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One Way to Take Care of Business
Potato Paratha & Raita from the India Jones truck, which was cited and impounded last week | Photo by carlos ※ rossi via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
A handful of workers affected by the recent decrease in lunch options on the Miracle Mile have begun a petition to stop restaurants from calling city officials and police on "designer trucks" who park in the area.
"We, the undersigned request that the brick and mortar restaurants in the area known as Miracle Mile cease and desist from any attempt to impede or hinder any mobile food preparation units or food trucks from operating in the area," the petition reads. "As we work and live in this area we welcome the variety these trucks are able to deliver."
Trucks began appearing on the section of Wilshire Blvd.--described as a "vast wasteland of lunchtime eateries"--about three months ago. Some restaurants saw a detrimental drop in business and complained to city officials, who had the LAPD come out last Wednesday, citing and even impounding one truck. Since then, few trucks have been seen in the direct area.
Office workers say that restaurants should find ways to gain their business back with deals and new menu items, not by killing the competition. Case in point, Baja Fresh says they business is thriving despite the trucks parked outside.
Only 14 people have signed the petition as of publish.
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While I completely agree with the sentiment...a petition? How about taking it to your neighborhood council? Might be a bit more useful.
I'm all for having more options for eating, but it seems that competition between a taco truck and a brick and mortar restaurant is not fair. There are much higher costs incurred by a brick and mortar restaurant with paying for a lease, permits, dining space and furniture, and providing bathrooms. It seems that a taco truck will always have a competitive edge as far price and costs go.
As far as price and costs, yes, but I'm not ALWAYS looking for the cheapest option when I eat. Otherwise I'd eat an apple or a small french fry at Micky D's everyday. Restaurants have more resources in terms of storage, work space and number of employees, which means they can offer more options and higher quality. If they try.
Why do you hate capitalism that provides better products at lower prices?
The point is that they aren't necessarily better. ;-)
Unfair competition is a bogus claim. The only way a taco truck is any competition to a full service sit down restaurant is if the restaurant in question is not worth sitting down at in the first place.
It should not be the function of the police or my tax dollars to help one business kill off any competition for themselves.
Jar is right - mobile trucks have a great deal of advantages. But as JRB suggests, police should be left spending their time protecting public safety. If food coaches are parking illegally, have traffic deal with them. If they're unsanitary or creating any other risk, they should be removed from operation. Otherwise, fair game.
If the food trucks are being cited and impounded, obviously they're in violation of some law. So I don't feel bad for truck owners at all.
Everyone should play by the same rules.
That logic only works if the police, A) Know the laws they are enforcing and B) Carry out the law faithfully and fairly. From my experience there are quite a few cops who write citations for laws they do not understand or as a tool of intimidation or cite one particular group of people for an offense while ignoring others in obvious prejudice. Just because the cops are doing things does not make it right.
I've dealt with plenty of cops writing tickets to cyclists, my self included, for infractions where the officer clearly did not understand the law he was citing for. Which is why I got my one and only moving violation ever thrown out in court easily. I was making a left turn on my bike at an intersection and signaled to get over and as I did I was pulled over and cited for not riding to the right, which the law clearly says is not required when making a left turn. And even though he cited me for not riding to the right, while writing the ticket he was describing obstruction of traffic, which was clearly not what was happening.
I don't know about you guys, but I've never taken a girlfriend out to the best taco truck in town when I want to impress them.
aw, c'mon jrb.... when was the last time you took someone out on a lunch date?
Piano, 15 years ago I took a girl to lunch at Pershing Square where I treated her to sandwiches which I made at home and took to work in a brown paper bag. She was impressed! We still date and have a romantic relationship today. In fact we went together out last night.
Ha! I do have to say, jrb, that some women would be impressed with one's uncanny knowledge of designer food trucks ;)
I picked up a friend from New York at LAX and we spent the night chasing the Kogi truck. When we finally found it (thanks to Twitter!) she was duly surprised by the food, thrilled by the adventure and the guerrilla concept of the designer food trucks. Her impression: LA is so much more exciting and the food from trucks almost gourmet but without the high price tag. When she left a few days later I realized that this would be a great date concept. Though I have yet to implement it myself. It definitely takes a certain unpretentious girl to appreciate it.
LOL! Well guys, I guess I stand corrected!
skd, if you can get a New Yorker impressed about anything L.A. I think we have a winner!
So you're saying a great date option would be spend the whole night trying to find a truck, wait in line for a long time for food that by the time you get to the front you're hungry and everything tastes good? I guess I'm out of touch. And not a big fan of sauce, at least when it makes every dish taste the same. The alibi room is a better option. beer + burrito + no wait.
I wish we had that problem in Glendale. Resturant row aint all that when you want quick bite for a good price.
BTW that Potato Paratha & Raita looks delicious. I hope India Jones can get their truck back on the road.
I know, I can't wait!
Looks like you won't have to...
http://losangeles.going.com/event-653324;India_Jones_Street_Truck_Food_Happy_Hour
Fascist Restaurants calling the fascist police... What is this? 10 year olds fighting? Stupid... America is all about choice, option and competition isn't it? Face it restaurants.... You close too fu@king early and are more interested in senior citizens anyway!!! This is an ongoing issue I have with LA from the day I set foot here. The only issue I would understand is people having a beef with the mess people leave after their meal (it comes with diversity) and where the trucks parks... Other than that restaurants... one word. Reinvent
We've got over 100 people on the petition so far. Let's keep it going! Spread the word. Once we have enough I'm going to see about getting in contact with the local restaurants.
I've both lived and worked in the area in question, long before the food truck boom, and all I have to say is - what took them so long. Rather than spending time on the phone with the police, the brick-and-mortar restaurants in that area should be spending their time learning how to prepare edible food from the food trucks instead. Are you listening, Baja Fresh and Koo Koo Roo?
(And hey, food trucks? Please come to Santa Monica's media gulch area, kthxbai.)
Let's say some chump here is in the business of selling jeans from a trendy-I'm so cool store, then a big stinking truck pulls up in from of your trendy store and starts selling jeans, the same kind of jeans you sell for a lot cheaper price. Fair? HELL NO!
Okay, how about this scenario. You are trying to get that well deserved attention from your boss for than promotion you think you deserve. Then all of a sudden a coworker moves his desk in front of yours, effectively blocking you from your boss and now he is the golden boy or bitch. Fair? HELL NO!
Scenario 1) Apples and Oranges. These trucks have permits that give them a legal right to sell food from trucks on the street, a legally allowed practice. Your jeans truck does not, and lets be honest the kind of person who would be interested in buying designer jeans from a truck wouldn't shop anywhere but the garment district anyway.
Scenario 2) Have you ever worked in an office? Are you on drugs? Are you fucking crazy?