Taco Wars
6September 27, 2008 by TheDeeZone
In Los Angeles the battle is brewing between taco trucks and traditional restaurants. The city of Los Angeles has passed a new law that will fine for parking a truck for longer than an hour to $1000 or 6 months in jail. Currently the fine is $60 for staying parked for more than 30 minutes. Restaurant owners claim that the Taco trucks unfairly steal their business and the law is needed to protect their livelihood. The truck owners believe they are being unfairly targeted by the city.
One of the things I miss about living in Texas are the taco stands or trucks. They offer inexpensive alternative to the usual fast food. The fare is authentic Mexican food and quite different from gringo style tacos. The tacos are usually served on corn tortillas with meat, onions, and cilantro. That’s right no cheese. Tortas are my favorite. Tortas are Mexican sub style sandwich. Tacos, tostados and cheese quesadillas sold for a dollar. While tortas and quesadillas with meat cost about $1.50. Of course that was about 5 years ago so I am sure the prices have gone up a little.
Instead of passing laws banning competition maybe the restaurants should offer a better value. The actions on behalf of the resturants reminds me of Demolition Man where the only restaurant available was Taco Bell. Do we really need to put people in jail for selling tacos? If the owner of a taco stand has business licenses, health inspection and pays taxes then they should have the right to be in business. One on the Taco stand owners mentioned in the NPR article even paid rent for the curb space he uses.
The restaurants are wrong. No one should go to prison for selling good tasting tacos.
We have a taco truck that comes into our neighborhood everyday because there is still a lot of construction going on here. I think I’m in agreement with you here especially if they are legally parked. They probably already pay a fee to operate as a business on the streets of LA too…
You are correct. Of course, with overcrowding in the jails and prisons, I would prefer to have rogue taco makers on the streets than real criminals.
I’ve never seen a taco truck in all my nearly 50 years in TX but if we had one in our town, I’d say more power to the driver. I thought America was built on a system of free enterprise. I thought people came here to be free to make a living how they please. Oh well, guess California didn’t get that memo.
Oh my… “unfairly stealing business?” What is that about? Restaurants are located next door to each other in buildings?! I don’t get it.
Clark and I agree. Those taco stands are an AMAZING meal and a far better taste, as you put it, than the “gringo style”. I’d pay extra than what they charge at those taco stands just to keep them alive.
Putting them in jail for 6 months is really unfair in my opinion. Especially when the City of Los Angeles take people like Paris Hilton out of jail early just for being a Celebrity and having the money to pay her way out.
Mamacurry: The next time your are in FW. Check out Tacolotte. It is in the parking lot of Seminary Foods (Seminary Dr just West of McCart. The cross street might be Merida, it is the one that goes to the SW Police Station.) That is/was our favorite. There also used to be one James/Crowley on the other side of SWBTS but I never tried that one.
Rebbecca: I agree.