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Food Trucks To Eliminate Napkins Due To High Gas Prices?

Are high gas prices forcing certain Food Trucks to scale back on napkins, forks, sporks, plastic bags and aluminum foil? That's the situation the well-known Kogi BBQ Truck has been facing this past week.

Apparently, some of us food truck scavengers seem to take more napkins, forks, knives and plastic bags than is necessary. With 5 trucks in their fleet, gas prices rising into the summer and utensil consumption at an all time high, Kogi apparently sees the need to scale back on their complimentary napkins and utensils.

In a blog post late last week, the truck's spokespeople announced that "napkins, forks, sporks, plastic bags and aluminum foil" were "mere luxuries," and would no longer be available on their truck.

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We figured that we sell tacos — not utensils, not bags, not napkins.  So we’re gonna continue to sell tacos at $2.10 for as long as we can. - Kogi BBQ Truck

Their logic, albeit saddening from a consumer perspective, was equally sound from an accounting perspective. Keep food prices low by any means necessary.

The response from Kogi fans, and food truck followers in general, was surprisingly mixed.

Some noted the truck's already pricey menu, and the fact that just as the Kogi Truck (and other trucks) face high gas prices, so do the consumers who drive out of their way to patronize their mobile establishments.

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Kogi, along with a slew of supporters, reminded those that were up-in-arms about the changes that Kogi's menu utilizes a host of expensive ingredients and special care, not to be trivialized by a "normal street taco price tag".

Ideally, Kogi could have handled this situation behind closed doors. They could have instituted some slightly higher prices, hid the napkins and rationed them out with the order, offering more to customers who explicitly ask for them. Something.

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Yet, in an age highlighted by blogging, social networking and transparency, they brought the subject up on their blog and opened it up to suggestions from their audience. After some thought and deliberation, the Kogi management announced a rationing process: offering up 1-2 napkins per order.

Their response continued, mentioning that "If there are further complaints, then, again, the people hath spoken, and we shall return the napkins, radishes, oranges, limes, sporks, aluminum foil and bags in exchange for an increase in prices."

At the end of the day, bring to the table delicious food, and people will come. Last year, In-N-Out raised prices, and their lines aren't any shorter than they were the year before. In fact, Women in Texas still cry over In-N-Out.

QUESTION: Food truck connoisseurs, food truck owners, would you rather a price hike on your food, but still get to use a fork and knife when necessary? Or are you open to wiping your greasy hands on those new True Religions your mom/sister/brother/friend/Pauly D bought you?