Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123
I believe in free enterprise. But, I can also understand that restaurants have a major investment in property development and real estate taxes, and they are committed to the local area much more so than food trucks. So, I think they have a legitimate complaint about how the local Government regulates food trucks and food stands that operate close to their restaurants.
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Food trucks pay a fee for the privilege of being there. In some places they pay a seasonal fee, in others they pay per-event. But food trucks NEVER just show up and set up shop. That would be illegal.
They also have to answer to the local health department, are subject to more random inspections than restaurants, for the very reason that they are mobile and could easily just skip town after serving tainted food.
Food truck food tends to be more expensive as well, because they can only bring very limited quantities and have limited storage space, limited refrigerator power, limited cooking space. They can't buy massive bulk quantities of anything, because they don't have any place to put it. So they lack the buying power of restaurants. Further, they have to go out and get all their supplies, wheras a standing restaurant gets theirs delivered to them. So that's an added expense as well.
They are no competition at all to most restaurants and in fact, there are even some restaurants that have their own food trucks. Up in Connecticut this is a very popular trend. In the Yale University area, there are half a dozen local restaurants that have food trucks and food carts that show up just for the lunch and supper rush near the Hospital. Their customers are usually doctors, nurses, and other employees of the hospital who don't have time to sit down at a nearby restaurant, but want to enjoy the same foods. They pay a premium for their taco or gyro or kebab or pizza or hummus platter, but they get their food and can eat it and be back to work within a half hour.
The restaurants don't profit much - definitely somewhat. But mostly they provide a service to the hospital. And they pay through the nose for the right to occupy a space in the circle. There is always a waiting list every year for trucks that want a spot, and only some of them make the cut.