What States are most concession friendly?

My wife and I are brand new to the board and just recently purchased our very first concession trailer, that's the good part.....The bad part is that we currently live in So California and found that this State makes it very difficult to operate such a venture if not impossible. We were looking at maybe relocating to another area and were curious if certain States are better than others when it comes to running a concession trailer? We appreciate any ideas and look forward to meeting some good board members.

Capt

Depends on set-up and type of food. Are you talking weekend festivals or everday set up for the trailer. Fully self- contained or not. Some states require food handling license of some sort and the local codes as far as county and state are different. You might be able to get your ducks in a row for the state but locally cannot set-up. You can research this yourself. Some out put on your part is required to some extent. I can say that things are fine (easy) here but do not know if you want to relocate to this area. Internet is wonderful for fast info from gov. sites, state all the way to local. If you cannot get much local call code dept. for info for their area. Full of info. Might sound gruff but I'm really not. Read and use the search at the top of page. Best to zero on location first and then go from there. Where do you want to go?

Just to give you an idea on what we're planning as far as our operation, My wife comes from a very remote village in Thailand which is located very near the Bridge over river Kwai. She was able to recreate several recipes that were once the main diet of POW's in the railroad camp i.e. Deep fried bananas, deep fried sweet potato chips with a sticky and sweet coating, fresh mango with sticky sweet rice which has a sweet coating and several other items along with several drinks such as fresh coconut juice and Thai iced tea. We have also decided that a portion of all our sales will be donated to a few POW and MIA charities. We hope that dishes from the Asian jungle will be a success, time will tell!

Thanks CG for the input, like I said this board is new to use so forgive the ignorance. I would prefer a location that could be stationary to avoid the break down every day but that's not really a major factor, I'm thinking maybe Florida or Texas. Thanks again and I'll play around with that search button!


Capt

Loved the movie Sir Alex was unreal. Classic. Why not just do Thai food,street food that people can order and walk around with. Know there are limitations with all they eat. But Thai food is big in cities and elsewhere. Then do what you are talking about at festivals and military reunions. Do not know if that would go everyday. Most people aren't old enough to have seen the movie or have studied history.

Florida is totally schizo. state has one set of basic regulations, but each county and sometime each town in that county is free to their own version of those same regulations. The things I can get away with in my little town is not the same as orlando or kissimmee which is very anti-street sales.

Geez no disrespect meant but I don't think I'd go to far in reminding people that this is the food our POW's were allowed to have in a time of War. Thai food, Thia street food is cool but from what I have read and watched on the history channel our POW's had the worst of rations and hundreds died of malnutrition. There were two cemeteries, one with 1,500 graves and one with 168 graves, not all American or British. They were serving our guys boiled grass for gods sake. Stay away from any mention of the Bridge over river Kwai, unless you want a riot on your hands.By the way I know the movie was far from the truth but still that's not in anyway shape or form a good idea for a theme for any food service in this country. Thai street treats is very cool think about that for awhile.

quote:

Originally posted by captcraig

Just to give you an idea on what we're planning as far as our operation, My wife comes from a very remote village in Thailand which is located very near the Bridge over river Kwai. She was able to recreate several recipes that were once the main diet of POW's in the railroad camp i.e. Deep fried bananas, deep fried sweet potato chips with a sticky and sweet coating, fresh mango with sticky sweet rice which has a sweet coating and several other items along with several drinks such as fresh coconut juice and Thai iced tea. We have also decided that a portion of all our sales will be donated to a few POW and MIA charities. We hope that dishes from the Asian jungle will be a success, time will tell!

The Dr of BBQ posted:

===... I don't think I'd go to far in reminding people that this is the food our POW's were allowed to have in a time of War. Thai street food is cool... ... our POW's had the worst of rations and hundreds died of malnutrition... ... They were serving our guys boiled grass for gods sake... ...that's not in anyway shape or form a good idea for a theme for any food service in this country. Thai street treats is very cool think about that for awhile.===

Dear Capt. Craig,

I'm pretty sure that the POW's under Japanese captivity did not eat anything like those dishes. No, they were served raw fish with rice and soy sauce. They used wild ginger, which helped cover the taste.

I'm thinking about a scene in The Simpsons where Pricipal Skinner recalls the food that was served in his prison camp "It was a thin broth with flavored grass, coconut milk, strange herbs and seasonings. Haven't been able to duplicate that recipe since..."

The history lesson on the truck isn't the right approach. During WWII, not even the citizens of Thailand probably ate that well either. I'm willing to bet that France was the only country that did okay under axis occupation.

