Ban Food Trucks?

[AquaMan]

Banning is a bit extreme. I was downtown on Monday and saw some vendors set up on 3rd by the PAC. They were selling flowers, plants and food. Must they too be limited to traditional storefront operations? I would guess that setting up a trailer downtown nets the city as much in fees and sales taxes as would a brick and mortar but merely on a pay as you go basis, the difference being in comfort, style and trust. Some folks get by with a Fiat others want a full size Toyota.

However, downtown is different than the outlying areas because of the limited availability of product/service. You set up that same flower and plant trailer in a parking lot across the street from Stringer Nursery, I think you aren't playing fair.

[sgrizzle]

Jimmy John's loses little to nothing from food trucks. We're delivery heavy and no one can touch our business model on that. It's my personal opinion that they should pay more taxes. They hurt locally owned brick and mortar shops that most. There are a lot of locally owned business owners that agree with me on this.

They generally have lower profit margins, and have less gross income due to only working a few days a month. They pay the same or more taxes to the city than a brick and mortar. Property taxes are a drop in the bucket. Like saying we could fix the city budget by charging a nickle to park a bike..

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Jimmy John's loses little to nothing from food trucks. We're delivery heavy and no one can touch our business model on that. It's my personal opinion that they should pay more taxes. They hurt locally owned brick and mortar shops that most. There are a lot of locally owned business owners that agree with me on this.

So, you want to ban mom & pop food trucks that pay local taxes, pay a fee as a food vendor to the city, probably pay some form of a peddler/vendor license, buy their goods locally, and basically keep the flow of money locally, in favor of a franchisee, that a good portion of the money made there goes out of state, and the effect is "Jimmy John's loses little to nothing from food trucks."?

So, if the trucks sell something that people buy, compete with it. If people want tortas, or something that the trucks specialize in, make  what they want and compete price wise. But you can't because JJ's has a fixed menu and you can't deviate from it. You are in a box, and can't go outside it. The food trucks are independent, and can specialize, and can change.

I wish you well, but national sandwich chains have a 5 to 10 year life span (Quiznos, Blimpie, the ebb and flow of Subway, and back in the early 80's Sub's and Stuff)

[BKDotCom]

Einstein Bro Bagels are the new J.J's ... they're poppin' up everywhere

[Conan71]

A food truck is really no more competition to a restaurant than another restaurant opening next door or across the street.  Granted, it would be an donkey move to park a food truck directly in front of a restaurant.

With every new restaurant that opens downtown, that's one more competitor to the existing restaurants.  How does that play with the other restaurant owners?

[Hoss]

A food truck is really no more competition to a restaurant than another restaurant opening next door or across the street.  Granted, it would be an donkey move to park a food truck directly in front of a restaurant.

With every new restaurant that opens downtown, that's one more competitor to the existing restaurants.  How does that play with the other restaurant owners?

I don't know..maybe ban new restaurants?  *snark*

[davideinstein]

But yet you say ban them....

Yes, because I don't think they should have a market advantage, pay very little taxes and have little to no oversight from the health department while others do.

[davideinstein]

They generally have lower profit margins, and have less gross income due to only working a few days a month. They pay the same or more taxes to the city than a brick and mortar. Property taxes are a drop in the bucket. Like saying we could fix the city budget by charging a nickle to park a bike..

Property taxes, regular hours (labor cost), rent, etc.

[davideinstein]

So, you want to ban mom & pop food trucks that pay local taxes, pay a fee as a food vendor to the city, probably pay some form of a peddler/vendor license, buy their goods locally, and basically keep the flow of money locally, in favor of a franchisee, that a good portion of the money made there goes out of state, and the effect is "Jimmy John's loses little to nothing from food trucks."?

So, if the trucks sell something that people buy, compete with it. If people want tortas, or something that the trucks specialize in, make  what they want and compete price wise. But you can't because JJ's has a fixed menu and you can't deviate from it. You are in a box, and can't go outside it. The food trucks are independent, and can specialize, and can change.

I wish you well, but national sandwich chains have a 5 to 10 year life span (Quiznos, Blimpie, the ebb and flow of Subway, and back in the early 80's Sub's and Stuff)

This isn't a chain vs. local argument. On our block we have multiple local places that serve food. If I owned Dave's Subs and changed the menu every day, it would not matter. My point is that they pay less money into the system and it weakens downtown development. My opinion is a personal opinion, and has nothing to do with the company I work for.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

This isn't a chain vs. local argument. On our block we have multiple local places that serve food. If I owned Dave's Subs and changed the menu every day, it would not matter. My point is that they pay less money into the system and it weakens downtown development. My opinion is a personal opinion, and has nothing to do with the company I work for.

Fine, show me the hard facts that food trucks weaken downtown development. If it's so detrimental,  then why are a lot of cities encouraging food trucks, and helping develop areas for them to set up?

[Hoss]

This isn't a chain vs. local argument. On our block we have multiple local places that serve food. If I owned Dave's Subs and changed the menu every day, it would not matter. My point is that they pay less money into the system and it weakens downtown development. My opinion is a personal opinion, and has nothing to do with the company I work for.

So, serve up some facts regarding it weakening downtown development.

I suspect many of those same local places who don't mind the competition.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/how-to-eat-like-our-lives-depend-on-it/portland-s-food-truck-heaven

http://www.restreets.org/case-studies/temporary-mobile-commerce

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/are_food_trucks_here_to_stay

http://phxstreetfood.org/

http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/dining/articles/2010/10/22/20101022mobile-food-truck-court-launches-downtown-phoenix.html


http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2011/03/food_truck_info_session_dont_q.php

http://www.foodtrucklaws.com/

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20130807food-truck-operators-seek-fewer-curbs-parking.html

http://citiesspeak.org/2013/05/20/food-trucks-more-than-a-passing-fad-for-many-cities/

[davideinstein]

It's simple to me. We have an ever growing amount of food trucks in the downtown area and an enormous amount of empty space within the IDL.

It's just my personal opinion that brick and mortar growth is healthier for the city. It's perfectly fine if you all disagree.

[sgrizzle]

It's simple to me. We have an ever growing amount of food trucks in the downtown area and an enormous amount of empty space within the IDL.

It's just my personal opinion that brick and mortar growth is healthier for the city. It's perfectly fine if you all disagree.

I'm not a gambler, but I'd be willing to put money down that no-one driving a food truck turned down a B&M location. Food trucks are the restaurant starter package.

Not to mention, it is notoriously hard to actually get first floor space downtown.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Jimmy John's loses little to nothing from food trucks. We're delivery heavy and no one can touch our business model on that. It's my personal opinion that they should pay more taxes. They hurt locally owned brick and mortar shops that most. There are a lot of locally owned business owners that agree with me on this.

More taxes than the brick and mortar??   Even though the business volume is pretty much constrained to be much less by the configuration.