Alternately: NYC doesn't really want to encourage a bunch of trucks to idle their 2MPG diesel engines all day while serving $10 waffles to ignorant tourists.
The idea of a "food truck" is based on trying to cheat the system. The system is: you have to buy or rent property in order to locate a business there. However, the system has a loophole: large swathes of the city are designated as roads, sidewalks, highways (which is a technical term for the road allowance). These areas of the city are completely free to use, for anyone, on the condition that it's a short-term, passing-through, sort of use.
So Mr. Brilliant says, "Hey! What if I just take over part of this free-to-use area without paying? I'll be able to charge as much as a property-leasing restaurant, but I'll get my land for free! I'll make a killing!"
Except the city has self-defense measures against people who try to do that. They're called tow trucks and bylaw inspectors. Because your business model is not actually innovative or new but has been around since the dawn of cities.
And so the white blood cells of the city harass the invading parasites that are trying to damage the city's ability to function, and life goes on, evermore and without end.
The idea of a "food truck" is based on trying to cheat the system. The system is: you have to buy or rent property in order to locate a business there. However, the system has a loophole: large swathes of the city are designated as roads, sidewalks, highways (which is a technical term for the road allowance). These areas of the city are completely free to use, for anyone, on the condition that it's a short-term, passing-through, sort of use.
So Mr. Brilliant says, "Hey! What if I just take over part of this free-to-use area without paying? I'll be able to charge as much as a property-leasing restaurant, but I'll get my land for free! I'll make a killing!"
Except the city has self-defense measures against people who try to do that. They're called tow trucks and bylaw inspectors. Because your business model is not actually innovative or new but has been around since the dawn of cities.
And so the white blood cells of the city harass the invading parasites that are trying to damage the city's ability to function, and life goes on, evermore and without end.