In case you were not aware, for several months now, many foodies in Savannah have been openly questioning why there are virtually no mobile restaurants (or “Food Trucks”) in our fair city.
A significant segment of those who’ve raised this issue seem to be either transplants from other locales who -upon settling here in town- immediately missed a popular, affordable, fun (and increasingly trendy) dining option they’d come to savor, and which to many serves as a hallmark of a vibrant community. Yet, there are plenty of people who’ve lived here for ages, or perhaps all their lives, who’ve enjoyed sampling the wares of mobile restaurants while traveling. They too, have questioned the conspicuous absence of Food Trucks/Carts in our neck of the woods.
Prodded by a few public forums hosted by the Creative Coast Initiative, egged on by Facebook threads and area blogger types and subsequently featured in a few Savannah Morning News articles, proponents of this movement have learned that a combination of restrictive health code and business licensing regulations (which many view as hopelessly antiquated and needlessly complex) make it virtually impossible -or at least insanely cost-prohibitive- to legally operate such a venture within the city limits.
Adding to these roadblocks are some elements of the local restaurant community, who are openly and resolutely opposed to the city modifying its rules so as to make it even a little bit easier for folks who lack the funds or desire for running a full-on, stationary, indoor restaurant -but have a strong wish (and perhaps oodles of talent and/or experience in the kitchen)- to open their own eatery-on-wheels.
I’m sorry to say, but whether they are aware or not, that particular position paints them as more petty than principled and more interested in protectionism than fair play. This economy sucks, to be sure, but crying poor and insinuating that allowing street vendors to offer what would likely wind up being specialized types of inexpensive finger foods would be some sort of death blow to their livelihoods comes off as little more than the kind of sour grapes that makes someone like me less likely to patronize their joints, no matter how tasty their wares.
Which is all to say that I was very surprised to see my dear friend Jim Morekis (who I heaped well-deserved praise upon last night at my film society’s Lucas Theatre screening of THE BIG UNEASY for his spot-on grasping of the similarities between New Orleans and Savannah and how our city might not only emulate some of the better points of that fabled mecca but learn some valuable lessons in how to avoid its pitfalls as well) give Savannah’s growing demand for Food Trucks a big ol’ Heisman in a recent Facebook post.
His position is that the Food Truck buzz is another example of folks trying to turn “little ol’ Savannah” into “Portland or Austin.”
Now, he and I generally agree on an awful lot with regards to the direction Savannah could or should be headed in, and it’s well documented that I am a fan of Savannah becoming a better version of itself, rather than merely a copycat of (insert whatever other city’s got the most hipster buzz at the moment). But I think there’s plenty of room here for the kind of variety and vibrancy that well-regulated street food vendors could bring - and I don’t think that allowing such a thing to exist is inherently against the grain of what Savannah has always been about.
Quite the contrary: I think it’s in the general spirit of what kept me here in the first place. The only thing that makes Food Trucks seem out of place in Savannah is their longstanding and unenlightened banning via our city’s often notoriously out-of-touch zoning and licensing regulations.
While the Downtown Business Association is NOT against the idea of legalizing Food Trucks/Carts, based on conversations I’ve had and online chatter, some citizens seem to automatically assume that many or most downtown restaurant owners themselves might be against such a thing.
On its face, that might make some kind of sense. However, to see the ridiculousness of such a position, try looking at it this way: B&D Burgers just announced plans to open a second downtown location just a few blocks from their existing one, which will be just a block away from Five Guys Burgers & Fries, and a three minute drive from the Crystal Beer Parlor. Do you think the CBP or Five Guys feel that it should be ILLEGAL for B&D (or any other new burger joint, for that matter) to open up in the downtown area?
Of course not.
So why should it be any different for a legally licensed and inspected Food Truck which might sell burgers to do the same thing? As long as the operators qualify for a business license, pay taxes and obey health code restrictions, what is the difference that so incenses local brick-and-mortar restaurateurs?
Answer: their overhead.
The implication is that Food Trucks/Carts have an unfair advantage over sit-down establishments because the mobile entrepreneurs would not be paying as much in rent or having to install some giant hood system or other typical kitchen accoutrements. However, they also would not be able to benefit from the myriad of ancillary revenue streams that usually come along with an indoor sit-down establishment, such as: more extensive menus, high profit-margin alcohol sales, tons of storage space for ingredients and supplies, the ability to be open even in inclement weather, the perception by many potential customers of being more sanitary and/or professional, the ability to offer live entertainment, TVs, etc…
If downtown restaurants (or those in any other part of town, for that matter) feel that legally licensed and regulated Food Trucks would unfairly compete with them, then they should invest in their own Food Trucks and market themselves in a similar manner to the same customer base. Otherwise, they should avoid risking the appearance of pettiness and greed and refocus their efforts at keeping their own existing eateries open and profitable.
