The Great Food Truck Debate

[MidwestRick]

As our industry becomes more main stream throughout the country, more and more cities are beginning to look at starting a dialog to determine if food trucks have a place in their communities. We have researched many of the common points brought up by those opposing mobile vendors. Although many of those against the rise of food trucks have ulterior motives that circle back to the brick and mortar restaurant industry. If the industry is to continue its growth, we need to identify those issues, sit down and civilly discuss that food trucks are not the danger to restaurants and communities that many are trying to convince cities they are.

Food Trucks don’t pay rent.

They may not have leases or rent payments as high as restaurants, but food trucks still have to pay for commissary space to clean and restock their “kitchens,” they pay for licenses, permits, food and staff. In many communities, food trucks also are legally required to pay for rent on storage space and commissaries where they do most of the prep work. In cities such as San Francisco, mobile vendors are charged upwards of $10,000 a year to maintain their licenses in certain districts. New York City has a limit of permits they issue to street vendors which include trucks and carts. Outside of liquor licenses, cities do not limit the amount of restaurants which can operate within their city limits.

The rest of the article: http://mobilecuisine.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/the-great-food-truck-debate/

[littlewolf]

1. ya know I am sure that these are clean and offer

good food ... but I harken back to my navy days ... and the call "roach coach on the pier"
and shiver ....
and I am Laughing as I write this .... cuz I know that commercially you could not
make it if that were the case ....

[MidwestRick]

6. That may be

the biggest obstacle the industry needs to get past right now. Too many people think the same way. If you are in an area with the gourmet version of food trucks, give em a try. They may just change your preconceptions. :)

-MR

[littlewolf]

7. I will ... I look fwd to it ....

[MidwestRick]

8. Where in the country are you?

Who knows, we may do a profile of a truck in your area.

-MR

[littlewolf]

9. NENC ... but Tidewater VA is an hour away .....

so tend to go there when we go out ... unless we go to the outer banks .. (excellent fish dishes ... hmmmmm )

[pinniped]

2. They can move to San Francisco and downsize to a food cart.

They can peddle around different neighborhoods and not pay for rent or a permit. Some say the permit process is a tangled web, some don't even bother.

Where do they wash their hands?

[MidwestRick]

3. Most trucks are required to have sinks

You cannot operate a truck without permits in any city I am aware of. Those who choose to avoid permits are breaking the law, and are not supported by the industry.

Trucks are required to have commercial sinks just for that reason. Most if not all equipment on the trucks is equal to, or greater in commercial quality compared to restaurants. How many brick and mortar restaurants could use their equipment if they had to change locations daily?

-MR

[pinniped]

4. The new food craze in this city have people peddling around food carts....

that look like overgrown cheese/ice cream carts that one routinely sees in Los Angeles.

[MidwestRick]

5. Carts

They certainly are different than trucks. It is much easier to get away with operating without permitting.

-MR