Wilmington restaurateurs speak out against food truck bill

Some Wilmington restaurant owners are opposing a city plan to have designated places for food trucks in the downtown area, saying the mobile kitchens are competition.

“I have had to decrease and cut employees’ time,” said India Sutton, the general manager of The Rat Pack Bistro at 300 Delaware Ave.

Sutton said the cuts are because food trucks stationed across the street from her restaurant this summer cut into her business. She said she opposes an ordinance proposed by the city to have the trucks become a mainstay downtown.

The ordinance, which will go up for a final vote at the council meeting on Nov. 19, would institute a pilot program to regulate the mobile kitchens in the city and set up a way for the vendors to register for a specific food truck parking spot each day during lunch hours. The trucks are currently not allowed to park in Wilmington, unless on private property or at a permitted event.

The proposal calls for three or four permitted spaces for one truck each in three possible locations: on Justison Street at the Riverfront, HB Dupont Plaza on Delaware Avenue and on the 500 block of Market Street.

If the program is deemed successful, the city would consider expanding the pilot area to other neighborhoods.

While most business owners are optimistic that a proposal to license food trucks on downtown Wilmington streets will bring workers out of high-rise office buildings during lunch hour, a few restaurateurs said they don’t see how adding more competition will be good for their bottom line.

“You could potentially put somebody out of business,” Sutton said. “It just killed us. It really did.”

Restaurateurs and food truck operators spoke Wednesday at a Wilmington City Council committee meeting about the ordinance, which would institute a pilot program allowing food trucks on city streets.

David Sophrin, director of policy for Mayor Dennis P. Williams, said Wednesday that the project is not aimed to hurt any businesses downtown, but rather bring more office workers out from behind their desk to explore and to eat downtown during lunchtime.

“We tried to find locations that were least disruptive,” said Sophrin, adding that each location is for one truck only and are scattered throughout downtown, with one location on the Riverfront.

Tim Pawliczek, who owns Cavanaugh’s Restaurant at 703 Market St., said his business has suffered enough from the falling number of office workers in Wilmington, so he can’t see how a fleet of food trucks will help things.

“We’ve all shrunk and we can’t shrink anymore,” said Pawliczek. “I am shocked to hear that we need more food vendors downtown.”

But Joe Van Horn, operating partner of Ernest & Scott Taproom at 902 N. Market St., said with the increase in residential development downtown there is a lot more hope for restaurants downtown.

“In 18 months, I am getting a damn food truck and I’m going to have at it with you guys,” said Van Horn. “They are cool.”

Wit Milburn has seen if from both sides, as the owner of the Kapow food truck, which he used to raise the money needed to open up a brick-and-mortar store.

“I think this will give young entrepreneurs and millennials a chance to build something,” Milburn said. “At the end of the day we are working together.”

Marty Hageman, executive director of the downtown business group, Downtown Visions, said the organization conducted focus groups and spoke with restaurants in the area. Hageman said most important is that people considering a move to places like Wilmington are considering the availability of things like food trucks.

"They can choose wherever they want to live and it has to have things to do and be exciting," Hageman said.

The members of the Transportation and Public Works Committee voted in favor of the ordinance. It will be considered for approval by the full council next month.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2837. Follow her on Twitter @JennaPizzi.