Bottle tax: Nothing new there. Sale-priced cases of bottled water get a steep return policy as each bottle adds a little more to the state coffers. Maybe someone should go through home recycling bins and see what a good job the plastic water drinkers are doing about recycling. They don’t even get the nickel back!

What about the person who walks into a bagel shop and wants the bagel to go, but “please cut it first.” No problem: There’s a tax for that! Yes, New York legislators (AKA, Albany) have figured out a way to add more dough to the tax pile. A whole bagel is only free of excise if you take it to go. If you’re thinking a bagel, a schmear, and some wi-fi, you’re adding money to the limited state coffers. BTW, sliced loaves of bakery bread are free of this extra change charge; at least for now!

How else is everyone coping? Lots of small restaurants, which are struggling considerably during this personal cash-strapped economic doom and gloom, are posting signs that the days of credit cards are over. Cash only, please. That’s an easy one to get. Small businesses wind up giving away huge chunks of money to credit card companies. This is their private crusade. Consumers can find their local ATM branch (otherwise, the “other” bank will add insult to injury) and get cash to help the small guy stay in business.

In a city like New York, cash only has been a common refuge for many small businesses over the years, not just now during this latest downturn. Often the surprise of no credit cards comes at the end of the meal when the bill is stamped, Cash Only. Nothing new with the policy just the increased prevalence!

Let’s think about some other taxes we can help states implement:

–One that would have an immediate following is the sit tax as in, hey, you’ve been sitting at that table too long, and I have nowhere to sit and eat lunch. Unplug and go or cough up $10. That has real possibilities.

–How about charging people for sticking their fingers in the olives at the olive bar, double-dipping at the chip and guacamole taste platter, or ignoring the clean implement pile and tossing the used toothpick on the platter instead of the trash can? Maybe a tasting fee with a little napkin might help the store avoid the health police.

The free lunch is over. Slicing my bagel, seriously, do you just have a plastic knife?

Hard times. Thanks, Dickens.

Tags: life, trends

A single good idea often sits alone, but invite a competitor to the arena and things can change. Look at how smart Starbucks was when they scouted out locations. They applied real estate models to determine which corners would explode with customers and create long lines. In many cities, vacant nearby spaces quickly became rival coffee shops. Why not! If the coffee shop explosion proved anything, then the old maxim, competition makes business applies to the current turf wars.

Yes, the explosion of truck-based food emporiums has been a major draw for many cities this summer. Even Chicago which has been happy with its red hot concessions now has an ordinance up for discussion. Food trucks may become a reality for that food-obsessed environ, but why are they waiting til the snow is piled up?

This past week Washington DC showed its appreciation for the lobster truck. After numerous delays, the Brooklyn business, the Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck, finally opened the flood gates of just arrived, trucked-in Maine lobster. Long lines were de norm but complaints were few. Anything beat the constant litany of discussions about the oppressive summer heat.

With good news, sometimes chaos follow. It seems truck turf wars have become a problem in some locations. What happens when a lunchtime truck regularly sits on a set location? Is there truck etiquette for the newbie to move away from the spot or is this new gold rush location logic taking over? According to a recent post about such an event in New York, prime real estate proves to be prime real estate.

Remember the old days, OK just a year or so ago, when the main street food option was a hot dog or ice cream stand. That has changed considerably with the broad range of gourmet offerings and the ability to be on the move. Twitter feeds make it easy for the truck food fairs to join “hot” neighborhoods at varying times of the day. Why be in the middle of DC when the action later in the afternoon has shifted corridors? Tweets make it all happen and alert everyone to the where.

Lots of company; lots of competition. Lunch never has to be boring again. So many food options. So many spots.

Tweet.

Tags: life, trends