275 replies to this topic

[Jacques Cadé]

To me, the most telling set of quotes in the Globe story come immediately afterward:

Ms. Flores said she spent an hour a few months ago briefing Wendy Mendes, a food-security consultant for Vancouver, on what Portland was doing. (Ms. Mendes did not return calls from The Globe.) “Her questions were about how we do it here,” said Ms. Flores. “You shouldn’t over-regulate. Ours is regulated, but not to the extent that we deter people from doing it.”

.... No particular municipal policy pushed the cart scene, she said – growth has just happened. “The city hasn’t done anything other than not hinder it,” she said.

Would municipal bylaws, health inspectors, neighbourhood associations, and existing storefront restaurants ever allow such a laissez-faire approach in Victoria?

[Mike K.]

A Mexican food van has appeared on the small parking lot at the corner of Yates and Wharf.

I spied it initially at the Mexican festival held in Centennial Square last weekend.

[Holden West]

http://www.theglobea...article1658188/

A popular Vancouver crepe chef has listed his street vending cart on Craigslist for $75,000, frustrated by the city’s process for expanding the choice of food on the street.

[...]
The girlfriend of a businessman with no experience in the food industry won the right to the location. The businessman was prepared to hand over the space to the crepe vendor for a fee, but Mr. Bernaudin decided the price was too high. “He was too greedy,” Mr. Bernaudin said in an interview.

[VicBooster]

I went to the Mexican Food cart at Yates and Wharf today.

I'll start by saying that my two tiny quesedillas (spelling?) were good but with a little juice box the meal came out to $8.50.

That's far too steep of a price for a small offering from a mobile food vendor.

[aerohead]

Audrey, did you manage to gather a good list of mobile food vendors? I have an event coming up in August and need to outsource the food service. We have a concession on site, but it's proven difficult to fill it with volunteers for the past 2 years, so we figured we'd just give the business to whoever could be there. Would love some ideas.

[mysage]

Along the same lines I just returned from several days in Portland and the street vendor/carts/trucks etc scene there was amazing. I was overwhelmed by the variety of foods and the general friendly atmosphere of the the whole "scene".

I would be interested to know what people here think of the quality and availability of "street food" here. Who does it best and where are they located?

I am not so interested in the politics and regulations surrounding this style of eating as I am in the variety, quality, price and availability of the vendors in Victoria. I am working downtown over the next 6 months and would like to enjoy my lunches outdoors as I did in Portland.

Thanks everyone.

[Bob Fugger]

Along the same lines I just returned from several days in Portland and the street vendor/carts/trucks etc scene there was amazing. I was overwhelmed by the variety of foods and the general friendly atmosphere of the the whole "scene".

I would be interested to know what people here think of the quality and availability of "street food" here. Who does it best and where are they located?

I am not so interested in the politics and regulations surrounding this style of eating as I am in the variety, quality, price and availability of the vendors in Victoria. I am working downtown over the next 6 months and would like to enjoy my lunches outdoors as I did in Portland.

Thanks everyone.

Quality is rather exceptional in all cases, I think - limited in numnber as they are. Puerta Vallarta Amigos, Wannawaffel cart, Red Fish Blue Fish (although not mobile, in the same vein) and that's it for downtown. Oh and La Taquisa in Cook Street Village, although also not mobile.

[VicHockeyFan]

http://cfax1070.com/...news&Itemid=155

April 1sr, 2012

With an announcement that Vancouver will be getting more food carts, one Victoria Councillor is calling for similar measures in the Capital City.

I don't know. She says more carts will provide more jobs. Is that true? More or less every dollar spent at a cart is one less dollar spent at a restaurant or food store. I'm not sure there is a huge net increase in jobs.

And apart form potential operators of these carts, is there a pent up demand? Do your co-workers downtown say "I wish there were more food carts around"?

My problem is these carts avoiding all the costs of a fixed food vendor, like property tax and rent (and over a full year, not just at the high season). I'd suggest if the vendors paid the same amount per square foot that other downtown retailers pay, they might not be as viable. What's a typical square-foot rent in Victoria?

[Nparker]

My problem is these carts avoiding all the costs of a fixed food vendor...

The carts seem like healthy, free-enterprise competition to me. I'd hate to see government step in and over-regulate this sort of thing.

[VicHockeyFan]

The carts seem like healthy, free-enterprise competition to me. I'd hate to see government step in and over-regulate this sort of thing.

So anyone can set up any type of operation they want as long as it is on public property?

So can I have a "Sunday car dealership" where I bring my 175 cars for sale downtown on Sundays and park them on Douglas, Yates and Fort all day long, and have my sales guys roam up and down talking to interested buyers, taking them for test drives etc?

How about I bring my drop-side tractor-trailer and park it on the Causeway and start selling t-shirts from it?

