CHICAGO — What was meant to be a joyful celebration for a suburban Chicago family turned into a painful lesson after a taco truck vendor failed to show up, despite being paid a $390 deposit.
A Graduation Party Gone Wrong
The Koukal family from Antioch, Illinois, had planned a special graduation party for their daughter, complete with a taco truck. But when the big day arrived, the truck never did.
“When I woke up the next day, I thought, I can’t let this happen to another family,” said Kim Koukal, who shared her story to warn others.
Koukal had made arrangements through a vendor who identified himself as Arnold Vallejo of Arnold’s Taco Truck, found via a Facebook food truck group. She signed a contract and sent a $390 deposit via Zelle, half of the total estimated cost.
Communication Breakdown Before the Event
As the event approached, Koukal noticed that communication from Vallejo slowed dramatically. Her final attempts to confirm the booking went unanswered.
“Nothing. And then the afternoon, nothing, and the evening, nothing,” Koukal recalled. “Then I started to get sick to my stomach. I could not sleep.”
The result? A graduation party with unused paper plates and a missing taco truck.
Vendor Says He’s Hospitalized — But There’s More
CBS News Chicago was able to reach Vallejo by phone, and he claimed that he was in the hospital and would issue a refund. However, the money had not been returned as of Monday night.
This isn’t an isolated case. The Better Business Bureau reportedly investigated a similar complaint against the same vendor in September 2022, and Facebook users have shared additional claims of Vallejo being a no-show.
Although Vallejo denied responsibility for the 2022 complaint, CBS News Chicago noted that the contact number and web address matched those listed on the vendor’s current Facebook page.
Disappointment Turned Into Resilience
Despite the setback, the Koukal family did their best to save the celebration.
“I thought she did really amazing despite the last-minute changes,” said Kim’s daughter, Madison Koukal. “She made the most of it.”
Another guest, recent graduate Lily Loos, echoed the sentiment: “It goes down in history, a little story now.”
Call for Caution
Kim Koukal hopes her story serves as a warning for others planning special events. She urges families to do thorough checks before placing deposits online.
“Because other families are going to have parties, and I didn’t want any other child to be disappointed like my daughter was,” she said.
Have you or someone you know been scammed by a local vendor? Share your experience in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com and help others stay safe.
