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* Keep in mind while reading this that Chicago has issued just 90 food truck licenses and designated only 40 food truck stands. It has also legalized some food carts, but those numbers are limited as well…
New York, though, is still the nation’s food-truck and food-cart capital, with 3,100 legally licensed vendors selling everything from classic hot dogs to small-batch popcorn on almost every corner of the city’s densest areas. (Many more vendors operate illegally.)
And while many cities confine their food trucks and carts to certain main thoroughfares and parks at certain times, New York, with a few exceptions, lets them operate wherever their proprietors like.
Now, New York City Council wants to double the number of food-truck and -cart permits it awards. The permits are good for both carts, which operate on sidewalks and trucks, which operate on streets, whichever the vendor prefers.
And I don’t mean to just pick on Chicago. We could use lots more food trucks and carts everywhere here. It allows people to more easily break into the food business and allows existing restaurants to cheaply test new products.
By all means, responsibly and reasonably regulate their safety and quality, but stop focusing so darned much on quantity.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 9:42 am
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True that…
Comment by Oneman Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 9:54 am
Illinois over-regulates every single thing in comparison to other states. Anything that could possibly be fun or creative is either prohibited or crushed under unnecessary fees.
Fireworks? Illegal. Purchasing a firearm? Need a FOID card. Making an improvement to your house (such as pouring a concrete shed foundation)? Need a permit. You’re sick & want to access med mar? Need fingerprint background check & need to be on your deathbed.
C’mon, it wouldn’t be Illinois if the government didn’t dictate everything single thing you can’t do.
Comment by Romeo Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:08 am
–Illinois over-regulates every single thing in comparison to other states. Anything that could possibly be fun or creative is either prohibited or crushed under unnecessary fees.
Fireworks? Illegal. Purchasing a firearm? Need a FOID card. –
In reality, after decades of decline, there’s been a surge this year in the “fun and creative” use of firearms.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:25 am
===with 3,100 legally licensed vendors selling everything from classic hot dogs to small-batch popcorn on almost every corner of the city’s densest areas===
When I was in NY recently I noticed that a huge percentage of those 3,100 licenses were the hot dog stands. And most of those where obviously either owned by the same company or franchised out somehow. They all looked alike and sold the exact same products. As a matter of fact my guess is they sell more water bottles than anything else.
I really didn’t see that many food trucks there. Probably similar to Chicago.
Comment by Been There Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:28 am
===By all means, responsibly and reasonably regulate their safety and quality, but stop focusing so darned much on quantity.===
Chicago definitely needs way more opportunities for food trucks, stands and carts.
On the other hand, there are a lot of people trying to get from point A to point B on downtown sidewalks, and you can’t just have lines of people waiting to order food blocking the public way either. So, up the numbers definitely, but there needs to be some density limits, or people will need to climb over the trucks just to get back to the office from one of the brick and mortar restaurants near by.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:35 am
BT makes a good point. NYC is hot dog carts, not food trucks.
LA is the food truck capital.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:35 am
On this issue, Chicago could be called the “Second city… to New York” Love me some food trucks!
Comment by Terrible Towel Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:41 am
LA is a much better model to follow. they have traffic to deal with in a way NYC does not. and, yes, hot dog carts are not the same as creative trucks and LA has more of those. course, I’ve always been more of a Cali gal, preferring even traffic on the highway rather than blocks of concrete blocking my ride in NYC…..
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:47 am
One way it plays in Peoria-
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20161017/hickry-catering-new-lunch-option-at-courthouse-carts
And then there’s Idaho…
http://tinyurl.com/j64t3ak
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 10:51 am
I guess I’m the outlier here, I prefer not to eat food off of a truck.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 11:05 am
More power to you and I don’t want you to if you don’t want you to. I just kind of wish the city ignored it’s ‘Inner Ed Burke’ and not try and regulate it to death…
Comment by Oneman Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 11:29 am
Some of the best restaurants in the country are in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Also some of the best hot dog carts in the world are there. They co-exist. Nicely, in fact.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 11:34 am
Restaurants hold a lot of power in Chicago.
What I’ve noticed is the ones that seem to rule are the restaurants that are a larger and well-established or especially if it is a local chain or one that caters to the politicians. Politicians have events in them or receive in-kind catering or donations from them so there is a natural bonding between them that cuts out the food trucks.
I did an ‘ask’ for an in-kind event that Daley was going to attend and the very local restaurant was falling all over themselves to do a great job. There seems to be a sense of pride in giving free food to politicians.
Plus, we do love our food! Great food rules Chicagoans.
Comment by Belle Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 1:19 pm
I have eaten from the vendors in NYC, among other places from Kuwait to Peru. Some of the best food I have ever eaten. In general these vendors are cleaner and better quality than a lot of restaurants. Chicago would do well to loosen the restrictions and let some creative people shine and even make money for their families.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 2:00 pm
Tom Tunney, the alderman who owns several restaurants, went on record as saying that he wanted to make the food truck ordinance as restrictive as possible, so that they would not compete with “brick and mortar” restaurants — i.e. his own. He sponsored the most restrictive food truck ordinance in the country. A more blatant conflict of interest is hard to imagine, but of course this *IS* Chicago.
Comment by Rarely Posts Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 2:46 pm
It’s certainly not helpful when a small business owner like Tunney goes and pulls up the ladder for prospective small business owners. Maybe there’s a case to be made for the idea that Illinois simply delegates too much power to local government? Or can this culture be fixed at the Chicago level?
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Tuesday, Nov 1, 16 @ 6:20 pm