Oxford Cafe Fights Street Trucks With Free Food
It’s no secret that Midtown brick and mortar businesses don’t like street trucks, and we’ve seen them go to great lengths to chase vendors away. Obviously we are completely against calling the cops or moving street planters, but how can we be mad about free food! Yesterday via @aschwartz:
Free dumplings from Oxford Cafe on 52nd and Lex, doing battle with the Rickshaw Truck
It would seem as if the Oxford Cafe is so sick of the Rickshaw Dumpling truck parking in front of their 52nd Street entrance, they decided to get them back by giving away for free the very thing they sell. And apparently it worked. Another lunch’er reported that there was a line down the street for the free dumplings, and the Rickshaw Truck was empty. Ouch.
I think the Street Sweets truck is going to be parked in that spot today… I wonder if Oxford Cafe will be giving out free cookies!
Posted by Amy Cao at 9:30 am, March 17th, 2010 under Street Vendor Issues.
24 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
24 Comments
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I second that..So do bosses that eat it every friday.
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“doing battle”
I like it.
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FOOD WARS!
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My office is right across from Oxford. There is nothing special about the cafe, overpriced food and all. However, GREAT job keeping Rickshaw at the curb.
I should just buy a slice or sandwich at Oxford to commend them. I want the spot to go to a better truck…
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now im going to stalk you.
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Stalk? Pppfffttt. You would sooner stalk the pizza man or organ grinder. ;P
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Two things… The Rickshaw truck isn’t that good and Oxford can’t keep it up.
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Rickshaw doesn’t need much help in keeping the lines empty…I’m not quite sure how they stay in business, quite honestly.
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i dont know anyone that doesnt feel that way.
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The Rickshaw truck and those who run the truck are the worst. I tried that truck once and I got sick to my stomach, if Oxford got rid of them, then good riddance! I work several blocks from Oxford, and not that Oxford is good, they are not, however I think I will go there today and order a steak & lobster dinner and give it the homeless just to support Oxford. I hope other great trucks are not discouraged from coming to 52st or to the hood in general.
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Rickshaw really needs to sell their Bento Box specials on their truck, then it’s totally worth it!
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are dumplings a part of their bento box, cause their dumplings suck.
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When Street Sweets was in the spot last week, I asked if they had any problems getting the spot – they said that Oxford had definitely given them some flack when they pulled up.
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Oxford really isn’t anything I’d miss either since it is a generic deli. I don’t hate Rickshaw but do not think they are worthy of that truck spot and their food isn’t anything I want. Plenty of people would agree.
However, if Oxford chased away Treats Truck or NYC Cravings, protests and riots would definitely ensue!
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Rickshaw dumplings are so awful that it is surprising there is ever anyone in line
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surely oxford’s free dumplings are better than rickshaw’s anyway.
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Hey StreetMeasOnSumer, do you mean Treats Truck, or Street Sweets Truck? Street Sweets is pretty darn good, I have not been to the other, but hear very average things. I do love the trucks over all though. How does that Rickshit truck stay in business?
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I meant Treats Truck – hypothetical – if they ever come back to the area. I don’t really do Street Sweets. They use to be parked right in front of my office when they started too. There are mixed reviews for SS too. I just like TT and their baked goods haven’t disappointed for the most part.
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Well streetmeasOnsumer, at least we agree on one thing, Rickshit Dump can disappear forever and no tears would be shed.
SS is the best sweets truck I’ve tried to date.-
Apropos naming. Love it!
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I think someone on here said it right a few months ago: Rickshaw puts the “dump” in dumplings.
Rickshaw sucks! good job Oxford!