Downtown restaurants might not be getting fair shake
It was a Wednesday in mid-August. Around noon. And the restaurant owner was pitching a fit.
Something about York City officials doing him no favors when they approved the location of not one, but two, hot dog carts within spitting distance of his front door.
“They forget who’s paying taxes and who isn’t,” he said. “And they forget that because of Central Market days on Tuesday and Thursday, restaurant owners in the first three blocks of North George Street (in downtown York) have to make their money on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, plus weekends, if they’re open then.”
Especially in the summer months, I said. “That’s right.” And especially during lunch when workers in the downtown area are out and about. “That’s exactly right,” he said. Then he added something about making hay while the sun shines.
It’s not easy, I said. “No, it’s not easy,” he replied. “And the city doesn’t make it any easier.”
Maybe, but what’s the alternative? Should the city ban hot dog vendors from operating on downtown streets? Maybe the city should stop encouraging potential restaurants from locating on “Restaurant Row” on North George Street if they’re also going to allow hot dog vendors to operate on the streets. Or maybe they should give the permanent restaurants a break on their property taxes.
I counted the number of restaurants. Three in the first block. Three in the second block - plus one that shut down last year. And two more in the third block north of the Continental Square. This is the city’s Restaurant Row. That’s how the city promotes the area.
But as you read this, one had disappeared altogether, one is shut down, three others are holding on by their fingertips and the rest are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances.
Then add two hot dog vendors to the mix on the same street. Hey, we have a free-market system. I support that. And I totally agree that competition should determine the winners and losers in any business environment. Let the best restaurants win.
That said, profitability for a restaurant is a delicate thing. A few dollars here and a few there can make a huge difference.
Plus, the hot dog vendors get to set up right on the heaviest walking traffic areas. There is an advantage in that.
And you just know that the hot dog vendors aren’t going to make an appearance during the three or four coldest months of the year, when it’s darned difficult to find workers willing to venture outside in search of lunch.
I don’t know what the answer is, but I’ll say this much. The restaurant owners have made a significant investment in their buildings, their equipment and their employees. And if they can’t make a profit - for whatever reason - they’re going to be forced to shut down or move elsewhere.
Which, in the end, could leave downtown workers with few options for lunch - in a worst-case scenario, two hot dog stands for two-thirds of the year.
There is a limit to the number of hot dogs one person can eat in a week.
So I’ll be packing lunch. Or driving out to the suburbs.