PORTLAND, Maine — The city of Portland held a food truck lottery Wednesday morning via Zoom to select 10 food trucks to receive spots at the Eastern Promenade park this summer. The lottery was a random drawing among 15 food trucks, which resulted in five businesses losing a spot.
The 10 food truck businesses that won the lottery include Cargo Pizza Company, George's North Shore, Falafel Mafia, Vy Banh Mi, La Mega, Tacos La Poblanita, Gelato Fiasco, Twist, BOGS Bakery, and On A Roll.
The five food trucks that didn't make the cut included Mr. Tuna, Maine Maple Creemee Co., Eighty 8 Donuts, Cheese the Day, and Ironclad Eats. Ironclad Eats co-applied for a spot with Cheese the Day.
The Portland Press Herald reported that this food truck lottery drawing is part of a pilot program to allow 10 food trucks to park at the middle-level parking lot on Cutter Street at the Eastern Promenade park rather than along the Eastern Promenade roadway this summer. The decision was announced by Interim City Manager Danielle West in April in response to reported trash and safety concerns at the park.
One person on the Zoom call, whose name was not mentioned, expressed disappointment over the decision to hold a lottery, stating the "rules for this weren't even created until after the application process was closed."
Jordan Rubin, owner and chef of Mr. Tuna, shared how he believed the decision would negatively affect his business and employees this summer.
"This is really disappointing ... There goes our business," Rubin said on the Zoom. "This is devastating. Absolutely devastating. We are going to have to lay off six to 10 people because of this lottery. Six to 10 people that [won’t] have jobs anymore because of this lottery.”
A person with Falafel Mafia also showed disappointment but remained hopeful that the city of Portland will take the comments and concerns into consideration.
"There must be some way to make more space in that lower lot," the Falafel Mafia member said. "We all know how big that lot is, and it shouldn’t be excluding anyone who’s been operating up there for so long … I think we all can agree that we can make space for our neighbors who have built the spot with us. We are hopeful the city is open to hearing us out and trying to make it work. It’s going to be really hard for the whole community if this is how it is going to be."
"I will be sure to take your feedback back to the city manager," Jessica Grondin, a spokesperson for the city of Portland, responded in the Zoom. "I know if we can increase spaces she is open to that. I’m sure we will have someone get back in touch with you all.”
Food truck businesses that have served the Eastern Promenade park in the past were not taken into consideration over newer faces in the lottery drawing.
Local citizen Sara Meehl started a Change.org petition Wednesday to show support for the left-out food trucks. The petition has nearly 5,000 signatures as of 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
"Please join us in letting Portland City Officials know that the food trucks that made the Eastern Prom location the food scene that it is should not be pushed out of our local parks," Meehl wrote in the petition description.
On Wednesday evening it was announced in a letter sent to media outlets from a firm representing Mr. Tuna that a protest will be held on Thursday.
The food truck protest, held by Mr. Tuna and their colleagues, will take place at Portland City Hall at 9 a.m. The trucks will be parked in front of the building, "demanding an answer from the city," the letter stated.
The pilot program is set to launch on June 15. The City of Portland will continue to receive and consider feedback about the possibility of increasing space in the lot.