The term “Eat local” gets tossed around as a catchphrase so much that it’s all but lost its meaning. Now, more than ever it’s critical that we not only understand it but that we practice it with our dollars.
The chains do not care about the food.
The priority of the chains is not ever going to be with the food or staff, it will always be about providing maximum financial returns for the shareholders. They are in the business of making money and food to them is nothing more than a product. The business model is designed to cut every corner possible and squeeze every dime they can from the ignorant public hypnotized by flashy ads and catchy jingles. The food in those commercials is plastic for fucks sake.
The guy with the food truck is hurting.
That person is one of us. It’s the guy who never asked to go home early and always offered to cover shifts. He was saving every dime he had to so he could buy that piece of shit truck and make his food his way. He’s up at dawn knowing his day is going to be just as long and hard as it ever was in a brick and mortar Kitchen, only there’s no guarantee he’s getting paid. A flat tire can kill a day’s profit real fast. Regardless, our brother still hits the Kitchen and gets the fires going.
These guys are the innovators. Street food becomes comfort food and gets elevated into classics. Less than a hundred years ago Pizza was nearly unheard of outside of small ethnic neighborhoods, same with Tacos and Sushi. It was the guys who had the balls to go out on their own and do food their way that changed the game.
Right now they need our help.
You’re $10 means a whole lot more to them than it does to the corporate chains. I’m not just talking about food trucks, I’m talking about places that are independently owned, places that put the food first. They don’t have the volume buying power to get the same prices from the vendors, they’re word of mouth since they can’t afford advertising. But the food is real and 90% of the time way better than the boil in bag shit served at the chains.
Sadly, a lot of neighborhood institutions across the country have already closed. Establishments that had been around for decades are gone leaving us with memories of better days. The remainder that are still open are struggling and they need our help to stay open. The mom and pop indie places are absolutely critical to our industry, they are the innovators and they’re also the same people who will bail on their employees from a late night weed charge.
Don’t worry about the chains.
Have you seen the lines? Business is booming for them, plus they’re sucking up all the relief funds that the indie places need.
So once again, let me make this clear. You have a choice where you spend your money so spend it supporting your brothers and sisters who are struggling to keep real food alive. Support your local food trucks, support your local pizza shop and keep things real….
And if you want to help me continue to support local businesses, click here