Street Food

[Spork]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think that the food trucks are also viewed as "undercutting" the restaurants (at least of the lunch crowd, as they sell the same things that people would go to restaurants for (i.e. burgers and sandwiches), even though the food truck items can be about $10 (i.e food fair pricing).

The problem is exactly that, they are viewed as low-overhead businesses that offer the same product as a restaurant, but absent of seating - it's a take-out only bricks and morter business akin to the pizza places, poutine places, and the like. In Asia, the food is completely different, as previously mentioned. They are small portions, each location serves a few (max 10) simple to prepare food items, and does them all really really well. They are used primarily for snacking, but can be used for a meal if you buy 2-3 items.

Originally Posted by officedweller

In Asia, are the prices more comparable between bricks and mortar restaurants and food carts (or do they differentiate themselves in the marketplace)? Maybe the City created part of the problem with requirements for "high end" food trucks?

Completely different prices. In Taiwan, 3 people can eat lunch for $10 at a food cart, whereas a restaurant would cost 2-3 times that depending on the quality and interior.

I totally agree that the city created part of the problem. In Taiwan, a "Food truck" can simply be a cart with 4 wheels, smaller in size than even a hot dog vendor's cart here. There is no need for a custom-kitted $50,000 food truck, or even a custom kitted $10,000 food cart.

Originally Posted by officedweller

Here's an odd article from the Globe - one of the "big" food trends for 2014 is supposedly to bring up the cost of "ethnic" food to the cost of food at western restaurants (which may wrongly assume that cheap food is poor quality):

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...228061/?page=4

Maybe in Toronto, but not here. Until the restaurants start catering to populations that have a higher willingness to pay and higher ability to overlook "service issues", "decor issues", and "cleanliness issues" (all in quotes as they are all a matter of opinion), having a lower price will be a key determinant of their success.

A local exception of this is Peaceful Restaurant on Broadway. I was in there last Saturday, and the place was almost 100% caucasian, and probably 30%-50% American as Guy Fieri had been there previously. Their prices have definitely risen (~25%), but the place is still reasonably priced ($35-$40 for 3 people).

Anyways, this last point is off topic here.

[cornholio]

Funny because before the latest food cart program I bought my "lotto" ticket every year for available hot dog stand locations knowing full well that most likely I would rent it out and hold on to it as a "investment".

When they complicated the program I lost interest. Anyways before there were hundreds of applications for every location and I did not get lucky.

My point is that I agree that the program is a complete mess and it will not be easy to fix. It was also pretty clear that this was going to happen when the city revamped the program a few years back.

[mezzanine]

I'll see what happens. Certainly the choices for mobile food are much more compared to the pre-food truck area, but with some tweaks to the legislation i hope I will see more competition and lower prices.

my 2cents:

-there is a natural "tipping" point for trucks vs a regular restaurant. why would you spend more than $10 to line up in the rain to get food from a truck to eat it outside with no facilities, versus going to a restaurant?

-a lot of the required 'truck infrastructure' and regulations are mandated by vancouver coastal health, not munis. some things that seem important (like storing waste water in the truck for later disposal) add a lot to capital costs. it's interesting to note that that home prep of foods are not allowed for the trucks.

-i haven't seen a 'mr tube steak'-branded stand on the streets since the roll out of the food trucks.

[Genauso]

I think it looks nice and that they did a really good job to make a good impression.

http://vancouverisawesome.com/2014/0...-for-business/

ON A ROLL, THE JUICE TRUCK OPENS BRICK AND MORTAR SHOP

Fresh Cold Pressed Juice, Retail Store, Light Meals Under One Roof

Vancouver BC, June 23, 2014 — The Juice Truck, purveyors of the city’s first cold pressed juice, opens its new brick and mortar storefront today. While the iconic watermelon-coloured vehicle continues to be stationed at its original location at Abbott and Water Streets in Gastown, the shop located at 28 West 5th offers many exciting fresh products and programs. The storefront houses a large new production facility for nutritionist-approved cold pressed juices, ready-to-go cleanse packages and smoothies, a community space, and a juice bar and café.

The Juice Bar offers well-known favourites from the truck, but adds a health-focused food menu created in collaboration with chef Lina Caschetto, featuring grab-and-go meals, breakfast and lunch—think breakfast bowls and salads, and energy-boosting, indulgent snacks to satisfy even those with a sweet tooth. Raw, gluten-free and vegan options abound, always with an eye to optimal nutrition and flavour. The retail space is stocked with healthy lifestyle items and shelves superfoods like chia seeds, hemp seeds, and custom made tinctures, plus The Juice Truck cold pressed bottled juices to take home.

The interior design by Glasfurd and Walker is an extension of The Juice Truck brand—brightly coloured walls, playful fruit-inspired art and wallpaper, and custom lighting by Gamala create a fun and inviting space for the community.

The storefront allows The Juice Truck to greatly expand its production facility, and also provides space to serve community initiatives—a top priority for founders Ryan Slater and Zach Berman. The space serves as a “home base” for health and wellness, where people gather to learn and participate in healthy activities; plans are in the works for movie nights, yoga classes, chef talks, fitness clubs, kids’ events, and workshops on nutrition, fermenting, and foraging and more.

To find out more about The Juice Truck and upcoming events visit www.thejuicetruck.ca

About The Juice Truck
Founded in 2011, The Juice Truck was born out of a desire to make wholesome food choices accessible while spreading the founders’ passion for healthy living. As the leaders of the cold pressed juice movement in BC, The Juice Truck is always on the hunt for new and unique creations with each cold pressed juice or smoothie made from premium local and organic ingredients whenever possible. All juices and smoothies are made to order ensuring maximum freshness and health benefits.