Thursday, November 14, 2013

I am here, and so is the food...

Two things I know for sure:

Anything that gets in between buyer and seller raises the price

and...

I like food trucks

My Dad would often grab a bite from a hot dog stand downtown, or at Priceclub.  His theory was, "I am here, and so is the food."  I do not think I have ever, except in Mexico, where I ate some of the best hot dogs and tacos I have ever had.  But, last year I watched Anthony Bourdain's show on food in LA.  I was amazed by the story of Kogi food trucks.  And, as usual, it gave me a GREAT idea that could make me a 1%'er, provide a service NOBODY has, and a product I WANT...HEALTHY food trucks.

People always complain that it is so difficult to eat healthy.  At work, in offices all over, people are eating fast food, or 1000 calorie meals (mostly sauces and carbs) because they do not have the time to buy fresh (you have to do it more often then packaged food) or time to prepare their own meals.  As I walk through my office, and others, I see people eating carrots, eating salads - they WANT to eat healthy.  When the food truck shows up - it is usually sandwiches, mostly bread, little meat, and LOTS of muffins and stuff.

Or, what about....a peanut butter and jelly sandwich truck!  Another large percentage of people (guys) are eating PB&Js, and would pay to have good ones delivered.  

Anyway, that is about as much though as I have given it.  Why?  Because 1) I already have a great, low paying job, working towards a minimal pension, and 2) I have run businesses - it is so much work to start up, so much regulation ADDED to the start up cost, especially in the food business.  I could fund the start up, I could fight the regulation...but I just don't have it in me right now to do both.

Just last week, some of the little Bannon's and I saw one of these for sale:



I said, "We should buy that! It would be fun!"  They were all for it.  Then I said, "Boys, I'm just sayin', I'm not really buyin', that is my pretend life."  They were a little confused.

Short story long, the video below won 3rd place in the 2013 Reason.com Video Awards for "short-form video, film, and moving pictures that explore, investigate, and enrich our appreciation of libertarian beliefs in individual rights, limited government, and especially human possibilities."



3 comments:

Opus #6 said...

I'm sure that street vending looked like fun to the little Bannons. A lemonade stand on steroids.

LL said...

I spoke with a hot dog cart owner in my local corner of the world about six months ago, not because I wanted to buy one, but (there is a back story that has nothing to do with food trucks)…I was shocked at the regulations governing the business. Essentially City Hall made it impossible for him to ply his trade.

I understand the health department rules - but it was essentially illegal to park it anywhere and sell wares.

But who doesn't like the $1.50 drink/dog at Costco?

Grammi Faith said...

I would totally support the cupcake truck and even an old fashioned pretzel truck. I learned all about the food truck and brick and mortar wars on a show called "the Glades", see murder mystery TV shows are educational. ha ha ha