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And lots of people had an awesome lunch Friday. Four hundred orders were taken at the four vendors that made up the Food Truck Invasion as promoted by Renaissance Covington and the BLDG. The bee sting was popular and so were burgers at Cafe de Wheels, grilled paneer at EAT! Mobile Dining, and salsa and tacos at Gomez Salsa and Tacos. The energy was just as good as the food. It was a perfect day to eat outside and for once there was a feeling of excitement in Downtown Covington and people actually came from elsewhere to take in the event.
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I couldn't wait to hear people's reaction to the Invasion and to the prospect of the trucks operating in the City more frequently. C'est Cheese took to Twitter to report, "Kickin butt in Covington! Thanks to all who stopped by - we're having a BLAST!!" and included this photo:
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Cafe de Wheels also acknowledged the enthusiastic reception on its Twitter page, saying, "Just sayin. Covington rocked the food trucks this afternoon. Yeah". A photo celebrating the event was posted to The River City News Facebook page which received mostly positive reaction from some who attended and some who wish they had. But then, other news and reaction started rolling in surrounding the Food Truck Invasion. Turns out that there were more than a few people upset about it. Those people must not have had a bee sting.
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Just as the event was beginning, the owner of a long-standing sit-down restaurant near the parking lot where the Food Truck Invasion invaded approached one of the organizers and railed against it before being calmed down and ultimately leaving, only to return a second time for an encore presentation. Bill Wainscott, operator of another nearby restaurant, the Backstage Cafe, posted to Renaissance Covington's Facebook page, "Why not come over to Backstage Cafe and lock my doors while you are there. Our food is better, and you don't have to stand to eat. What a great idea, why not just shove a knife in my back?"
Just as the event was beginning, the owner of a long-standing sit-down restaurant near the parking lot where the Food Truck Invasion invaded approached one of the organizers and railed against it before being calmed down and ultimately leaving, only to return a second time for an encore presentation. Bill Wainscott, operator of another nearby restaurant, the Backstage Cafe, posted to Renaissance Covington's Facebook page, "Why not come over to Backstage Cafe and lock my doors while you are there. Our food is better, and you don't have to stand to eat. What a great idea, why not just shove a knife in my back?"
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Goodfellas Pizzeria, a new restaurant in Mainstrasse Village, posted at The River City News Facebook page, "Brick and mortar businesses aren't always a big fan of the food trucks. The brick and mortar will plant roots and help build up a town. Where the food trucks come in and cherry pick the busy hours. In the long run this will effect the local restaurants you know and love."
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After the comment from Goodfellas, I started to question my position on the Invasion. I talked to a few friends, neighbors, and business owners and while most were as confused as I by the intensity of the negative reaction, a few agreed. Maybe the idea of unleashing food trucks on a public programmed only to eat in a sitting position should be parked. Was Covington really ready to eat standing up? Everything I knew about the world began to crumble like that unforgettable Tuscan pane.
After the comment from Goodfellas, I started to question my position on the Invasion. I talked to a few friends, neighbors, and business owners and while most were as confused as I by the intensity of the negative reaction, a few agreed. Maybe the idea of unleashing food trucks on a public programmed only to eat in a sitting position should be parked. Was Covington really ready to eat standing up? Everything I knew about the world began to crumble like that unforgettable Tuscan pane.
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But then I got hungry again. Only trouble was, this time it was Saturday and the food trucks were gone because the Invasion only lasted three hours and they won't be back until the zoning laws change. I had to do something unthinkable and eat at a bricks-&-mortar restaurant. I mean, what is this? 2009? Fortunately, I live in Covington and there is an endless supply and variety of great places to eat. Even better, I live on Main Street and can actually walk to many of these places. I felt so momentarily anti-food truck that I wasn't even going to drive myself for lunch.
But then I got hungry again. Only trouble was, this time it was Saturday and the food trucks were gone because the Invasion only lasted three hours and they won't be back until the zoning laws change. I had to do something unthinkable and eat at a bricks-&-mortar restaurant. I mean, what is this? 2009? Fortunately, I live in Covington and there is an endless supply and variety of great places to eat. Even better, I live on Main Street and can actually walk to many of these places. I felt so momentarily anti-food truck that I wasn't even going to drive myself for lunch.
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Did you know that DJ's Sandwich Shop, the just-opened, well, sandwich shop in Mainstrasse, wraps fried chicken inside a waffle? Did you know that? Well, they do. Walking home with breakfast-meets-lunch-in-a-bag, I dwelled on the sandwich's name. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. See? One can be clever even without 4-wheel drive. Two bites into this delightful abomination and my mind was made up. Covington has awesome food and we are mere weeks away from having more awesome food. Food sold from inside a truck. Why would anyone be against this?
