Food Truck Fight Brewing On Streets of Sacramento

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A food truck fight is coming to a fever pitch in Sacramento as the city discussed a new way to include the trucks that doesn't have everyone convinced.

The trucks are immensely popular and serve up everything from street tacos to street gourmet, but Sacramento continues to try and figure out how to handle food trucks.

While customers love them, many restaurant owners have a bad taste for the mobile kitchens, based on concerns the cheaper-to-operate businesses could affect the restaurant business.

"None of us want to have a food truck parked in front of our restaurant, so that's really what this all comes down to, is how is this all going to be worked out," said restaurant owner Randy Paragary.

On Monday, the city law and legislation committee discussed food truck pods, similar to what already happens in city parks by changing city ordinances to allow trucks to park on private property lots in groups, but only after a permit process for the location.

"There's way too much red tape," said food truck owner George Azar. "We're talking about selling food on the street. Nobody ever had a complaint when a hot dog cart was sitting on the corner."

Azar says while the attempt to help is good, he believes the pod permit would cost too much money, possibly in the thousands of dollars, and the approval process could take months.

"They are quick. It's convenient food. That's what people want," he said. "Now it's getting to all the red tape, and certain people with big money want to stop it."