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What do you think will be the outcome of this lawsuit?

Poll ended at Wed Jul 12, 2017 11:49 pm

The food trucks will win.
3
20%
Metro government/brick-and-mortar restaurants will win.
1
7%
The law will be changed but there will still be some restrictions.
8
53%
Undecided on what the outcome will be.
1
7%
As in most lawsuits the only winners will be the lawyers.
2
13%
 
Total votes : 15
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RonnieD

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by RonnieD » Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:26 pm

yeah, I think it would need to be pretty specific in order to justify a conflict of interest. "Chicken" isn't really a fair category, but "Southern Style Fried Chicken" would be specific enough to warrant a conflict.
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RichardM

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by RichardM » Sun Jul 02, 2017 5:35 pm

OPINION

THE GREAT FOOD TRUCK KERFUFFLE OF 2017

There has been much debate and even news stories about this dust up here in Foodie City.

I went downtown last evening, (7/1/17) yes it is safe - unlike the Highlands where they have major drug busts with bricks of heroin and cocaine in the walls of a house but @LMPD refuses to discuss where the house is exactly or who owns it - and looked over the No Food Truck signs. (Photos can be seen on my Facebook page.) They are located on the North West Corner of Market St, the North East Corner of Market St and the South East Side of 5th St. They point East, West and South respectively. They mark off meters so they can not be used by food trucks.

Searching the area that these probably illegal (I am not an attorney nor do I play one on the internet) signs demarcate there are just three restaurants that would be “saved” by the signs: Osaka Japanese Restaurant, Bazo’s Fresh Mexican Grill and DISH ON MARKET. As many of you know I am an Uber driver and do most of my driving during the day and most of that downtown. I have seen many trucks in those areas and NONE - I say again - NONE are offering any food that is in direct competition with either of those three restaurants. And only ONE of these restaurants really needs to worry about being saved.

Way back in ancient times when food trucks first burst on this scene, I was a huge supporter of them and lobbied hard with the city administration to get them approved and up and running. You know, bringing Louisville into at least the latter half of the 20th century in food truck culture. As part of my involvement when trucks first hit the streets some four years ago there was just ONE RESTAURANT that pitched a hissy fit - as opposed to a conniption fit - about food trucks on that corner. They are still there and still in business. The other two are new since then.

Part of the sensible rules is that the food trucks must be at least 150’ from the front entrance of the restaurant measured by the easiest legal walking distance. That means NOT directly across the street but down the block, across the street IN the crosswalk then up the block to the food truck. Back then when the first hissy fit was thrown, I got a walking measuring wheel and measured the distance from the NEAREST restaurant to the food trucks following the guidelines spelled out in the ordinance. The distance was 162’. Well past the minimum requirements.

Fast forward to the current situation. First off telling a hotdog vendor he can’t sell close to a restaurant that does NOT serve hotdogs because it does serve bread and you put your hotdogs on a bun is utterly ridiculous and whoever the inspector is telling them that needs retrained for a minimum of 6 months. They should not be allowed out on their own. They should have direct supervision at all times by someone with at least a smidgen of brain matter.

If you run a brick and mortar restaurant and are intimidated by a food truck selling to customers who are buying at a walk up location, taking the food elsewhere to eat, then you have so many other problems to solve you should not be worried about what is outside your place. Should a taco truck or a sushi truck be pulling up in that area to offer lunch? No not really, that would be first and foremost unethical and unsavory. Additionally, it would at the very least violate the spirit of the law if not directly violate it. Now can three trucks park in that area and sell BBQ, Hot Dogs, or chicken? Probably. The mear fact that a restaurant has on their menu one of those items or all three of them is not going to harm the business. A restaurant, that currently has their website account suspended, should not be worried about a food truck when they offer: 8 Appetizers, 6 Salads, 5 Sandwiches, 2 Soups, 9 Entrees, 5 Burgers 14 sides & 4 desserts FOR LUNCH. There is not a truck in the state that offers that kind of menu on the street for lunch. There are very few food trucks who could operate across the street if none could sell any one of the items on that menu. And not a single food truck in Louisville offers sit down waitress service.

