It’s a little chilly for food trucks in Minneapolis right now, but things will change in the Spring, and they’ll flock back to the city’s busy downtown streets. According to CBS Minnesota, the downtown skyway is becoming a ground zero in the food truck fight, and residents are loving it. But the problem is, they are lined up just below a skyway filled with brick and mortar restaurants.
Some restaurant owners feel that the food trucks have become too much of a good thing, and they’re cutting into business.
Two dozen restaurant owners met last week to discuss the problem, and what they can do about leveling the playing field. The meeting wasn’t focused on improving business operations, marketing strategies for restaurant owners, or possible issues within their own establishments, despite the fact that some restaurant owners agreed that the food trucks aren’t impacting their businesses.
Still, the group is hoping to convince city leaders to review the current food truck ordinances to make changes that will protect property tax-paying businesses – or shield them from the perceived competition that food trucks bring to the table (or curbside in this case).
“It’s not an issue of competition,” Doug Sams, a restaurant owner said.
Suggestions to the city include limiting the number of trucks serving in any given block as a means to spread them out further away from restaurants. Ultimately, city leaders will make the final call and determine whether the current ordinance requires change.
Read the entire story on CBS Minnesota: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/01/23/downtown-restaurants-want-food-truck-ordinance-changes/
