MOBILE, Alabama – The Middle Feast food truck is Mobile-bound, and it's up to residents in the Port City to support them or they will be eliminated from a chance to win $50,000 and a new food truck.

The Middle Feast appearance in Mobile is part of the Great Food Truck Race, now in its 5th season of production for The Food Network.

"That's our city for the weekend and we need to make the most money we can," said 31-year-old Tommy Marudi who is one of three chefs on the food truck that specializes in Israeli-American fusion cuisine. "We are calling restaurant owners and bar owners and doing what we can to find a good location."

There are plenty of obstacles. One, Mobile isn't a food truck culture. Aside from Geaux Boy, which is sometimes parked outside Cathedral Square, and Smokin' Gringos, downtown's dining scene is limited on the number of parked vehicles selling lunchtime fare.

Another obstacle is that the food truck can only be set up on Saturday and Sunday, arguably the two quietest days in downtown Mobile for the lunch crowd, especially during the summer months when people head for Baldwin County's beaches.

A final obstacle is that Marudi; his sister, Hila, 30; and friend, Arkabi, 29; are from Los Angeles and have never been in Mobile. They are unsure exactly where to set up to serve their lunch.

They don't have much time to find out. A trailing film crew will follow the trio around on Friday as they analyze their surroundings before establishing a place for the Middle Fest Food Truck to park for weekend activities.

"They give us trucks in California," Marudi said. "They give us the city and we need to find the hottest locations over there. We sell over the weekend ... the challenge is whoever makes the most money continues on."

It could be a matter of pride for Mobilians, said Francesco Pace, the show's co-executive producer.

"It depends on how much the teams can make in the city and this season we've been to different cities and each city is different in how the public reacts to it," Pace said. "We hope Mobile comes out and supports the show and the teams and tries the food."

Where the food truck will be set up, however, is unknown.

The trio has been doing research on the best places to locate in Mobile during a Saturday and Sunday in early June.

Marudi said the public can keep an eye on social media for the exact locations. The Middle Feast food truck is on Twitter @MidFeastTruck and on Facebook.

"Everyone is working hard now on social media and everyone will know we're in town," he said. "They will see that we have a big colorful truck, plus there are three (vehicles) following and cameras and all the crews."

Only three teams remain in Season 5, which will broadcast on The Food Network in August. A total of eight teams started the show. The winner gets $50,000 and the right to keep their food truck.

The team that sells the least amount of food over the weekend is eliminated. The two remaining trucks will be competing in other unknown locations.

The Middle Feast food truck is arriving from St. Louis, where the team spent Memorial Day weekend selling Chicken Shawarma, Israeli Nachos and Fish Tacos outside a local brewing company and the new Ballpark Village, which is across the street from Busch Stadium – home to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Even though the Cardinals were not in St. Louis last weekend, the location proved successful as the crew continued to Mobile. Other locations along the way included Oklahoma City; Austin, Texas; Tuscon, Ariz.; and Santa Barbara, Calif.

Pace said Mobile was chosen as a spot because of its location and driving distance on Wednesday – approximately 650 miles from St. Louis – and because of the area's "shrimping industry and how beautiful the city is."

"It was on the route and was one of the most interesting cities," Pace said, noting that the race has been in New Orleans before.

Pace said that a historical venue will be spotlighted on Monday as the show wraps up for the weekend.

The Middle Feast food truck trio hope it won't be their last stop.

"This is open to the public to share the food and to be on TV," Pace said. "They are invited to come down and check them out. (But) I have no idea where they will be at, but they will be in the city limits."

This story was updated at 9:32 a.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2014, to add Smokin' Gringos to the list of food trucks in downtown Mobile.