Saturday, June 30, 2012

Food Trucks

Found Michigan has an interesting interview with Leslie Narsisian-Voss, who runs a falafel truck in Grand Rapids and Traverse City. In the interview, they discuss the legal gray area in which food trucks operate and in particular recent legislative developments in G-Rap. From the article:
So are food truckers on their way to Grand Rapids? The short answer: Maybe. Last week, the Grand Rapids City Commission voted to allow food trucks on private property in the downtown area under certain—and arguably prohibitive—restrictions, but stopped short of giving food truckers the change that they say could really help their businesses: carte blanche access to city streets. “I’m getting a lot of people saying ‘Congratulations!’” says Molly Clauhs, owner of the Silver Spork, a Grand Rapids food truck. “But it’s like saying ‘Congrats, you broke your foot; at least it wasn’t your leg.’” Vendors and their followers worry now that the city will consider the issue resolved and stall on comprehensive food cart policy that eases tensions between food vendors and brick and mortar restaurateurs. “I’m sure in a couple years they’ll look at it again,” Clauhs says, “but a couple years is a long time when you’re a young entrepreneur.”
So Gentle Readers, what's your take on food trucks? Love 'em? Hate 'em?

2 comments:

  1. I like the idea of food carts, but I wish that the ones we had in Ann Arbor served better food. I've tried some that are great, others not so good.

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  2. What exactly could one "hate" about food trucks? Ours in A2 don't even take up parking spaces! What's the downside? Sure, some are better than others. But I doubt that the batting average for food trucks is worse than that of our traditional restaurants.

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