Should Food Trucks Come to K Street Regularly?
The TaKorean food truck parked on K Street Tuesday to serve employees of GMMB.
Photos
The TaKorean food truck that was parked on K Street Tuesday during lunch gave one local business owner hope that the culinary trend might finally be coming to Georgetown.
TaKorean serves Korean BBQ tacos from a traveling food truck. According to their website, "We serve a delicious combination of Korean flavors with a Mexican twist all made from scratch."
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When Rob Mukherjee, the owner of Capitol Shine Auto Detailing, saw the food truck he tweeted, "Finally! Food truck comes 2 #Georgetown & look @ the line!"
But tweets sent by the food truck and several people waiting in line revealed that that truck's appearance was anything but impromptu. TaKorean was serving a private event for employees of communications and political firm GMMB, which has offices at the Washington Harbour.
Food trucks can be spotted in Georgetown on occasion, like at the farmers market or concerts in the park or on the Georgetown campus, but it is rare that they make the trip as part of a normal daily route to serve lunch to office workers.
Bonnie Flippin, the president of Capitol Shine, wants food trucks to come to Georgetown every day, not just for special occasions or private events.
"I was surprised to see the food truck on K Street and then realized how nice it would be for businesses in Georgetown to have a food truck option...especially for those of us on K Street that have less options than on M Street," wrote Flippin in an email to Patch.
During past conversations about food trucks in the neighborhood, Georgetown leaders have worried about the impact the trend might have both on residential streets and brick and mortar establishments.
Bill Starrels, the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for the area where the food truck parked Tuesday, raised concerns at a February Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting about trash, rodents and negative impacts on the new waterfront park.
The former head of the Business Improvement District, Jim Bracco, at the same February meeting said about food truck regulations, "Our first reaction is to protect our brick and mortar establishments. Despite the novelty of the trucks...our initial reaction is to say, 'no.'"
Flippin acknowledged that not everyone might be so eager for the trend to arrive in Georgetown. "Not sure M Street restaurants would be too happy about that," wrote Flippin, adding, "But man, we need some more quick dining options on K Street!"
Do you want to see more food trucks in Georgetown? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments!
Ken Archer
7:43 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
We built this huge Waterfront Park, but there's nowhere to get food down there. If we had food trucks on K Street, maybe more people would use the Waterfront Park.
Alma Gates
8:31 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The invasion of food trucks into the District is not a positive addition. They create an unsightly fence around McPherson Square everyday that seems so contrary to the point of the park when food trucks pull up and squat all day. They give the downtown the appearance of an amusement park. Is it true the statue iat the center of the park is being replaced by some kind of carnival ride?
On a more serious note, it appears Council is so desperate for permitting fees that it will okay just about anything. Take for example pedicabs -- everyone's favorite feature at rush hour and at night when they are barely visible. Who thought that novelty was a good idea?
These mobile businesses, like vendor trucks along Constitution Avenue, cheapen the the appearance of the city. Why not let these entrepreneurs open storefronts and compete fairly with businesses that have made a permanent investment in the city?
Alma Gates
Shaun Courtney
8:45 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Thank you, Ken and Alma, for your comments. What do you think? Do you tend to agree with Ken? Alma? Or do you fall somewhere in between?
Sonya Wins
9:33 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I completely agree with Ken and completely disagree with Alma. To be quite honest, of the five demographics you'll find in Georgetown (residents, visitors, students, business owners, people working in Georgetown) I think there's enough money to spread around to both the brick & mortar establishments and food trucks. I know the students and people who work in the neighborhood could greatly benefit. Our food budgets may only go as far as Chipotle or Five Guys but who wants to eat there all the time?
Alma - I don't understand your comment about "cheapening the experience of the city". If anything, the arrival of food trucks in DC, while years late compared to other cities, has boosted the value of the experience one would get in the city. How many hot dogs and half smokes can a person eat? Lol. The city has changed so much in recent years and of these changes, the addition of food trucks brings a new dimension that helps make DC feel more like a "city" rather than a "citified country town".
Jacques
5:21 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I agree with Sonya (and Ken).
It's hard to compare the new food trucks, which have brought in a fair amount of culinary creativity to a wide range of locations throughout the city (many of which have few or limited options). They are nothing like the tourist-wagons on the Mall, which all serve the same Hot Dog-Pizza-Eggroll, and serve a very limited function.
I haven't been closely following the DC food truck regulations debate, but I think there are reasonable regulations that can be introduced (such as not having food trucks park directly in front of brick-and-mortar restaurants serving similar food), but I also think some of the regulations that have been proposed by food truck opponents have been less reasonable.
Jacques
5:22 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
More specifically, the Georgetown waterfront has very limited food options, for the large populations of office workers and park users in the area. Food trucks expand the options for those people.
Shaun Courtney
9:41 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Thanks, Sonya. There does seem to be a disconnect between those who think food trucks make DC "cool" and those who think they look "cheap."
Alma, did you know that several food trucks have found enough success to start actual brick and mortar restaurants? The truck allows them to try a new idea and test out their product without having to make such a huge upfront investment.
Anyone else want to weigh in?
Rather Be Anonymous
6:03 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Forever I have assumed that DC protects Georgetwon restaruants by not allowing carts or trucks to serve food on the street. My summer job as a kid for 4 years was at a hot dog stand that my sister and I owned and ran in Foggy Bottom. Folks loved it, we did a great business. I would love to be able to have my 4 kids (ages 11 thru 15) to have a hot dog stand, or ice cream cart, at the waterfront. Why not? I think making Georgetown a nice place for tourists, students to go out, whoever, is more important that protecting restaruants. If they can not make it, landlords will drop the rents and we will likely still have food options. While I am on it, I remember when Bayou, Desperados, Cellar Door, Salon, etc all had live music on weekends.. it was pretty wonderful. Would love to have some live acts in G town again.. other than the wonderful but way too expensive Blues Alley...