About Taco Trucks

Taco trucks are an enjoyable, inexpensive way to have lunch. They are usually found in urban areas of the Southwest United States, in communities with a large Latino population. Taco truck regulars, however, come from all ages and nationalities. Although customers love the food, not everyone loves the sight of a taco truck business.

Function

Taco trucks travel through cities, serving inexpensive meals on paper plates to a variety of patrons. Their clientele ranges from the very poor to the very wealthy; all are drawn in by the authenticity of the fare. Nevertheless, not everyone enjoys the sight of a taco truck. Many taco truck owners have to constantly change their locations and hours to avoid fines and/or jail.

Theories/Speculation

Restaurant owners claim that mobile eateries siphon business from the more traditional eateries, and point out the unfair situation of the taco truck's low overhead versus that of the stand-alone business. For this reason, restaurant owners in several cities have been a driving force behind laws passed prohibiting a taco truck from parking for more than 1 hour at any location. Restaurant owners also the claim that the taco truck owners' pay does not get taxed nor do they adhere to county health regulations. In truth, most truck owners pay taxes and have a business license. Moreover, truck owners are known to even pay rent to the businesses that share the curb with them.

Benefits

Taco trucks allow customers to save the cost of a sit-down meal. Additionally, taco trucks also encourage patrons to leave their cars parked and walk to the location. Seeking out and patronizing these street vendors is an activity that transforms insignificant spaces such as parking lots, vacant lots and sidewalks, into lively public spaces.

Features

Taco trucks serve a tasty foods, like tacos, mulitas, sopitas, quesadillas, tortas and the like. The trucks themselves are conversions of either a bus or an RV. A full-size bus is usually designed so that customers can board, order and eat at stainless steel counters. RV-type vehicles have separate windows for ordering and dispensing food, thereby servicing customers exclusively outside the vehicle.

Warning

Overall, most warnings are tongue-in-cheek. Those linked taco trucks are of the positive nature. They include warnings of an out-of-the-ordinary meal, or addictive foods. Comments include "Do not make any plans for after dinner" and "If you are involved in a traffic accident while on your way to the taco truck, seek professional addiction counseling immediately." More on the serious side, some people may think that food at a taco truck may be unsafe to eat or that the conditions there are unsanitary--this is for the most part not true, and should not deter you from trying the tasty fare of a taco truck.