Did you know that DJ's Sandwich Shop, the just-opened, well, sandwich shop in Mainstrasse, wraps fried chicken inside a waffle? Did you know that? Well, they do. Walking home with breakfast-meets-lunch-in-a-bag, I dwelled on the sandwich's name. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. See? One can be clever even without 4-wheel drive. Two bites into this delightful abomination and my mind was made up. Covington has awesome food and we are mere weeks away from having more awesome food. Food sold from inside a truck. Why would anyone be against this?
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When these food trucks are given the green light there will be more choice in Covington for lower-cost, good-tasting food. Most of these meals cost less than seven dollars. The food trucks are going to take business from brick-&-mortar restaurants but I would bet that it's not Backstage Cafe or Goodfellas that need to worry. These trucks are going to be appealing to people who would otherwise drop five or seven bucks at McDonald's or Burger King. Maybe they will even appeal to brown-baggers. But if people want to sit down for a meal, they are going to come to a place where they can do that.
When these food trucks are given the green light there will be more choice in Covington for lower-cost, good-tasting food. Most of these meals cost less than seven dollars. The food trucks are going to take business from brick-&-mortar restaurants but I would bet that it's not Backstage Cafe or Goodfellas that need to worry. These trucks are going to be appealing to people who would otherwise drop five or seven bucks at McDonald's or Burger King. Maybe they will even appeal to brown-baggers. But if people want to sit down for a meal, they are going to come to a place where they can do that.
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Locations in Covington that have little to no dining options during the workday will now have some, and that is the real benefit. Think about the industrial park in South Covington or the thousands of workers at the IRS who crunch numbers all day in the shadow of nothing but signs advertising awful creations like Doritos Locos Taco Supreme. Think about the hundreds of people at the Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center on any given night during the run of a show with absolutely nowhere in walking distance to eat before or after.
Locations in Covington that have little to no dining options during the workday will now have some, and that is the real benefit. Think about the industrial park in South Covington or the thousands of workers at the IRS who crunch numbers all day in the shadow of nothing but signs advertising awful creations like Doritos Locos Taco Supreme. Think about the hundreds of people at the Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center on any given night during the run of a show with absolutely nowhere in walking distance to eat before or after.
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Covington is not a big city but it does have a big appetite and serves up thousands of meals a day to workers and visitors and the Food Truck Invasion brought even more people Downtown that otherwise would not have come and now they are aware of other places to eat because of that. Nobody is shoving a knife in the back of the Backstage Cafe but there are now potentially more customers aware of the Backstage's existence and maybe they will soon shove a knife in one of its entrees.
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Renaissance Covington responded to negative reaction on its Facebook page saying, "Renaissance Covington used the event as an opportunity to bring energy into the urban core. And it did that. We passed out the downtown maps which list and detail all retail, restaurant and service businesses in the downtown in a professionally printed map (that was no cost to the businesses). We got some good press. We had a captive audience. ...I'll add that it was in partnership with another downtown business. We are always happy to help support ideas and events that businesses would like to work towards that promote downtown Covington."
Renaissance Covington responded to negative reaction on its Facebook page saying, "Renaissance Covington used the event as an opportunity to bring energy into the urban core. And it did that. We passed out the downtown maps which list and detail all retail, restaurant and service businesses in the downtown in a professionally printed map (that was no cost to the businesses). We got some good press. We had a captive audience. ...I'll add that it was in partnership with another downtown business. We are always happy to help support ideas and events that businesses would like to work towards that promote downtown Covington."
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Bingo. This was a one-time kick-off event that definitely bogarted the Downtown buzz for an afternoon, but what buzz would there have been otherwise? I recommended the bee sting earlier and now let me recommend something else: ideas. They're good to have, too, and, perhaps ironically, often come while driving. Downtown businesses are encouraged to have promotional ideas, too, and I am sure the City or Renaissance would be thrilled to collaborate.
Bingo. This was a one-time kick-off event that definitely bogarted the Downtown buzz for an afternoon, but what buzz would there have been otherwise? I recommended the bee sting earlier and now let me recommend something else: ideas. They're good to have, too, and, perhaps ironically, often come while driving. Downtown businesses are encouraged to have promotional ideas, too, and I am sure the City or Renaissance would be thrilled to collaborate.
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Something new and exciting happened on Friday and Covington needed it. Let's try it again and see what happens. My prediction is that the food trucks will be a welcomed addition to various parts of town. Also, the existing brick-&-mortar spots both new and old may even see an increase in customers as buzz grows around this cool new thing. Did I mention that people came from elsewhere to eat at this Invasion? They are going to come back and it won't always be for a meal on wheels. Did you know we now have a restaurant putting fried chicken inside a waffle? Did you know that?
Thanks for the kind word Michael - we can't wait to come back! xo- C'est Cheese
ReplyDeleteLove!!! I see no reason why the two can't coincide peacefully. Good stuff Michael. You rock!
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