Do we want a place for food truck schedules/anouncements?

Clearly I'm not cool because if I have to drive across town to eat at a truck - what's the point of the truck in the first place? I thought the point was for these food trucks to come to my office, parking lot, or neighborhood. I think I'm lost on the concept.

Clearly I'm not cool because if I have to drive across town to eat at a truck - what's the point of the truck in the first place? I thought the point was for these food trucks to come to my office, parking lot, or neighborhood. I think I'm lost on the concept.

That is the point however because of metro government's silly regulations they can't be in one place on a regular basis, they have to move around. Since they are moving around you need a schedule to know when one of them is going to be set up near you!

Food Fight!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Clearly I'm not cool because if I have to drive across town to eat at a truck - what's the point of the truck in the first place? I thought the point was for these food trucks to come to my office, parking lot, or neighborhood. I think I'm lost on the concept.

Ask them to come there - I know Lil Cheezers wants to get a schedule of places for lunches set up. I bet the others would too.

Food Fight!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Just a minor skirmish, you'll know it when a real Food Fight erupts

What about having a separate forum for them that is some what organized. Maybe do stickies for the various areas of town, the owners (or someone that spots them) can then post their exact location in the corresponding sticky each day or even for a week. Like say, St. Matthews, Okolona, South, West, Downtown, Across the River, etc. This would be easy to scrub on a regular basis without too much effort for Robin.

The food trucks can then also set up a separate thread specific to their truck that has their menu, website/contact info, normal hours and a list of some of the places they go to regularly. This would be where customers could make comments or requests and would allow the food truck a more static advertising spot. Added bonus, they'd be able to update/edit their initial post easily. Maybe make a separate sticky with guidelines.

You could increase traffic to that forum by putting a link in the top navigation bar or maybe add in a link over the side ad bars? Neither are spectacular suggestions, but do understand how easily the forum could be overlooked or garner little traffic if it's not visible from the main forum somehow....just trying to think of something noticeable but not invasive.

What about, none of the above.

Instead, have a "food truck" link on the main page of Louisvillehotbytes. The page would only have links to which ever sites, (twitter, facebook, etc) the food truck owner has. It would then be up to the food truck owner to keep their location updated through their own web page.

Those interested in food trucks would have a link on the main page. Those not interested, don't need to click, and it would keep the main forum page the way it is now.

Just thinking out loud, I don't know how difficult that would be.

I dont mind having a food truck section where people could talk about the trucks, their concepts, building or restoration questions, etc. Not necessarily location spamming all day.

I can understand people having no interest in it but its funny how they always seem to take an interest enough to throw their 2 cents in it when a discussion comes up. Regardless if you dont like an extra category or sticky then dont click on it...

I use the forums with or without it but I am only interested in it from a conceptual and truck fabrication end. I am not really into location spam. Besides after building and operating this truck for the last 4 months I dont really feel that much different than "real" restaurant owner. So I can use the regular forums like everyone else.

But from my customers standpoint I believe that there are people out there that would take an interest in truck locations daily. Especially all those people that told me "I wish we knew you were here last week" from far out office parks. As a business owner I would be a fool to go against using HotBytes for the valuable resource that it is.

I figured my opinion was biased so it didn't count.

[Robin Garr]

I figured my opinion was biased so it didn't count.

Naah, it's all good. I think I'm working on a concept that should make everybody happy, but I still need to sleep on it a little ...

OK, I realize this might be a stretch, but is there anyway to set up an interactive calendar? Then food trucks and restaurants alike could access it and post locations, special events, etc. If anyone was interested in where a certain truck was located, who was having wine specials, etc., they could just access the calendar and find it. Perhaps each day could just list the name of the place that had posted something, in a hyperlink, and then when you click it, it takes you to a simple page explaining the event, giving directions, etc. It would keep it out of sight for people who are not interested and also get rid of lots of other posts regarding location, special events, holiday events, etc. Just an idea. (That I got from my phone, ha, ha!)

Beth I am working on something like that for louisvillestreetfood.com

Just takes time to build and there are only 2 or 3 trucks operating regularly right now but once there are 6-10 I should be able to have that calendar up and running.

Cartwheelin' Christ (I can say that now that post rapture looting hasn't broken out)...Figures I'd go away for the weekend to cook a BBQ contest and miss an opportunity to (a) stir the pot and (b) watch my fellow curmudgeons back. Hope I'm not to late Bill.

BTW...I'm retracting my previous comments, just so I can feel free to abide by the new rules and add my two cents. Anyway, after catching up with this thread, I've gotta say I like the idea that David Smith put out there a few replies ago. Screw the separate forum (I mean do we have a separate forum for pizza shops ?...BBQ joints ?...What makes "Food Trucks" so special). Let the Truckies do their own website and then just "link" to it...of course that goes against Robin's campaign pledge against "Blakanization"....So what-freaking-ever.

...And just to clarify, I'm not against food trucks. MOF, I'm just kinda chillaxin' right now, letting a few folks do all the hard work and THEN I'm going to start my own food truck (I'm going to call it "Curmugeons BBQ"). Then I'm going to follow Matt Davis around town and steal all his business....I mean come on...Do you want a grilled cheese ?....or do you want BBQ ? NO contest...I'd hammer ya Matt... guaranteed.

BTW...I don't know how the idea that "Truckies" (my word...I invented it) are so "trendy" came about. Out here in Garage Logic we've had the "Fish Bus" for years...Not only that but it's parked right across the street from the courthouse...the Mayor eats there all the time. Food trucks trendy ? Maybe for Louisville. Personally, I think ya'll are just copying us.

12-04 Kiwanis bus.jpg

Steve, you're never too late in my opinion......as long as you got the "Q" and bit of Bourbon, it's all good

Steve you would definitely kill me in areas with the right demographic. Jimmy O'Higgins kills me over here in Indiana. But.... many of the events I go to dont sell much meat at all so dont be to cocky because Ive seen BBQ fail in areas littered with my demographic. Might not want to follow me around.