Photo by philliefan99
Like any normal Monday, Farragut Square is currently lined by a group of D.C.’s food trucks. However, today, anyone queuing to get lunch from ChefDriven, Curbside Cupcakes, Fojol Bros., or more than a dozen other trucks will have to get their midday fixes elsewhere.
Instead of trendy lobster rolls or socially questionable curry plates, the trucks will be dishing out their opposition to D.C.’s proposed mobile vending regulations. The stunt, called “Day Without a Food Truck,” is perhaps the Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington’s boldest demonstration yet against the District government’s proposal to regulate the industry.
Seventeen trucks altogether will be sacrificing a day’s sales to take part in the boycott, says Che Ruddell-Tabisola, the Food Truck Association’s political director. “The idea is to show a glimpse into the future if the food truck regulations pass,” he says.
The participating trucks will not serve any food during the entire lunch period, which lasts until about 1:30 p.m.
The regulations, which were first proposed over a year ago to comply with D.C. Council legislation, are now in their fourth revision. The current iteration would create as many as 23 designated mobile vending zones in the city’s busiest spots, such as Farragut Square, L’Enfant Plaza, Union Station, and Foggy Bottom. Trucks would enter monthly lotteries for parking spots in these locations, while unlucky mobile vendors would be left to park their sweet and savory wares at least 500 feet from the outlined areas.
The food trucks say such rules would drive them out of business, or perhaps to neighboring jurisdictions with more flexible rules. Last week, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington came to the proposed regulations’ defense, accusing the food trucks of misleading residents about the nature of the suggested zones.
But today, the trucks participating in the no-sales protest are taking a one-day financial blow for the sake of asking their customers to contact members of the D.C. Council. The Council’s Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs is scheduled to hold a hearing on the proposed regulations on Friday.
UPDATE, 12:12 p.m.: Here is the full list of food trucks that are not serving today.
- BBQ Bus
- Borinquen Lunch Box
- Chef Driven
- Curbside Cupcakes
- DC Ballers
- DC Empanadas
- DC Slices
- Fojol Bros.
- KaftaMania
- Mojo Truck
- PhoWheels
- PORC
- Red Hook Lobster Pound-DC
- Something Stuffed
- Stix
- TaKorean
- That Cheesecake Truck
