Like mobile food vending? Don't want to see it gone?

[monotonehell]

The fate of mobile food vending in Adelaide may well rest on the results of this short survey. There are a lot of people that want to see it gone. If you're not one of those people, please click on the link and take a minute to say so. We'd like to see Adelaide as Australia's street food hub, not its hollow.

http://yoursay.adelaidecitycouncil.com/ ... guidelines

[[Shuz]]

I made a submission in support of street food vendors.

I commented that the ruling that a street food vendor must not operate within 25 to 50m of a fixed food business should be dropped and suggested an alternative that mobile food vendors be required to operate from a different location in the city each day. That way, a "fixed food business" cannot argue that they have lost business because a mobile food vendor would only impact on its business for 1 day in a given week or fortnight. Being a mobile food vendor, they have the versatile capability to be able to provide their business to different sectors of the city each day, opening up a more diverse range of food offerings to workers and residents throughout the week, and thus creating an ever-changing landscape of food options, which would add to the vibrancy of the City.

[monotonehell]

I made a submission in support of street food vendors.

I commented that the ruling that a street food vendor must not operate within 25 to 50m of a fixed food business should be dropped and suggested an alternative that mobile food vendors be required to operate from a different location in the city each day. That way, a "fixed food business" cannot argue that they have lost business because a mobile food vendor would only impact on its business for 1 day in a given week or fortnight. Being a mobile food vendor, they have the versatile capability to be able to provide their business to different sectors of the city each day, opening up a more diverse range of food offerings to workers and residents throughout the week, and thus creating an ever-changing landscape of food options, which would add to the vibrancy of the City.

I said something similar, but didn't suggest a replacement restriction. I don't see the territoriality as valid when (AFAIK) a permanent coffee shop can open up right next to another coffee shop. Competition drives innovation. This batch of recent street vendors are all quite innovative.

[Matt]

On this whole food vending craze, how many of these outlets have popped up and what's the quality been like?
Where are they and how successful do you think it's been?

The concept sounds great but not having experienced for myself, I'm keen to know how much of an impact it's having.

New York's food vans are amazing. There's one on pretty much every corner selling everything from bagels, to milkshakes, hot wraps, burgers, you name it.
Some of the food they pump out of such a small place is surprisingly good and I can remember huge queues of business types queuing for their faves (good sign of quality!)

Would love to see this sort of thing replicated in Adelaide, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

[Nathan]

On this whole food vending craze, how many of these outlets have popped up and what's the quality been like?
Where are they and how successful do you think it's been?

The concept sounds great but not having experienced for myself, I'm keen to know how much of an impact it's having.

New York's food vans are amazing. There's one on pretty much every corner selling everything from bagels, to milkshakes, hot wraps, burgers, you name it.
Some of the food they pump out of such a small place is surprisingly good and I can remember huge queues of business types queuing for their faves (good sign of quality!)

Would love to see this sort of thing replicated in Adelaide, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

I didn't find the NY food stands good at all. Tried a couple and was left disappointed. Portland and SF on the other hand were very interesting. Portland in particular has vans set up semi-permanately in open lot carparks, paying parking fees/rent. Some blocks, the entire street facing parks of the lots are taken up by vans.

[monotonehell]

On this whole food vending craze, how many of these outlets have popped up and what's the quality been like?
Where are they and how successful do you think it's been?

The concept sounds great but not having experienced for myself, I'm keen to know how much of an impact it's having.

The food's top notch. It's not just your staple fast foods, most of them are slow food vendors. There's interesting and different stuff, even Simon Bryant runs one sometimes.

Where ever they pop up the queues are long. When they do the Fork In The Road (where they all gather in a big event) the numbers of people who turn up are incredible.

I feel dirty linking to AdelaideNow but check out the reader photos below the article.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6573439209

As usual, ignore the comments after the pictures. Typical bollocks from those who fear change.

[Matt]

Fantastic article, surprised by the amount of variety. Looks great.

I'm afraid I failed to heed your warning and ended up reading the comments below.

This was my favourite. Good grief!

"How to trash a city, how will the food truck vultures cope when their customers have to tread over broken glass from abandoned shops..."

[Vee]

Lots of news about mobile food vendors in the city lately - permits, fees, maximum numbers in the city.

Mobile food vans will be shifting west this weekend for the First Fork on the Road event outside the city.

You can check out the Fork on the Road Street Opening - Fifth St Bowden.
Sat 11 May (4-9pm)
28 vendors, musicians and more.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 2496330d28

[Wayno]

40 food vans is the latest agreed number.

I also bet the demographic of folk who use food vans differs somewhat to those inclined towards restaurants. Point being how much business is actually being taken away from bricks & mortar businesses?

[Nathan]

I also bet the demographic of folk who use food vans differs somewhat to those inclined towards restaurants. Point being how much business is actually being taken away from bricks & mortar businesses?

This. They don't even compete really with the cafes and other lunch places — they're more of an alternative to fast food (only with most having better food, and that they're local businesses rather than national or multinational franchises).