Open Letter to Orlando City Hall Re: Harmful Food Truck Regs

Those who know me well, know that it takes a lot to get me upset. However, I am livid after hearing about the new short-sighted reguations from the City of Orlando. Any time you make life more challenging for small businesses - in this case, my food truck friends - you threaten to harm the economic livelihood of the city.

The "pilot program" regulations would not allow food trucks to park on the sides of any streets and they would have to stay out of most of the downtown area, unless they get a concession license with the city. Food trucks that want to do business in Orlando - relegated to parking lots and food truck events - must obtain a mobile food vending permit and a license from the Flroida Department of Business and Professonal Regulation. These are all requirements that were not in place before, requiring the trucks to pay extra fees and, for many trucks, taking away the spots that their customers are used to finding them at.

Photo Courtesy Orlando's Food Trucks

Usually, "The City Beautiful" does a great job promoting itself to tourists, but not this time. Did you know that, not only are food trucks popular with so many people locally, but visitors seek them out as well? I can't tell you how many out-of-town people contact me to find out which food trucks they should try when they are in town. The trucks offer something unique to the Orlando food scene - something that many visitors cannot experience in their towns. 

Plus, food trucks bring millions of dollars into the City annually. I am not just figuring what locals and visitors spend at food trucks. I am considering all the people that food trucks hire. I am thinking about how those employees then go out and spend money in our community. I am also thinking about the other local businesses that food trucks benefit. Bars in the downtown Milk District, for example, benefit from the popular Tasty Tuesdays in the Milk District event. Event-goers buy their food and bring it inside to eat at the bar. Tasty Tuesdays has introduced many new people to this hip, urban neighborhood downtown.

Some say these regulations are being put into effect because restaurants and bars complained that food trucks are taking their business. Then do a better job with your food and your service! America was built on competition, and that system will remain in place as long as we live. Restaurants not only face competiiton from food trucks, but also from other restaurants, grocery stores that are selling better food-to-go, and even from convenience stores and drug store chains.

Bottom line: I don't believe food trucks - which add so much to the culture and livelihood of Orlando - should be the target of the City of Orlando, or of other food providers. What do you think? Sound off below.

Sign Petition to Save Tasty Tuesdays Event

La Empanada - Photo by Mike Blank

After posting about how great the Tasty Tuesday in the Milk District event is earlier this week, I was disgusted to learn that Orlando Code Enforcement temporarily shut down all of the food trucks - including Melissa's Chicken and Waffles, Yum Yum Cupcakes, and Saigon Sizzle this week. Code Enforcement fined all the trucks, then they were forced to move from their spot on the street in downtown Orlando, to a parking lot behind local businesses. 


The reason behind the action? Even though the food trucks have been parking on the street every Tuesday for over a year, an unnamed business owner in the area called the City of Orlando to complain. Meanwhile, the other businesses there - such as Sandwich Bar - realize the great economic and community benefit to having the trucks there and are sponsoring a petition to convince the City to let the trucks back on the street.

Sandwich Bar - Photo by Mike Blank

A similar action happened in Oviedo this week: food trucks have been meeting peacefully at the corner of 434 and Mitchell Hammock on Wednesdays and Friday nights. They are looking for another spot after Code Enforcement shut them down. Both of these actions are so short-sighted! Not only do these food truck events support the truck owners, their employees and their families, but they economically support all the surrounding businesses. 


In addition, food truck events bring such a sense of community and fun to Orlando. Thanks to these enterprising entrepreneurs, our city is becoming known in other states, as a place to try gourmet, unique ethnic food from our diverse food trucks. I had out-of-town relatives visiting the other day, and they couldn't wait to try food from all the different trucks they have heard so much about. The owners of the Yum Yum truck put it well in a letter to Tasty Tuesday patrons: "While shutting down a food truck event may seem trivial to most, it is very important to some. It is all about meeting new faces, seeing regular ones, working with other businesses, serving food that we're passionate and proud of and most of all, it is about having FUN," Joey Conicella and Alex Marin wrote.


Orlando's strict "food truck parking" regulations have got to change! The owners of Melissa's Chicken and Waffles said they once received a fine because their truck was parked at their mechanic's shop! I hope city officials realize the importance of these local, small businesses and alter their parking regulations. Until then, I urge Flavorful Excursions' readers to sign the petition to allow the Tasty Tuesday food trucks back on the street: http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-orlando-let-tasty-tuesdays-food-truck-event-back-on-the-street-2?utm_campaign=share_button_mobile-share_image_experiment-C&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition