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Augusta Commissioners Consider New Food Truck Ordinance – Here’s What That Could Look Like

Author Darasha

Food trucks have become a huge trend around the nation in the past few years, especially right here in Augusta.

With the huge growth, Augusta Commissioners are taking a look at changes to regulate the operations of food trucks in the Augusta area. This comes about as a way to make sure each truck is certified of what it’s supposed to have at events like the Saturday Market on the River.

There is currently a food truck ordinance in place, but they are looking for a new ordinance to bypass any issues when checking for credentials.

The only thing food trucks in Augusta are required to have according to the current ordinance, that came about in 2012, is a business license and your truck must be attached to an address to have as a base point.

Here are some of the proposals for the new ordinance:

Food trucks can not be parked in front of fire hydrants.

Trucks can’t be parked in front of tree trunks.

Owners of the food truck have to be 15 feet from business and service entrances, like if parked near a gas station, store, etc.

The committee is hoping to come about with the fairest stipulations in the ordinance.

This past Tuesday, October 31, commissioners met to speak more on the ordinance and discussed possibly soon requiring a decal to be displayed in each food truck. The purpose of the decal is to make it easier to see which businesses has the required business licenses.  The largest issue is quickly identifying licensed and authorized food trucks at local events, so the decal would be to address that concern.

It would be a blue Georgia-shaped decal and the decal would mean that the truck has:

  • A business license
  • It has been inspected by the health department
  • The truck has gone trough a fire inspection
  • The decal would come for $5 and be good for one year.

This is the current ordinance for food trucks in Augusta.

Free Food - Restaurant Chains Where Free Food Is Part Of The Meal

You’ve always heard that the best things in life are free. Dine out at a restaurant, and you’ll understand why. So many great restaurants offer free food with your meal. And who doesn’t love free food? Items like freshly baked bread, chips and salsa, hushpuppies, peanuts, and items like that prior to getting your meal.

Restaurants That Offer Free Pre-Meal Food

  • All Mexican restaurants- Chips and Salsa
  • Outback Steak House – Wheat Bread
  • French Market Grille West – Bread
  • Logan’s Road House – Peanuts
  • Old McDonald Fish Camp – The Grits and Hushpuppies
  • Bonefish Grill- The Bread

While yes, it is getting more and more expensive to eat out these days, these pre-meal items like bread or chips and salsa are a treat.  Why do they give us this free goodness?  For most, they don’t want you sitting there bored while you wait for your food. And the other reason? It’s about sales.  While you are sitting there enjoying the free bread, peanuts, or other items, they are hoping you will have another beer or mixed drink.

According to mymoneywizard.com, here are some facts about eating out:

  • Number of times per week the average American eats out: 4 to 5 times a week, not including breakfast.
  • The average amount spent is $36 per person.
  • One couple’s cost of eating out, per week, according to the first two statistics is $324.00.
  • The average tip is about 18%.
  • Americans spent $2.36 billion dollars more on eating out at restaurants than buying groceries.

So where can you get free food with your meal? Here are the top best deals.

  • #5-Moe's Southwest Grill

    When you eat at Moe’ Southwest Grill, you get a side of chips and salsa for free with every order. They offer three complimentary salsa options to choose from. Mild, two medium-heat options and El Guapo salsa that consists of all-natural fire roasted tomatoes.

  • #4-Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

    Cracker Barrel’s policy is to include bread, either biscuits or corn muffins with your meal. If you want to get the bread before your meal, you just have to ask.  They will also bring more if you would like.  Get that jelly too.  

  • #3-Red Lobster

     The Un-Real good Cheddar Bay Biscuits were introduced in 1992 when they replaced hush puppies with the cheddar biscuits.  If you wanna do these at home, Red Lobsters sells a baking mix and frozen version of their Cheddar Bay Biscuits. They can be found at various supermarkets.

  • #2-Olive Garden

    It’s probably the biggest reason we go to Olive Garden.  The Never-Ending Soup, Salad and Breadsticks. Olive Garden offers dine-in customers free refills of breadsticks, house salad with Italian dressing, and a choice of four soups. Options include Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone, Pasta e Fagioli, and Chicken Gnocchi.

  • #1-Texas Roadhouse

    Texas Roadhouse, not only famous for its hand-cut steaks, But those made-from-scratch dinner rolls are beloved almost as much as the steak.  Now if the rolls couldn’t get any better, they also offer the honey cinnamon butter for spreading and dipping. The rolls and butter are so popular, Texas Roadhouse released a honey cinnamon butter scented candle online for $15.

Darasha Singleton is a native of Augusta, Georgia who serves as the Digital Content Coordinator at Beasley Media Group. If you think there is nothing to do in Augusta, check her posts! You're sure to find something to do. Aside from work, Darasha enjoys going to the Saturday Market on the River and any local festivals.

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