So put on your big boy panties and get to work on your problems and quit trying to lay them off on some imaginary problem across the street.
Richard Lord Meadows, Earl of Vienna, Marquess of Morgantown and Westover, Baronet of Parkersburg, and West Virginia’s Ambassador to the Portland Neighborhood.
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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by RichardM » Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:15 pm

WOW!

Sources are coming out of the wood work. Now I am really anxious for the lawsuit to proceed to the discovery stage.

How can a food truck that is strictly prohibited from selling alcohol be a bother to a bricks and mortar restaurant who's theme is bourbon? How can a chain restaurant with all kinds of advertising behind it be scared of a food truck so far away you can only see it when there is a traffic break. And, if you have to enter a building, go across a lobby, down steps or elevator, and then enter a door to the restaurant, then how in the world is there business being hurt by a food truck out on the street? What's next from them, telling every business in that tower they can not have a fridge for employees who bring their lunch.

They are struck off my list of places to eat or recommend to any out town uber riders I have.
Richard Lord Meadows, Earl of Vienna, Marquess of Morgantown and Westover, Baronet of Parkersburg, and West Virginia’s Ambassador to the Portland Neighborhood.
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Robin Garr

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Robin Garr » Sun Jul 02, 2017 9:04 pm

Name 'em and shame 'em!

Isn't there a pricey Italian restaurant at that same intersection, by the way?
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Carla G

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Carla G » Mon Jul 03, 2017 7:51 am

Well said Richard!
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RichardM

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by RichardM » Mon Jul 03, 2017 8:36 am

Robin Garr wrote:Name 'em and shame 'em!

Isn't there a pricey Italian restaurant at that same intersection, by the way?



Their name has never come up in conversation. My GUESS is they are smart enough to know a food truck is no competition to the dark suit and tie crowd they have at lunch to discuss multi-million dollar deals. Nor do food trucks sell hi-balls.
Richard Lord Meadows, Earl of Vienna, Marquess of Morgantown and Westover, Baronet of Parkersburg, and West Virginia’s Ambassador to the Portland Neighborhood.
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Adam Robinson

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Adam Robinson » Mon Jul 03, 2017 12:00 pm

As someone who loves food trucks and sit down restaurants equally, I really cannot fathom how food trucks would be hurting a business, unless they are physically blocking people from entering. There's just not that much crossover, IMO. Unless I am drastically underestimated how much carry-out business some of the likely complaining businesses are having (I'm pretty sure I'm not).
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Leah S

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Leah S » Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:04 am

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Robin Garr » Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:21 am

Leah S wrote:https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/metro-government/2018/02/26/louisville-food-trucks-restaurants-parking-rule/363975002/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

I wonder how Matthew Saltzman, owner of Fire Fresh Barbeque at Fifth and Market streets, would feel if Vincenzo Gabriele, owner of Vincenzo's at Fifth and Market Streets, filed suit declaring that no new restaurants could operate within 150 feet of his corner. :twisted:
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Leah S

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Leah S » Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:33 am

Firefresh has 99 problems and food trucks ain't one of them. IMO
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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Robin Garr » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:34 am

Leah S wrote:Firefresh has 99 problems and food trucks ain't one of them. IMO

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Jeff Cavanaugh

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Jeff Cavanaugh » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:44 am

Just rent-seeking by a business owner who can't compete because he puts out inferior product and wants government favoritism. If Fire Fresh's BBQ was even half as good as what our local trucks are putting out, they wouldn't have a problem. Brick and mortar restaurants have at least as many advantages for drawing customers (seats, tables, heating and air conditioning, consistent location) as food trucks might have financial advantages.
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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Leah S » Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:34 am

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Jeff Cavanaugh » Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:07 am

That's great news! Congrats to all our food truck operators.
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Ryan Rogers

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Re: Food truck lawsuit

by Ryan Rogers » Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:41 am

This is bad for brick & mortar restaurants, but if the consumer demands it we’ll all have to evolve.
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