Calgary Food Trucks: One year anniversary..thoughts?

[artvandelay]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I love watching Eat St. on the Food Network. You can see that some of the cities that have had food trucks longer than us have it figured out. As time goes on it all really improves.

One of my favourite trucks (its actually a cart) is featured in episode 42 "Food Snacks and Union Jacks" also has a sweet name: Everybody Love Love Jhal Muri Express Cart.
you can watch it here:
http://eatst.foodnetwork.ca/tvshow/

or

• Video Link

I love Eat Street, one of my favourite shows on the food network these days.

[Ayreonaut]

Yeah, I remember seeing that guy for the first time. I just sat there with a gaping jaw as he sliced up his veggies. I think the best-looking food from that episode was Luardos (tacos in London!).

[Innersoul1]

Oh man! Those pictures make me miss Thailand and Vietnam so much! There is something inherantly awesome about sitting on plastic kids chairs whilst eating and drinking!

[Jimby]

I love the pop up bar idea! Of course that will never happen here...

[floobie]

I had absolutely no idea the things existed until I was sitting in the Cafe Artigiano in the Shell building, thinking I really wanted some Pho. I looked towards 3rd avenue, and saw the Noodle Bus sitting there. So, since fate apparently decided to make my life extremely convenient, I gave it a whirl. I adore Pho. Easily my favourite food ever. But, I'm hardly a connoisseur. It's all delicious to me. The service was fast, the staff were really friendly, the prices and serving sizes were reasonable (I don't expect food to be cheaper just because it's made on and served from a truck), and the sate chicken pho (my preference) was delicious for "fast food" pho. I promptly followed them on Twitter and made a point to buy from them whenever they were nearby and I hadn't packed a lunch.

I fully intend to try some of the others eventually. From what I've seen at some of the food truck gatherings, the staff at the other trucks were also super friendly, and they managed to attract a decent crowd.

All I can say is: keep it up. This is the sort thing that adds a lot of life to the core.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by sidepockets

Alberta Venture had a good article about what it actually costs to get a food truck up and running: http://albertaventure.com/2012/07/wh...le-restaurant/

That is ridiculously cheap compared to the start up costs of a proper restaraunt.

[Surrealplaces]

I've only eaten at Perogy Boyz and Blamwich. The Mexican Perogies were good, the Carrot Cake ones were so-so. Kinda pricey. Blamwich was good, but also kind of pricey....i expected the food trucks to be a bit cheaper.

[tsumetai]

I think the food trucks are a very good idea. I think one poster touched on a good point, after a couple years the food trucks will only get better and better, as the less popular ones will run out of business.

Price-wise, the food trucks must price themselves between food court and restaurant pricing. I see them either going one of two routes:

-gourmet, or restaurant sattelite (like Steakout/Holy Grill..are they related?)
-cheaper/convenient, like a glorified hot dog stand


I think that Stephen Ave would be the best area to pilot a late-night food area. Already you see pizza and hot dog stands outside of clubs. U&Me and Denny's are the only late night option at the moment. Street food is pretty awesome, if it can be regulated for food safety. (Got sick a couple times eating street food in Asia.)

[Surrealplaces]

Fries & Dolls Food Truck at the Sundown Chowdown (Calgary Farmer's Market) by jon_lin, on Flickr

[Innersoul1]

The Sundown Chowdown looked awesome! I wish I had gone for that!

[Wigs]

The chickpea fritter Naaco from the Naaco truck is my fav! my biz partner and I each had one yesterday at Parksale-Haultain Park. (I've split one with my roommate before at Kingsland Farmers Market)


source: The Naaco Truck

[93JC]

Still haven't seen a food truck in person. I guess that's what happens when you don't work downtown.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by 93JC

Still haven't seen a food truck in person. I guess that's what happens when you don't work downtown.

Amen to that. I haven't seen one either. I hate not being DT anymore.

[Aegis]

I'm a little bit disappointed by the pricing of most of the food trucks. I understand that they need to charge a given unit price to make a profit, but, they also don't have the same fixed overhead (rent) like a restaurant does, or the same staffing level.

For example: I had a sandwich from "Cheezy Bizniss" (sp), and just the sandwich was close to $10. The reality is, I can get a good healthy balanced meal (rice, veggies, meat) from various foodcourt vendors for $7-8.

Over the long run, value for money adds up.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Aegis

I'm a little bit disappointed by the pricing of most of the food trucks. I understand that they need to charge a given unit price to make a profit, but, they also don't have the same fixed overhead (rent) like a restaurant does, or the same staffing level.

For example: I had a sandwich from "Cheezy Bizniss" (sp), and just the sandwich was close to $10. The reality is, I can get a good healthy balanced meal (rice, veggies, meat) from various foodcourt vendors for $7-8.

Over the long run, value for money adds up.

Completely agree. The whole food truck movement started as a way for talented chefs to bipass the upfront costs of opening a proper resto and the crushing overhead associated...

True to Calgary form, the food truck operators have seized an opportunity to over-charge for something because it's "trendy". Calgary has a rep for having over-priced restaurant food already but that can, at least partially, be excused due to expensive rents and even more expensive labour. The food trucks don't have those same excuses and it reeks of a cash-grab.

