Taco Trucks Wind Up On Endangered Species List

A turf war of sorts has broken out in the California town of Salinas over a proposed ordnance that would ban taco trucks from operating on city streets. (We worry for area residents who have no control over their late night drunken munchies.) At the heart of the debate is a struggle between Mexican American restaurant owners who set up shop generations ago and newly arrived immigrants who’ve opted to serve the same food on wheels–while supposedly disregarding local laws and having an unfair competitive advantage. By the sound of one restaurateur leading the charge against mobile tacos stands, this isn’t just about tortillas smothered in cheese and beef:

“We all love Mexico, but once you jump on a plane, you leave Mexico behind,” said Antonio Campos, the owner of a Mexican restaurant here. “Once you are in America, you have rules, regulations and standards.”

Toñito el bebito Campos went on to complain,

Taco trucks “should go to the fields and feed the agriculture guys.”

Toñito, no need to get feisty. Haven’t you heard? everybody’s trying to make a living. If you say these nomadic taco guys disregard local laws and have an unfair competitive advantage over you, why not partner with them and give everyone a better taco? No reason the guys in the fields should be the only ones to get the good stuff.

Proposed Ban on Taco Trucks Stirs Animosity in a California Town [NYTimes]