Monday, April 14, 2008

Taco trucks: ¿Si o no? Take the poll.

The L.A. Times updates the taco truck crackdown story today, and I'm trying to decide if the restaurant owners who are against the trucks have any valid points.
You can vote in Eating LA's first poll by going to the sidebar on the right, under the ad for steaks.
Here's a few of the arguments pro and con -- what do you think?
Customers say "It's a convenient service."
Restaurant owners say trucks have an unfair advantage -- they can travel to where customers are and have lower overhead and therefore lower prices.
Developers say "They prevent a community from moving forward."
Perhaps the worst quote comes from a county supervisor's aide: "It just makes a community look like there's no order."
Now what does that mean, anyway? I guess I'd prefer a community with less order and taco trucks to one with lots of order and no taco trucks. But it is certainly tough to survive as a restaurant owner these days, so their side should probably be considered too.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

pat,

i think the wording of the poll is a little bit confusing - it seems that it should be "yes, with the current restrictions already in place," or "yes, but with greater restrictions as proposed."

i can't really opt for "with few restrictions," as i do believe in hygiene/sanitary oversight - but then again "considerable restrictions" such as the "$1000 fine or 6 mos. in jail for parking in the same place for more than an hour" as proposed seems ridiculous to me. so neither of those choices really appeals to me, personally...

Anonymous said...

SI! I have my favorite taco trucks and they get my support. They are simply trying to make an honest buck to survive in this jacked up economy. And that stupid comment about the trucks and no order in the community could not sound more "booji."

Unknown said...

how about promoting, bagel trucks? maybe some pho vehicles? create a more cosmopolitan moveable feast.

Georgia Hardstark said...

The restaurant argument is pretty silly to me in that when you go out to eat at a restaurant you're paying for, and expecting, a completely different experience. When you go to a taco truck, you're either drunk, broke, or in a hurry.* I agree with roobnla that taco truckers are just trying to make an honest living.

*I'm not dissing taco trucks...I love them with all my drunk, broke heart.

Doran said...

Some of the best food I've ever eaten has been off a truck. Enough said.

Anonymous said...

That particular truck (in the photo) is one of the best...

Parked on Alvarado just north of Sunset from 7pm on. I could not live without it.