[Sparky]

^ VHF your Sunday car dealership idea is fantastic. I hope Leroy doesn't hear about this.

[Mike K.]

I don't know. She says more carts will provide more jobs. Is that true? More or less every dollar spent at a cart is one less dollar spent at a restaurant or food store. I'm not sure there is a huge net increase in jobs.

I agree with Comrade VHF.

Food carts can undermine brick and mortar businesses. They are far cheaper to operate, they hire few staff (if any, most are operated by the owner(s)) and they don't have set hours throughout which they must remain open. In many cases landlords require a premises to remain open on most days of the week and throughout the business day -- something food carts aren't restricted by. Essentially they come and go and can tap into the most lucrative hours at a given location then disappear for the rest of the week.

[Bob Fugger]

I agree with Comrade VHF.

Food carts can undermine brick and mortar businesses. They are far cheaper to operate, they hire few staff (if any, most are operated by the owner(s)) and they don't have set hours throughout which they must remain open. In many cases landlords require a premises to remain open on most days of the week and throughout the business day -- something food carts aren't restricted by. Essentially they come and go and can tap into the most lucrative hours at a given location then disappear for the rest of the week.

Not only that, the permit fees are nowhere near proportional to what a bricks and mortar operation has to pay in property taxes for the privilege of doing business in Victoria.

[Nparker]

So it's OK for government to deny one-type of free-enterprise if it interferes with the livelihood of another free-enterpriser? I thought the free-enterprise system was based on competition?

[VicHockeyFan]

So it's OK for government to deny one-type of free-enterprise if it interferes with the livelihood of another free-enterpriser? I thought the free-enterprise system was based on competition?

The free-enterprise system is based on a level playing field for all competitors, no corruption, and legal remedies backed by a strong civil court system.

Government playing landlord to commercial enterprise is usually far from a level playing field.

[Mark P]

...isn't that how Pig started out? And with the revenue they generated they were able to buy their own place in the Atrium, which I have always seen busy when passing by.

Some people want a small meal without having to sit down and being served by a waitress. These carts are just a stepping stone for them. It establishes their name, their quality of food and the reviews that go with it. Which will allow them to move onto bigger and better things. Plus Portland and it's restaurant businesses seem to be doing just fine with the amount of carts, 500+, they have in the city.

[Sparky]

The Noodle Box started with a cart.

[Bob Fugger]

The free-enterprise system is based on a level playing field for all competitors, no corruption, and legal remedies backed by a strong civil court system.

Government playing landlord to commercial enterprise is usually far from a level playing field.

Totally agree with this. Government intervention in this case tilts the playing field from bricks and mortar to food carts. Sometimes regulation isn't all bad.

...isn't that how Pig started out? And with the revenue they generated they were able to buy their own place in the Atrium, which I have always seen busy when passing by.

No - Pig started out in a hole-in-the wall location in the 700-blk of View Street, next to Sweeny Todd Barber. Still bricks and mortar, with all of the trappings of a triple-net-lease. Their food truck is essentially a relocation of their Colwood location, after their lease was terminated for the construction of Kolwood's Krazy Kapital Korners, or whatever silly name League is using.

Some people want a small meal without having to sit down and being served by a waitress. These carts are just a stepping stone for them. It establishes their name, their quality of food and the reviews that go with it. Which will allow them to move onto bigger and better things. Plus Portland and it's restaurant businesses seem to be doing just fine with the amount of carts, 500+, they have in the city.

I don't think that either VHF or I are saying no food carts. Rather, what we're saying is that they ought to be regulated so that a fair playing field is created so that existing bricks-and-mortar business - who pay the proverbial ****-tonne of business property taxes - don't get stuck holding their empty pockets out like the Monopoly guy after an unlucky pull of a Chance card.

[VicHockeyFan]

I don't think that either VHF or I are saying no food carts. Rather, what we're saying is that they ought to be regulated so that a fair playing field is created so that existing bricks-and-mortar business - who pay the proverbial ****-tonne of business property taxes - don't get stuck holding their empty pockets out like the Monopoly guy after an unlucky pull of a Chance card.

That's right. Places like whatever now serves from where Pig was, Jackelope in Millie's Lane etc. do have the take-way option.

But I'm not saying no to food carts either.

An auction system for spaces would be better than some type of government review of submissions to decide who gets a spot. That way, if Earl's wants to run a cart and they meet normal criteria as well as my mother does, they can bid for a spot.

[SamCB]

For a group that generally aches for every little thing that might make Victoria more urban, you guys are surprisingly sour on food carts. As a consumer I couldn't care less about food carts' operating costs vis a vis restaurants. I just want a footlong with all the fixins as soon as I smell the sweet aroma of street meat. It's an extremely 'urban' experience, and it's one of the things i miss since leaving Toronto.

I could make an easy argument that food carts add more to vibrant street life than covered balconies take away from it.