful was the new name for the Crisp On Wheels falafel truck after it split from the Crisp restaurants in 2013. Its Moroccan sandwich (formerly the Crisp Africa) packed falafel, sweet potatoes, corn, tomatoes and a spicy peanut sauce into warm pita for $9.50 after tax: tasty and unchanged in quality, but pricey next to $4 to $6 falafel elsewhere. Its 2026 status is unverified.
FORMERLY CRISP ON WHEELS: THE TRUCK’S STORY
- 2012: Operating as Crisp On Wheels, the truck served loaded falafel pitas like the $9.50 Parisian and “The African,” with spicy peanut sauce.
- February 2013: The truck split from the Crisp stores, stripped the Crisp branding, and planned a new name.
- April 2013: It relaunched as The Pocketful, with the same menu under new names. The African became the Moroccan.
OUR EXPERIENCE (APRIL 2013 VISIT)
Ever tried a Moroccan Sandwich? As we previously mentioned, Crisp On Wheels was no longer affiliated with the Crisp chain of falafel restaurants. The severing of these ties forced the owners of the truck to change their name, menu and look.
While the name and look of the truck changed, the menu was basically the same, but with different names for the dishes. The question was whether the food would suffer since they were no longer working with Crisp.
To find out, we got a Moroccan sandwich, which used to be called Crisp Africa. The sandwich cost $9.50 after tax, which is on the high side for a falafel sandwich.
The packaging was similar, but without the “zipper” in the middle of the box that simplified the eating process. Now we had to lift the sandwich out of the top of the box to eat, which got a bit messy.
The downside was a bunch of corn kernels ended up falling out (but luckily missed our pants). The upside was the Moroccan was jam-packed with corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, falafel and a Moroccan peanut sauce.
The combination of falafel, sweet potatoes and peanut sauce was very tasty. We love sweet potatoes, and they were even better with a little kick from the spicy peanut sauce.
You had a choice of white or whole wheat pita bread at The Pocketful, and they were served soft and warm.
We didn’t notice any discernible difference between the Moroccan sandwich from The Pocketful and the Crisp Africa from Crisp On Wheels. The fillings were plentiful and the ingredients were fresh and…crisp.
The biggest problem we had with The Pocketful was their prices. You could get very good falafel sandwiches in this town for $4-6. It was your choice whether to pay a few extra bucks for the variety of large, full sandwiches at The Pocketful.
Back in 2013, you could find The Pocketful on Twitter.
A new name and logo didn’t change the sandwich, and it didn’t change the price either.
What People Said After the Rename
The relaunch was public before this review ran. On April 4, 2013, @Itss_NattyJ posted that @Crisponwheels was now @ThePocketful, at 50th between 6th and 7th, and that you could order online. Three weeks later, @midtownlunch sent Brian Hoffman to compare the truck with the Crisp stores. He found a sample line of people still asking what happened to Crisp. His split decision matches this sandwich: Pocketful had the crisper ball, Crisp still built the sandwich with a heavier hand on the herbs. The store called peanut sauce and sweet potato the Africa. The truck called it the Moroccan.
The account stayed up for a while. In April 2015, @ShanghaiMKS posted that a Pocketful cart was coming to 50th and 6th. A job listing in April 2016 still used the name. After that, the posts stop. A Brooklyn reviewer who had eaten the truck every Tuesday when it was Crisp wrote that the rename was the turn: smaller falafel, cheaper salads, same price, and they started walking past it. A directory page checked in October 2026 still lists the old Midtown East phone and a blank schedule. We have not verified the truck.
Where Can You Get Falafel in Midtown Today?
The verified falafel specialist in Midtown today is Moshe’s Falafel, with trucks on W 46th St between 5th and 6th Ave and at 1411 Broadway at W 39th St, frying kosher falafel to order.
The price argument in this review has flipped. On June 13, 2026, @maryb1130 called the 46th Street cart, between 6th and 5th, a lunch go-to from 17 years of working in the city, and said the cart was still the original, not the newer West Side store. On July 1, @jsadinolfi put Moshe’s at 46th and 6th and called it one of the best in New York, about $11.50. That is what The Pocketful charged in 2013 for sweet potato and peanut sauce. The specialist now costs the loaded-truck price, and the loaded truck is the one we cannot find.
Our field guide explains whether a loaded falafel pita or a classic one is actually worth the money, and every verified vendor is mapped in the NYC Falafel & Shawarma Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Pocketful
What was The Pocketful food truck?
The Pocketful was a Manhattan falafel truck, formerly called Crisp On Wheels, that renamed itself in 2013 after splitting from the Crisp falafel restaurants. NewYorkStreetFood.com could not verify that it is still operating in 2026.
What was in The Pocketful’s Moroccan sandwich?
The Moroccan sandwich, formerly the Crisp Africa, had falafel, sweet potatoes, corn, tomatoes and a spicy Moroccan peanut sauce in white or whole wheat pita. It cost $9.50 after tax in 2013.
