slate, the food truck situation

[drizzle]

My biggest fear with the slate is that it will turn out like a food truck. In my experience, food trucks tend to charge high prices and serve just okay food, but they don't offer amenities like bathrooms, waitstaff, or the accommodations that real restaurants do. Despite this, they still charge the same prices for food as if it were somehow always better, and they still expect tips as well, just for the cherry on top.

 

[AeroWolf]

Near me the Food Truck prices are exuberantly high for quantity and quality. I have a work colleague that owns/operates a Food Truck at a nearby brewery I frequent. I have at times brought a McD's bag to make a point on that issue.

I think Slate brining back a vehicle that does not track you and simple to operate and repair could be a major item for high middle class families and small fleet operators. As long as they can keep the base truck at $25k. I think they have a better than even chance of success.

It would take the Fed letting in low tariff Chinese product dumping, or Slate investors letting themselves be bought out by a Big 3 company to kill it.

 

[cadblu]

Craziest mod for the Slate Truck

 

[ScooterAsheville]

There sure are a lot of Slate sales narratives (both pro and con, and I've spun some myself) on this site.

I would posit that trying to predict the behavior of 15.5 million annual American auto buyers in a highly uncertain future (CY 2027 and beyond) is an exercise in futility. What will gasoline cost? What will Slate cost? Will tens of millions lose jobs in a recession, possibly more if AI happens? What will the competition look like in 2027? Behind closed doors, is Slate executing well on the plan?

If you know the answers to all those questions (and many more) with absolute certainty, then you need to stop wasting time on this forum and go get rich founding a hedge fund.

 

[IanNubbit]

My biggest fear with the slate is that it will turn out like a food truck. In my experience, food trucks tend to charge high prices and serve just okay food, but they don't offer amenities like bathrooms, waitstaff, or the accommodations that real restaurants do. Despite this, they still charge the same prices for food as if it were somehow always better, and they still expect tips as well, just for the cherry on top.

So your fear is that they will deliberately lie about the price and affordability?

 

[SparkYellow]

I appreciate food trucks as they bring food to locations that are inconvenient/impossible for normal restaurants. I don't even expect low prices from food cart vendors. The equity in their business is literally sweat. Extra tips justified. An ice cream van started coming to my neighborhood recently and it's the highlight of my day. Today I will try to get some hot churros.

Good point though, what do we expect from Slate? I am only familiar with new vehicles in the lower 20s and expect something close, solid like the older (2017 and before) Mazdas. Nothing fancy or refined. 😳

 

[RedJoker]

An ice cream van started coming to my neighborhood recently and it's the highlight of my day. Today I will try to get some hot churros.

I don't know what it is but I've been hearing imaginary ice cream trucks everywhere! I hear our windchimes (that have been up for years) and think, "Is that an ice cream truck?!?" I was running on the bike path through a small farm town and heard some faint church bells off in the distance. "Is that an ice cream truck?!?!" Living in a rural area, we don't have ice cream trucks but apparently my soul NEEDS one.

I dunno man....

 

[atx_ev]

My biggest fear with the slate is that it will turn out like a food truck. In my experience, food trucks tend to charge high prices and serve just okay food, but they don't offer amenities like bathrooms, waitstaff, or the accommodations that real restaurants do. Despite this, they still charge the same prices for food as if it were somehow always better, and they still expect tips as well, just for the cherry on top.

food trucks are typically much cheaper than restaurants in my area.

 

[beatle]

Our ice cream truck has nice people and very lousy soft serve. Probably a blessing in disguise as I don't need good soft serve it to be any easier for me to get.

I used to frequent food trucks that came by my office building. The food was pretty decent, but also expensive, and there was often a very long line. The cost in time and value just wasn't there, so I stopped going.

I think OP is referring to the Slate being nearly as expensive as its upcoming competition, but without many of the features. But Slate also seems to be missing out marketing some of the things that they can poke other manufacturers in the eye over though with their complicated feature/bug-rich offerings and costly paint.

"Like adjusting your HVAC through a touch screen while you drive? We don't either. That's why the Slate has knobs. They just work."

"Your phone doesn't lag, why should your vehicle? Your favorite tech is Slate's favorite tech."

"Real trucks don't wear makeup."

 

[SparkYellow]

I don't know what it is but I've been hearing imaginary ice cream trucks everywhere! I hear our windchimes (that have been up for years) and think, "Is that an ice cream truck?!?" I was running on the bike path through a small farm town and heard some faint church bells off in the distance. "Is that an ice cream truck?!?!" Living in a rural area, we don't have ice cream trucks but apparently my soul NEEDS one.

I dunno man....

For me it's because I didn't get enough as a child. 😭 If my parents always walked me to the truck to order what I wanted, I probably wouldn't get this excited as a grownup.

While in school there was a Chinese food truck on the street by my dorm. Msg wasn't such a a big deal and I would usually fall asleep after dogging down mapo tofu with rice. I miss that.

 

[enigma9o7]

In my experience, food trucks tend to charge high prices and serve just okay food, but they don't offer amenities like bathrooms, waitstaff, or the accommodations that real restaurants do. Despite this, they still charge the same prices for food as if it were somehow always better, and they still expect tips as well, just for the cherry on top.

Near me the Food Truck prices are exuberantly high for quantity and quality. I have a work colleague that owns/operates a Food Truck at a nearby brewery I frequent. I have at times brought a McD's bag to make a point on that issue.

What you're paying for when you buy food from a truck is convenience, because it's located where you are. With a restaurant, you must go to it.

There are food trucks that cost more or less than restaurants, and restaurants that cost more or less than food trucks. Its up to you how to spend your money; you can travel to a restaurant and pay more/less if that's what you want to do. No connection to Slate trucks tho.

McDonalds, however, that place has gotten crazy expensive lately. And if I want to use the bathroom there, I gotta stand 10 mnutes at the counter waiting for someone to appear so they can unlock it for me or gve me the code. No thanks, I'd rather piss behind the food truck.

 

[beatle]

Actually, I hope Slate does take the food truck situation, but only if it's the situation from 10-15 years ago. Food trucks used to mean accessible and simple. Now they're largely a luxury convenience without the quality to back it up.

Food trucks have risen in prices over the past 10-15 years due to expensive permitting/inspections/equipment, ingredient/labor costs, and trying to be "gourmet" with too many components. It doesn't matter how much truffle aioli and microgreens you put on a dried out sandwich.