VIDEO: The Food Truck Movement

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – When some people hear the words food truck they think convenience, but when traditional restaurant owners hear the same words, their thoughts could be a little different.

Over the last 5 years food trucks have been popping up in the city of Tupelo.

The mobile businesses have been met with open arms by some, but concerns by others.

“The first thing we’re going to have to do is simply listen,” said Tupelo Development Director Shane Hopper.

That’s the goal of the Tupelo Department of Development Service as the food truck movement slowly makes it’s way to the city.

“The food trucks, I will tell you is a crowd favorite here in Tupelo. It’s really a quality of life issue. People enjoy them here. It’s a quality of life issue for the citizens here. The food truck vendors see it as a viable business,” said Hooper.

However traditional restaurant owners aren’t as thrilled.

December 19th and January 16th the Development Department scheduled meets with both traditional and mobile restaurant owners.

“Both of those meetings are designed to listen to the stake holders. We don’t really have a plan. We don’t have any preconceived ideas about what we want to happen. We’re just going to simply have some listening sessions to first of all, in our December meeting, give all our food truck vendors an opportunity to spea. Then we will listen to their concerns and listen to their ideas and then we will follow that up in January with comments from our traditional restaurant owners,” said Hooper.

Hooper says during the meetings they will address topics like; safety, revenue issues and quality of life.

Local Mobile employee Ashley Prince says having food trucks in the area can be beneficial to the community as a whole in more ways than one.

“It’s a great way for someone who is interested in starting up a business, but they don’t necessarily have the capital to invest in a stand alone restaurant and staff and all of those things. So it’s a way to kind of get started and perhaps go into the restaurant business in the future,”said Prince.

Hooper says after the meetings the plans moving forward are in the hands of the city council.

Prince says she hope these meetings will help every one understand food trucks are there to help not hurt.

“We just want the other restaurant owners to know that we’re not trying to step on their toes or impact their business negatively in any way. We’re just trying to make a go of it ourselves. So, we just want to make sure that everyone knows we’re just trying to be a business and get a long with everyone. We’re not trying to hurt anyone else’s business. I think there’s room for everyone,”said Prince.

Both meetings will begin at 3 pm.