Last Friday, the Dim Ssam a Gogo food truck showed up for Food Truck Friday, where one food truck sells lunch behind the Mayfair. This particular week, as we were sitting and eating as we do, one of the Grove business owners came by to see what it's all about. This turned into a good thing because we all had a good discussion on the pros and cons of the trucks and whether they are hurting business or not.
The business owner felt that they were, she felt that the restaurants and stores have to pay high rents, insurance, and other fees and the trucks don't. Others there felt that the trucks are a once-in-a-while diversion which they enjoy.
A group from Crispin-Porter Bogusky was sitting next to us. Crispin-Porter is the ad agency at Mayfair, that has been bringing in the trucks for their employees. We asked the young workers eating orange ribs and fried cheesy tater tots what they would be eating if the truck was not there. In other words, would they be in a Grove restaurant eating lunch? All four people who we asked said that they would not go out for lunch if the truck was not there.
They said they would bring leftovers from home, as one had done the day before, others brown bag it and one said she eats in the company cafeteria, which is on premises.
As I have stated before, I am out daily for lunch, and I am not saying that I know the whole Grove, because of course I don't, but these people who I have been meeting every Friday at the truck are totally new faces to me. These young people from the ad agency and from Sony and from other offices in the area are not going to the Grove restaurants for lunch.
One of the girls we asked said that she goes to the food truck because it's there and it's fast. She doesn't have time to sit at a restaurant for a leisurely lunch and let's face it, she probably didn't have the money to spend on what Grove restaurants charge. Most of the people we see from the offices don't really stick around to eat even though there are tables and chairs and it's quite comfortable. They take their lunch back to their desks and eat.
In an ideal world, it would be nice to get out, spend an hour or so for lunch at a sidewalk cafe and kibitz with friends, but this is not the way it is. Many of the others at the food trucks are others who cannot be out for lunch for long period, like the hair salon people and others.
The debate goes on. I am finding it a nice diversion on Fridays and I've met some nice new friends thanks to the truck visits.
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