Newton Patch reports that Newton’s own Sweet Tomatoes Pizza has just launched a food truck … to do business in Boston. Meanwhile, Blue Ribbon Barbecue’s truck (in photo) has been doing business in Needham for the last year or so. The issue of allowing food trucks in Newton was raised last year but so far they’re still not allowed. The aldermen are reportedly considering the idea.
What do you think? Is the ban on food trucks crimping Newton businesses? Helping Newton businesses? Do you want a rolling lunch spot near you?
I can see where Newton food retail businesses might be concerned about this.
But what about Newton businesses being allowed to have their own roving food trucks? Is that feasible? And yet might not food retail in Newtonville protest if Sweet Tomatoes food truck parks next to the pizza place on Walnut St?
I am on the fence about this. It seems cheaper and thus a tad unfair to have a roving truck able to plonk anywhere they want even next to competing brick n’ mortar business? Or do they? Once ensconced, do they have to stay in that one location???
I tend to be against food trucks. In interest of full disclosure, I relay that my travels have brought me to a food truck in Waltham with mediocre tacos, a lousy grilled cheese from a Brookline truck, endless dead end jobs in which the companies were serviced only by those canteen trucks, lousy sub sandwich from Cambridge and I love Sweet Tomatoes in West Newton but had cold pizza three times in row from their Newton Centre location so hesitate to buy it from a truck.
The only good food I have EVER had was from a truck was years ago. But I was less discerning then and my Dad was paying for the ice cream and Nutty Buddies.
Why not allow them but restrict the locations? Certainly there are places that don’t have lunch places within a couple of blocks where people would be thrilled to have a food truck for grabbing a quick lunch but it wouldn’t be taking business away from restaurants.
I don’t agree with the notion that food trucks per se take away business from bricks and mortar locations. In addition to location, the food service business is based on variety, quality, cleanliness, convenience, consistency, ambiance and price. Most food trucks offer limited menus and generally seek out locations where they are not competing with like menus. And many locations that food trucks try to serve are often without “land-based” options.
Newton’s responsibilities with respect to food trucks should be limited to ensuring compliance with food safety and traffic issues. The rest is best left to the competitive forces seeking to serve the appetites of Newton’s foodies.