Food truck’s summertime sales kept restaurant owner afloat
Kitchener program would allow food truck owners to set up in residential areas as pandemic continues
Restaurant owners Dulce Baptista and her husband Ed Sowa would have been forced to close their business permanently if it wasn’t for the extra money they made from their food truck.
The pair shut down their restaurant — Breakfast, Blues & BBQs — on Victoria Street South for the summer last year to concentrate on their food truck business.
There were not enough customers to keep both open and they had to let go of their staff of 10.
The pair started the food truck business nine years ago and opened the restaurant three years ago.
Selling burgers, poutine, french fries and pulled pork on a bun from their food truck kept their business afloat. They are hoping they can do it again this summer as the pandemic continues.
“We survived because of the food truck last summer. It helped us make it through,” Baptista said. “It is about survival right now.”
The restaurant is currently open for curbside pickup.
The couple is looking forward to another busy food truck season and expect to have their truck ready by early May.
In an attempt to support small businesses, the City of Kitchener began a pilot project last year that lets food
trucks set up in residential areas, including near parks, schools and high-density neighbourhoods.
The same proposal to operate in residential areas without special permits is going before a committee meeting next week and needs council approval to go ahead.
Helen Fylactou, Kitchener’s manager of licensing, said before the pandemic food trucks were only allowed in residential areas if they were part of an organized event.
But with public health measures in place and the restrictions on special events, food trucks needed support.
Baptista said that having the city allow food trucks in the parking lots of community centre helped drum up business.
Baptista said they also set up in school parking lots and churches, but instead of five trucks typically at special events before the pandemic, last year there were only one or two trucks.
“You have to make sure people are safe and obey the rules, and make a buck too,” she said.
Fylactou said last year the city renewed 25 licences for food trucks.
Application deadlines have been extended until June 30 for others wanting to sell food from a truck.
So far, 10 truck owners have submitted applications.
The city is also allowing two food trucks in Victoria Park. The current location is near the playground but with the Boathouse closed, another truck will be allowed in the park, the city report said.
Licensed food trucks will be able to operate in residential areas between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. They can’t be within 200 metres of an existing restaurant or 500 metres of another food truck.
Liz Monteiro is a Waterloo Region-based general assignment reporter for The Record. Reach her via email: lmonteiro@therecord.com