My views on this may seem overly simplistic, but since others are chiming in, here they be:
1. Some local commentators on Facebook have espoused that there is no reason to open the streets to food vendors when there are a handful of empty storefronts downtown which are currently set up and zoned as restaurants - the implication being that as long as there is not enough demand to fill those spaces with functioning eateries, there will either not be enough demand to keep Food Trucks afloat, or, that times are so tough that the mere existence of Food Trucks will drive other downtown restaurants out of business.
From where I sit, these notions are plumb silly.
The main reason there are vacant spaces on Broughton St. and elsewhere downtown has virtually NOTHING to do with a dearth of enthusiastic would-be restaurant owners. It’s the overpriced rents which have not come down as the economy has tanked. That’s the fault of the landlords. I’ve met many people with the desire to open their own eateries. Between the banks not lending money to start-ups (and even those with solid track records) and the out-of-touch property values, they simply cannot afford to try downtown. However, many of them COULD afford a Food Truck situation - which might one day lead to a stationary restaurant, or not, as that simply may not be the long-term goal of many of these entrepreneurs.
2. Another point that has been made in online discussions is that until Savannah can get its act together in terms of how it deals legally with existing restaurants, then it is foolish to allow an entirely new category of eateries to exist.
Now, of course the city’s onerous, screwed-up, regressive and byzantine health inspection and licensing ordinances are a big problem, but to argue that a new type of mobile restaurant should continue to be outlawed (when it is increasingly becoming the norm in other high-profile cities) just because traditional brick-and-mortar eateries have to put up with an obstacle course makes no sense at all.
If someone wants to put up with a different type of frustrating obstacle course to open a Food Truck, let them.
Plus, if we sat around and waited on existing Savannah business licensing laws and ordinances to be corrected/modernized/enlightened before we allowed new types of businesses to exist, we might as well swallow a handful of sleeping pills right now.
3. Some folks are discounting the whole Food Truck momentum because they view it as a sort of fad. However, just because something is gaining popularity and getting a lot of national press (read: becoming “trendy”) does not inherently mean it is a bad development. On the contrary, plenty of things become a trend precisely because they are both welcome and timely. The current economic conditions have forced so many people out of work - many of whom are excellent cooks who have always dreamed of running their own restaurant. The lower start-up cost of a Food Truck or Cart may be just within their reach and allow them to create a new future for themselves on a budget, while offering a unique dining option to both locals and tourists.
4. While downtown restaurants are the ones voicing the most concern about street vendors (some make very valid points about the Historic Squares not becoming filled with such operations, as they’re already crammed with parked cars, pedestrians, tour buses and horse-drawn carriages - and for that reason, common-sense limitations on placement in those areas would be required), I have a feeling that Food Trucks would actually thrive most in areas far from downtown. Everything does not revolve around downtown, and the voices of those who live and work in other neighborhoods should not be discounted in this discussion.
5. The overwhelming majority of existing restaurants in Savannah are mediocre to disappointing, and/or overpriced, with embarrassingly poor service. Yet, unless someone calls you a foul name or spits in your food it’s virtually impossible to get bad service at a Food Truck, as there’s very little actual “service” required. You tell them what you’d like and they make it right away and hand it to you. Then you leave. No muss, no fuss, no compelling reason to tip unduly (or at all) and hardly any opportunities for upset.
6. Food Trucks/Carts are traditionally geared toward specialty foods and limited menus, which often is the kiss of death for a brick-and-mortar establishment. It’s incredibly difficult to keep such a place open when one factors in rent, utilities, advertising, HVAC, wait staff, workman’s comp., etc… So, the odds are that most Food Trucks which would spring up will be offering something a bit (or perhaps quite) different from the culinary choices already found in town. In most cities, they become a haven for fans of adventurous cuisine and offer ethnic dishes not easily found in traditional, sit-down restaurants. Thus, the majority of these Trucks will likely NOT be in DIRECT competition with existing businesses.
Rather, this is all about generating MORE choices and EMPOWERING cooks and entrepreneurs who lack the finances or acumen to effectively open a brick-and-mortar location in Savannah to find a way in which to ply their wares and hopefully prosper.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated.
