Food Truck War What Side Are You ? (Houston, Austin: sales, rent)

[Truth713]

I am for allowing food trucks in Downtown, I think it adds a splash and encorges people to move about the area. In fact If we could get some of the guys to do nights I think it would go along way to helping the night life. The aruguments aginstthem seem so silly , terrorism and other lame excues are just polticans cow toe to the HRA.Who do not want to compete. I am seeing alot of this attudie lately from Houston business not just in this filed but many others who seem to think they have some right to customers.

[David Dollar]

I have already signed the petition to allow them. I know that a lot of people will be against them in the "Keep Houston Lame" campaign.

[HoustonRonnie]

I don't want them parking within 60 feet of one another.

Ronnie

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by Truth713

I am for allowing food trucks in Downtown, I think it adds a splash and encorges people to move about the area. In fact If we could get some of the guys to do nights I think it would go along way to helping the night life. The aruguments aginstthem seem so silly , terrorism and other lame excues are just polticans cow toe to the HRA.Who do not want to compete. I am seeing alot of this attudie lately from Houston business not just in this filed but many others who seem to think they have some right to customers.

I dont have a problem with the trucks in general - but the best argument I have heard is from the other restaurant owners...They have to pay property taxes and several other taxes either directly if they own the building, or indirectly if they rent...the food truck owners do not.

That is a government created inequality. If your going to allow the trucks in downtown then you need to eliminate the extra taxes that businesses that are already there have to pay or you have to impose those taxes on the trucks who are in downtown. Personally I vote eliminate them.

Those businesses have invested significant funds in their establishments and if a food truck can just come park directly across from them it is going to hurt their business...lets face it, were not talking about destination restaurants being injured here...were talking about the businesses whose lunch consists mostly of to-go orders...that is a huge inequality.

[chris_ut]

Who pays for the streets and sidewalks and fire hydrants in front of the businesses if you eliminate their property taxes? Would make more sense to sell the trucks permits costing a similar amount to what adjacent businesses pay.

[tstone]

I own a trendy restaurant in the area so I vote (lobby) no . (J/K)

[testmo]

The businesses pay the property taxes for their restaurants because they have the capital to do so and they want to have a restaurant. if they wanted to offer limited menus, limited hours, and have limited sales they'd own a food truck. tax inequality? there is real tax inequality in this country that the majority of Texans can't do the math to figure out. Don't start harping about "tax inequality" for businesses to food trucks.

in other parts of this country high end/well established restaurants court both sides of the market by having a building AND food truck. it'll take the south a few years to figure this out

i dont mind about the trucks being 60 ft from one another. in Austin there were several abandoned plots of dirt and land that the city has now designated as areas for the food trucks to set up shop in addition to moving around the city. this has actually killed the culture a little bit, but Houston could do the same thing. It brings a lot of business/courts the businesses that are in those areas of Austin

quite a few of the food trucks are 100% better than the average restaurant. there is no reason anyone in houston should ever go to a Fridays, Chilis, Olive Garden etc other than to use the bathroom

[Mr. Krinkle]

I'm all for the food trucks.

Propane tanks used as terrorist acts? Selling other things than food? The city council is getting kickbacks.

[desertsun41]

I just heard the law says no food truck can operate without a Fireman standing by. That's like saying you're not allowed to have a heart attack without a Doctor nearby. How stupid but that's your government for you.

I don't believe those who operate those Roach Coaches know the first thing about proper food handling practices. I don't want anyone touching my food without sanitary gloves. That's a weak law but most food handlers practice it. And by the way ( I won't mention any names) handling food with a sanitary glove and then touching the cash register and giving out money with those same gloves on is not legal and disgusting.

This city does not send Health Inspectors to Roach Coaches. This is incentive to be dirty. Do you see a toilet on those trucks? When busy they pee in a cup then get right back to making food. If there is a nearby porta-john, they may use that but have you ever seen one with a sink to wash?

No no man, not me, I don't want them around anywhere.

I notice these Roach Coaches all over the place in strip mall parking lots. Do they ask permission from the land owner or just park there? In these strip malls are restaurants. How would you feel if you paid rent in a strip mall and one of these filthy trucks parked there undercutting your price?

[Truth713]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

I just heard the law says no food truck can operate without a Fireman standing by. That's like saying you're not allowed to have a heart attack without a Doctor nearby. How stupid but that's your government for you.

I don't believe those who operate those Roach Coaches know the first thing about proper food handling practices. I don't want anyone touching my food without sanitary gloves. That's a weak law but most food handlers practice it. And by the way ( I won't mention any names) handling food with a sanitary glove and then touching the cash register and giving out money with those same gloves on is not legal and disgusting.

This city does not send Health Inspectors to Roach Coaches. This is incentive to be dirty. Do you see a toilet on those trucks? When busy they pee in a cup then get right back to making food. If there is a nearby porta-john, they may use that but have you ever seen one with a sink to wash?

No no man, not me, I don't want them around anywhere.

I notice these Roach Coaches all over the place in strip mall parking lots. Do they ask permission from the land owner or just park there? In these strip malls are restaurants. How would you feel if you paid rent in a strip mall and one of these filthy trucks parked there undercutting your price?

Actual i thought i read somewhere they get visits by health inspectors more than their counter parts.. no one is talking about your run down food truck from some low rent place..most of the food trucks that operate downtown or extensions of existing places looking to market their menu.to prosective customers by coming to them.. or are testing the waters for possible full service instead of buying land downtown and hoping your place takes off..like