Kat Petersen | The State News

EAST LANSING, MI – As food truck popularity is growing and interest in the different type of vendor is rising, East Lansing has risen to the hype, and it’s bound to make many MSU students and local residents pleased.

Last week, the East Lansing City Council passed a policy resolution allowing for two food trucks in the downtown area, on Albert Avenue between Division and Charles streets. The city council will re-evaluate the food trucks next July to decide whether or not they will continue with the new project.

Lansing’s Old Town has seen success with their food trucks over the past year, according to Old Town Commercial Association Executive Director Louise Gradwohl.

If these vendors have proven to be favorable just a few minutes away from downtown East Lansing, there is no reason they won’t have similar luck here. Some students have shown a liking for El Oasis, a Mexican food truck in Lansing, and The Purple Carrot, a truck serving local grown food in the Lansing area, to name a few.

Of course, like any food establishment, the success of East Lansing’s food trucks will rely on how good the food is. With so many restaurants and available places to eat, the food trucks will have some steep competition with local restaurants that already have an established rapport with students and residents.

And apparently, many of those established restaurants aren’t happy with East Lansing’s latest addition.

Aaron Weiner, general manager of Buffalo Wild Wings, told The State News (“City council votes to allow food trucks in E.L.” SN 7/11) he isn’t happy with food trucks being allowed in the area.

“We’ll be competing with someone who doesn’t share in many of the costs that we do,” he said. “It’s a very hot issue nationwide in the restaurant business right now for good reason. There’s not a single restaurant owner in the downtown area who thought this would be fair.”

Find the entire article at The State News <here>