[Full Mountain]

Originally Posted by Me&You

Completely agree. The whole food truck movement started as a way for talented chefs to bipass the upfront costs of opening a proper resto and the crushing overhead associated...

True to Calgary form, the food truck operators have seized an opportunity to over-charge for something because it's "trendy". Calgary has a rep for having over-priced restaurant food already but that can, at least partially, be excused due to expensive rents and even more expensive labour. The food trucks don't have those same excuses and it reeks of a cash-grab.

Damn if you don't like it don't spend you money with them, don't expect that the world has to live by your rules

[mrcccondor]

Originally Posted by Aegis

I'm a little bit disappointed by the pricing of most of the food trucks. I understand that they need to charge a given unit price to make a profit, but, they also don't have the same fixed overhead (rent) like a restaurant does, or the same staffing level.

For example: I had a sandwich from "Cheezy Bizniss" (sp), and just the sandwich was close to $10. The reality is, I can get a good healthy balanced meal (rice, veggies, meat) from various foodcourt vendors for $7-8.

Over the long run, value for money adds up.

I completely agree with your comment, but there are constantly line ups at trucks whenever I see them. As businesses, they're doing it perfectly.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

Damn if you don't like it don't spend you money with them, don't expect that the world has to live by your rules

What a nice response, I'm glad you didn't over-react... Where did I say anything like having to live by my rules?

I've eaten at food trucks in Vancouver, Chicago, Portland, Denver and all over California and the trucks in Calgary, by far, provide the least value. In fact, until I had experienced Calgary food trucks, I'd rarely walked away with any thought other than "wow, what an awesome deal, I can't wait until we get something like this in Calgary"... The wait wasn't worth it. The operators here didn't get the "value" part of the memo and there's really no reason I can think of other than they're pocketing great profits because they can (which, to be honest, good for them). The trucks aren't expensive, there's never more than a couple staff (usually owner-operator anyways), the food costs aren't any different, so why am I paying the same prices as a casual sit-down that does have all of those costs to cover? If you can think of another reason, I'm all ears...

Believe me, I'm the last person to complain about things strictly from a price perspective, but I do usually appreciate some value. As Aegis noted, paying $10 for a so-so sandwich gets a little tiring when there's often better options at better prices with more 'substance'... The novelty wears thin...

And before we chalk it up to "food trucks are for me(&you)", I'll tell you that I can't wait to hunt down any number of trucks next time I'm at any one of those US cities I mentioned...

[Full Mountain]

Originally Posted by Me&You

What a nice response, I'm glad you didn't over-react... Where did I say anything like having to live by my rules?

I've eaten at food trucks in Vancouver, Chicago, Portland, Denver and all over California and the trucks in Calgary, by far, provide the least value. In fact, until I had experienced Calgary food trucks, I'd rarely walked away with any thought other than "wow, what an awesome deal, I can't wait until we get something like this in Calgary"... The wait wasn't worth it. The operators here didn't get the "value" part of the memo and there's really no reason I can think of other than they're pocketing great profits because they can (which, to be honest, good for them). The trucks aren't expensive, there's never more than a couple staff (usually owner-operator anyways), the food costs aren't any different, so why am I paying the same prices as a casual sit-down that does have all of those costs to cover? If you can think of another reason, I'm all ears...

Believe me, I'm the last person to complain about things strictly from a price perspective, but I do usually appreciate some value. As Aegis noted, paying $10 for a so-so sandwich gets a little tiring when there's often better options at better prices with more 'substance'... The novelty wears thin...

And before we chalk it up to "food trucks are for me(&you)", I'll tell you that I can't wait to hunt down any number of trucks next time I'm at any one of those US cities I mentioned...

People are buying therefore they are getting what they consider value. Value is a subjective item, what you consider value doesn't equate to another persons definition. There is clearly demand for their products, is it relatively expensive maybe but is it worse than any other food in this city? I doubt it.

You have to remember that the median income in Calgary is usually multiples of the national median income and the median income in those areas that you mention. Someone who makes ~100k has a different value definition than someone who makes ~40k.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

People are buying therefore they are getting what they consider value. Value is a subjective item, what you consider value doesn't equate to another persons definition. There is clearly demand for their products, is it relatively expensive maybe but is it worse than any other food in this city? I doubt it.

You have to remember that the median income in Calgary is usually multiples of the national median income and the median income in those areas that you mention. Someone who makes ~100k has a different value definition than someone who makes ~40k.

You don't need to remind me about the income scales in Calgary - my business is dealing in the most skewed value propositions there are.

It's just that I don't think food truck operators here are operating to the norm... Trucks everywhere else pass the lower start-up costs and overhead on, but, thanks to the magic that is Calgary, we get charged full price (and then some). But you're right, the demand is obviously there...

The point of this thread was to discuss the health of the food truck scene in Calgary one year on and I'll concede that demand would imply it's very healthy. I guess all I'm saying is that it's not what I expected it to be, and yet if I think about it, it's exactly what I've come to expect.

(Maybe I just have a case of the Muuundays)