Starting in July there will be food truck rallies every Thursday at the Gene Leahy Mall in downtown Omaha.
The rallies are possible after the Omaha Food Truck Alliance was formed to work with the City of Omaha.
“It's a great place to get us all together and show the variety of food trucks that we have,” said Brandon Hahn from the Le Casa Pizzeria food truck, and is just one of a dozen that will be a part of the rallies this summer.
President of OFTA, Kelly Keegan, said this rally is the first step in getting food trucks a spot in town.
“The beauty about what we are going in July is we are doing it in collaboration with the city, where people think there is problems with the city and the trucks, there really isn't, we just have some archaic laws and regulations that need to be updated for the food truck culture,” said Keegan.
Food trucks have been dealing with parking laws and some tension with other downtown restaurants who want the trucks to pay restaurant taxes.
“It’s really above the food truck pay grade determining who is going to pay taxes and whose not,” said Keegan.
“With the city all we want is to be legitimate in their eyes and that is what the food truck association is going for,” said Hahn.
Restaurants that are nearby the Gene Leahy Mall are excited for the potentially added business.
“More people out, place to go, not just the old market,” said Jessica Duggan, who owns The Kitchen Table with her husband Colin Duggan.
They think food trucks just add another element to the Omaha area.
“I think it's kind of an exciting thing to see more options for people to eat downtown,” said Colin Duggan.
“We are on the right step, the city want this, we want this, and we want to make sure its legal and happy for everybody,” said Keegan.
