Tell your alderman that Chicago needs more food trucks. This is a gathering force with Chicagoist covering progress and websites set up by TimeOut Chicago and an advocacy group called Chicago Food Trucks to explain the issues. Currently, city food sales regulations are a major barrier to entry.
The old image of food trucks is cockroach-infested RVs selling snacks and artery-clogging sandwiches, but folks in Los Angeles and Oakland and my second home town of Austin understand that we're in a new mobile restaurant age. During my February visit to Austin, I paid $4 for a doughnut-- and felt I got my money's worth. Food trucks there dispense a wide variety of ethnic fusion and even gourmet meals. Honest. Why there's even a web site explaining your food truck choices in Austin. Of course, Austinites spend a huge amount of money on food & drink ($12K per year vs. 6.7K in Chicago).
In Austin, there are even permanent multi-trailer stands set up with tables and restrooms on site. In other cities, the typical food truck moves around, setting up outside offices during lunchtime, near apartment buildings evenings and then by bars late at night. It'd be interesting to see if trailers selling fresh foods could serve some of Chicago's food desert neighborhoods.
Hi James...the first link is busted so you may want to fix it. Great article though. You have to wonder just how many regulations need to be met and who has to get paid in Chicago to get these stands set up currently.
This would be a great option in a lot of areas where good food options just aren't available.
Posted by: TA | Tuesday, 18 May 2010 at 09:42
Whoops! I'm a bit rusty now on the blogging and I forgot to check the links. Thanks for telling me. It should be fixed now.
Fixed site food vendors seem to have a hard time getting thru the Chicago regulatory framework, too, btw.
Posted by: withrow | Tuesday, 18 May 2010 at 09:50
You're right. Makes you wonder how long its going to take Z&H to get all of their permits for 57th St. I hope its happening soon since I find myself craving something more than the limited Medici sandwiches that have all had their prices jacked up after the move from UMarket.
Posted by: TA | Wednesday, 19 May 2010 at 23:32