By Urmila Ramakrishnan | Biz Journals
More than 20,000 foodies gathered at the second annual Minnesota Food Truck Fair in Uptown in Minneapolis
Sunday’s Minnesota Food Truck Fair faced the same problems as it did last year, despite major changes.
In an attempt to avoid a second year of high prices, long lines and food shortages, Food Truck Fair organizers doubled the number of trucks, nixed the admission fee, and changed the location from the Downtown Minneapolis’ Warehouse District to Uptown.
But the event drew about 20,000 people, four times more than last year.
Customers complained about how crowded the event was. Many waited 20 to 45 minutes to order food and another 20 to 30 minutes to get it. Grumbling customers applauded after receiving their orders at some trucks.
“The lines are like real India,” commented one customer waiting in line at the Hot Indian Foods truck.
Food Truck Fair Executive Director Kamal Mohamed said he knew that the two city blocks at Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue wouldn’t be enough space, but couldn’t justify a larger request in advance.
“We wanted to prove our fair is worth more than two blocks,” he said.
Mohamed plans to address the complaints with more changes for next year’s fair, such as making the fair longer than two blocks and putting trucks on just one side of the street, instead of both.
There weren’t as many food shortages as last year, but some trucks ran out of food before the five-hour event ended. Japanese food truck Hibachi Daruma sold out of its gyoza (a Japanese dumpling) halfway through the fair and ran out of the rest of its offerings by the end of the day. Bloomy’s Roast Beef sold out at 7 p.m.
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http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2013/07/01/big-crowds-long-lines-and-testy.html