I think that calling your operation 'A Bridge to the Kwai River.' would be a good play on the name of the film and your wife's cultural and culinary heritage. Go for simple, authentic and unique food, representitive of the region where she is from.
What many folks do not realize is that Thai food, just like ours and any other country has its own distinct regions. Play up that difference.
But no matter what region you are from, you must serve Pad Thai noodles....

mark

Well have to say that thai curry different heat levels, they mentioned sticky rice(asian), fried bananas and fried sweet potatoes. Pork is her regions meat being from the north. Even the dishes from boat vendors. Brings back so many unreal tastes. Lived in parts of asia at different times and believe the food would work. Noodle dishes, can see the lunch take out now. But back to their main question on moving to a different location. Have to be close to true asian markets for goods also. They are looking at TX or FL. anyone want to chime in on certain states for them to look at. Granted probally won't be in your own back yard.

Tn is pretty good at this point. Knoxville and Nashville, Big schools and if could do cheap students would buy as would working people. College students love cheap noodle food. Then again local code for placement.

i think you should check out oregon.
i had a hot dog concession trailer, lucyshotdogs.com, in eugene oregon, and it was pretty easy to get my business going.
i know that portland oregon has many food trailer and carts in the downtown area.

i have recently moved to santa cruz calif., and so far it seems that there are alot of regulations that one has to jump through. it really sucks!!!
i will keep roadfoods posted on my progress

Once again thanks for all the in put! I actually lived in Nashville for a few years and really like it there, this may very well be an option. Regarding the food, these dishes were in fact a large portion of the camps diets, we've done a lot of research as well as visited the area many times and I can assure you these dishes were consumed on a regular basis. This theme is only being planned at fairs or festivals and not on a daily menu. DJ....Good luck on your venture, California is way out there on the demands (we even got grief on the window size of our trailer), and it seems many cities or counties will not allow any type of set up or even allow you to store your equipment within their city limits. We have ours stored in a storage yard and they want a form signed by all tenants stating that they are aware that a food concession trailer is being stored there (why I don't know). It sounds crazy I know (that's the same thing I thought).

I am here in Nashville, and your idea may work because of the diversity here. And believe it or not people in Chattanooga like thai food. you can always find some at festivals. Also chattanooga has very little as far as street food. I spent 12 years there before coming to Nashville.

quote:

Originally posted by captcraig

Once again thanks for all the in put! I actually lived in Nashville for a few years and really like it there, this may very well be an option. Regarding the food, these dishes were in fact a large portion of the camps diets, we've done a lot of research as well as visited the area many times and I can assure you these dishes were consumed on a regular basis. This theme is only being planned at fairs or festivals and not on a daily menu. DJ....Good luck on your venture, California is way out there on the demands (we even got grief on the window size of our trailer), and it seems many cities or counties will not allow any type of set up or even allow you to store your equipment within their city limits. We have ours stored in a storage yard and they want a form signed by all tenants stating that they are aware that a food concession trailer is being stored there (why I don't know). It sounds crazy I know (that's the same thing I thought).

captgraig can email (Pdf format TN healh laws) have to work on local youself. 90 miles N of me. Let me know. Mild winters and cheap cost of living

I am a bit confused as to if this is an authenticity discussion, or a selling point issue.

Thai is very popular street food. If you wife is well-versed in tradition, and is recipe-rich, I would just leave it at that.

I would NEVER use the rest of the story, as a marketing or selling point, anywhere. It could be offesive to some, and just a general turn-off, for others.

As a consumer, do I look for authentic POW camp fare, from back in the day? Hell no! Would I be interested in some authentic Thai street food fare? Absolutely!

Charitable donations are a very nice idea. This can and should be done in discreet fashion, without any publicity to the fact or tying it into a marketing strategy or selling point. This could actually create a reverse effect. People want to casually enjoy a meal. They do not want to be engaged in or privy to a controversial political history lesson/debate, with their noodles.

quote:

Originally posted by captcraig

Regarding the food, these dishes were in fact a large portion of the camps diets, we've done a lot of research as well as visited the area many times and I can assure you these dishes were consumed on a regular basis.

Now you've peaked my interest.And I'm in no hurry,but if and when you get time send me a link to any source or sources that deals with this issue (prison camp food in the area of the Bridge over river Kwai). It's not that I doubt your word it's just that I know our country not unlike a lot of others fill our heads with a great deal of BS and I love to read, both sides, versions of many topics. In fact just send it to my email address so your thread can get beyond this part of your thread.
Thanks
Jack
DrofBBQ@sbcglobal.net