A food truck welcomed by customers and not welcomed by some restaurants in the Scranton area is coming to Wilkes-Barre.
Mario Bevilacqua, 25, who owns What the Fork food truck with Katie Grazioski, 24, said he obtained a permit to sell food at the Mayday music festival at Kirby Park May 25-26.
Mr. Bevilacqua does not have set plans yet to sell food other places in Wilkes-Barre but he said he would like to test out the market and possibly sell other places in the city.
"We have a pretty good demand from customers on Facebook to go to Wilkes-Barre," said Mr. Bevilacqua, whose Facebook page has more than 7,800 fans.
Brendan Bell, 43, owner of the Southwest Savory Grill food truck operating in the Scranton area, said he also is researching permits about doing business in Wilkes-Barre.
"If I do it, it would be for special events. It would be difficult to drive down for day-to-day business," Mr. Bell said. "People are asking us to come there. I have to see if it's worth it. If the city doesn't embrace it, I'm not going to come."
Food trucks have caused concerns among some downtown Scranton restaurant owners, who complained it's not fair that they pay taxes and food truck owners don't.
At a meeting last week, Scranton City Council introduced new rules that would require food trucks to park farther from restaurants, ban them from operating overnight and increase their annual license fee.
While food trucks don't pay taxes, Mr. Bevilacqua said he and other owners have expensive startup costs and operating expenses and pay fees and permit costs. He said his cuisine doesn't compete with restaurants in Scranton because it's different. He sells food like pork tacos and surf-and-turf cheese steaks.
"We are a different brand," he said. "We don't feel we really take customers from other establishments. We bring them into the city."
Mr. Bell said he believes the debate over food trucks comes down to competition, which some people like and some don't.
"I think it makes it better. You have to do better than the other guy," he said. "I can't see how someone can just say 'Go away' and they can just shut my truck down. This is not a hobby. This is what I do for a living. They think we're not legitimate because we're on four wheels, which isn't true. We're putting out good food."
Leslie Collins, executive director of Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit community and economic development organization, has been meeting with owners of restaurants and food trucks to try to reach a compromise that is best for everyone.
"There is absolutely room for both brick-and-mortar restaurants and food vendors," she said. "It's great to always have options for your customers. I think it can be worked out by sitting down and having an open conversation."
Some food trucks already operate in Wilkes-Barre. As long as food truck owners pay a license fee, they are allowed to work in Wilkes-Barre for the year, said Ted Kross, director of the Wilkes-Barre Health Department. The initial cost for a license fee for food trucks in Wilkes-Barre is $300 and $250 for the following year, Mr. Kross said. For an ice cream truck, it's $300 initially and $150 each year after that, he said.
Notis Valvas of Notis the Gyro King food truck is not opposed to more food trucks coming to the area, saying, "Everybody should have the opportunity to survive."
Mark Bronsburg, owner of Mimmo's Pizza on Public Square, however, said when food trucks are set up on Public Square for events, it hurts business at restaurants, especially when the food trucks sell the same type of food. He also said it's also a problem that food trucks don't pay taxes. If something is wrong, he pointed out they could leave while restaurants can't.
He recalled some hot dog and hamburger food trucks set up right in front of a former Burger Barn on Public Square which, he said, was a "slap in the face."
"If you're going to bring something in, bring something different," Mr. Bronsburg said. "They have to put some thought in it and talk to restaurant owners. There has to be an equal playing field. Don't just pull in front of my place and park your truck."
Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com