Comment

Comment by Enhager on June 26, 2011 at 9:56pm

I'm glad the trucks are around and provide an alternative, but they have an unfair advantage over a brick-and-mortar restaurant,  which deserves our business because they give back much more to the community.

 

Yet they just used food trucks in downtown San Pedro to attract more people to their First Thursday art walks - it was such a big success that the store owners reported doubling their receipts compared to previous artwalks.

Comment by Scupine on June 24, 2011 at 2:22pm

I agree with your ambivalence! It's fun to have a wide range of food choices, and I'm glad that it's a fundraiser for a good local cause. But I respect Scott Malsin take on it -- echoed eloquently in your comment.

Comment by Catherine Yanda on June 24, 2011 at 12:22pm

A fundraiser does benefit the community.  As much as I love the low prices and high cuisine of food trucks, when a truck swoops into an area that has restaurants they are just squatting, usually in an area where parking is at a premium, and there is a hard won clientele that small businesses and restaurants worked to bring in.  Our neighbors don't benefit from the take away - they put up with added litter & don't see any goodwill from possible well meaning truck owners.  

 

One of our favorite restaurants for quick take-away is Samosa House - - I feel sad that after remaking an ugly ex doughnut shop into a great low cost healthy food destination they have to compete with a food truck parking lot across the street - which is also across the city border and technically in Los Angeles - now known as Culver City adjacent.  The lot owner makes money and does little, the trucks come and go and the local family that started Samosa House have no recourse other than those of us who make a point of supporting local.

 

We'll be attending the fundraiser & will enjoy it.  It doesn't change the fact that if there are no rules of fair play, not everyone will play fair.