by Matt Byrne November 11, 2010Chicago’s policies on food trucks can be pretty confusing, and this confusion has manifested itself as a ticket for Chef Phillip Foss. He just tweeted, “Bad news: asked to shut down and received another questionable ticket. Good news: sold out anyhow.” Apparently Foss parked his Meatyballs Mobile a little too close to a McDonald’s.
The current law states that food trucks are not allowed to park within 200 feet of competing restaurants (the jury’s still out on whether gourmet baguette sandwiches and truffle dusted potato chips pose any threat to an Extra Value Meal). He was ticketed and asked to leave by police. “I didn’t have my ruler on me at the time. I was down the street a ways, but it looks like I’m going to have to go to court,” said Foss, who doubts McDonald’s itself did the calling.
This is not the first time the Meatyballs Mobile has had run-ins with the man. Foss has been ticketed in the past for vending on the street, something that is not illegal under current food truck regulations. With the struggles of up-and-coming food trucks a hot issue around these parts, the ticketing of Philip Foss’ Meatyballs Mobile is building the case for clearer legislation for this new class of eateries.
