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sad news: yalla truck now serving meat.
36March 14th, 2011LA restaurants, yalla trucksad news, my friends. the old quarrygirl favorite, yalla truck, is no longer vegetarian. now, along with their delicious (and harmless) falafel, they are serving up full on bird flesh.
this is especially gutting, because we LOVED the fact that they were a meatless business…
PLUS, their vegan sandwiches were amazing! we even invited them to the last vegan beer fest, where jesus became a yalla fan.
not much else to say, but this really sucks. the falafel at yalla is still awesome, and they’ve confirmed that it’s cooked on a totally separate grill from the meat (score!)…but a part of me died inside when i saw they’d turned into a meat truck.
RIP, my old favorite truck! and RIP all the poor chickens.
Tags: food truck
36 responses to “sad news: yalla truck now serving meat.” 
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That sucks! Ugh that totally grosses me out! 🙁
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That is always disappointing to see, but at least they are still in business and serving some food a vegan can eat. I guess there aren’t enough vegan customers to pay the bills… Did you inquire as to the reason?
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Randy Raphael March 14th, 2011 at 21:34
This totally sucks!!! I’ve been known to drive all the way across town for Yalla Truck. I don’t know if I’ll be so eager to support them, now… I love their falafel, and I know I can still get my favorite vegan meal there, but this is sad…
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trishells March 14th, 2011 at 22:17
adding meat to the menu is not the answer. how about just making GOOD FOOD? at the vegan beer fest they refused to sell me a half order of falafel balls (3) which is sad because i WANTED TO GIVE THEM MY $ but was so full. so instead i took a couple of their free samples of falafel which was not (imho) tasty and ended up trashed. i personally think (sadly) if their veg food was tastier they could have succeeded without needing to stray to a no veg menu.
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It’s true, if the food is good and doesn’t cost more than a similar non-vegan dish, omnivores will buy it. People need variety, but there’s certainly enough choices using plant-based ingredients.
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If you’re going to refuse to support this truck because they now serve meat, you should boycott Whole Foods, Toms shoes, or any other company that also sells both vegan and nonvegan items. Idealism doesn’t pay the bills, and I totally understand why this truck added meat.
I have been a devoted vegan for 9 years, maybe that’s why I don’t get my panties in a bunch so much anymore.
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It would be more beneficial to continue patronizing them and applaud them for cooking the meat separately.
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Cortney March 15th, 2011 at 05:54
I agree completely Zoe. Probably part of why they are adding the meat is because they need to increase their customer base- vegans are a very, very small percentage of the buying population. Giving up Yalla truck because they serve meat alongside their vegan products (which are cooked on a separate grill) just further reinforces the idea to restaurants and other food vendors that vegans are too damn hard to please so why try.
Instead of just saying “eww, they sold out and sell meat!” we should be thinking “maybe the only way they can stay in business and keep serving me delicious vegan falafel is if they increase their customer base with meat”.
And you’re spot on about all the companies you listed. It seems that the “avoid it if they sell meat” argument is very, very micro, and not macro. It’s not even large enough to encompass restaurants sometimes, because many restaurants on this site sell meat/dairy/eggs as well as vegan items but most people don’t talk about avoiding them…
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quarrygirl March 15th, 2011 at 06:16
hey everyone, just to make it clear: i NEVER said to boycott yalla or anything. i just think it was worth updating the blog with this bad news…because before i raved about how they were all meatless and stuff.
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Yep. But it seems to me it would be far easier for a vegetarian RESTAURANT to do well than it would be for a vegetarian food truck, since many of us vegetarians will gladly either go to or order delivery from a vegetarian restaurant, whereas we won’t go chasing after a food truck, LOL. So glad we don’t see Veggie Grill, Native Foods, Truly, Green Leaves, Bulan Thai, et al. adding meat to their menus! : )
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It’s sad indeed, I had a great experience with them at the Vegan Beer Fest and I hope to be able to continue to patronize them when I can. I wish vegans were more of a customer base such that the food truck boom would have more dedicated options. Seabirds has managed to do it but they seem to be the only one. I agree that having awesome vegan options is the way to go – most of the time omnis won’t notice what’s NOT there – I hope Yalla continues to serve vegan friendly fare and finds it to be profitable enough to maintain.
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yalla truck March 15th, 2011 at 08:13
First and foremost, we are still a Falafel Truck. That is and always will be our staple. We now offer chicken to survive in a very competitive food truck industry. We are facing competition everyday from other trucks with meat as their staple. This switch is out of necessity to stay afloat. For those of you who will no longer support uS for adding meat to the menu…we enjoyed serving you in the past and hope you will have a change of heart in the future. For those who will continue to support us, we assure you that our quality will not be compromised. All falafel and chicken is cooked and prepared separate (Falafel is fried, chicken is grilled). Btw…NONE of us are even Vegetarian. We just promote healthy eating and love us some falafel.
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LOL @ that Jesus pic. I’ve seen him walking down Wilshire Blvd once in Westwood.
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Robert March 15th, 2011 at 12:23
I’ll never understand why Quarry Girl pushes all these businesses that kill and serve animals, like Hugos and others. Why not just promote businesses that have the consciousness and awareness not not serve animals and fish at their restaurants? That’s real community. Just because meat eaters serve a few dishes that don’t contain dead animals in their food doesn’t mean they’re not doing a lot of damage to people’s health and the environment.
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Seeker of the Truth March 15th, 2011 at 14:48
Great idea robert. Maybe you should start your own blog. I look forward to reading your 2 or 3 posts. Tool.
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Robert March 15th, 2011 at 15:46
Oh, that’s right. The “seeker of truth” can’t bare to hear a dissenting opinion so I should not express and start my own blog. Grow up.
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They also raised their prices for the basic falafel sandwiches.
But I’ll still patronize them when they come near my workplace…I’ve yet to find tastier falafel in LA.
It’s impossible to only patronize veg-only businesses. Even “health food” stores like Nature Mart sell meat.
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Robert March 16th, 2011 at 15:04
Chris … that’s patently untrue. Follow Your Heart market in Canoga Park in the Valley doesn’t serve meat, chicken or fish in their restaurant or their market. It’s the most beautiful, magical little establishment around. They do sell cheese, however. Even I do go to Whole Foods on occasion but it’s far from “impossible” when someone wants to do something. I do not patronize ANY restaurants that serve dead animals and I go out to eat two to three times per week. Just an FYI …
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Meredith March 17th, 2011 at 07:37
Just because they are (were) a vegetarian truck doesn’t mean they cater solely to vegans. NO restaurant would stay in business if they didn’t bring in omnivores. That’s one reason Veggie Grill doesn’t use the term vegan – they don’t want to scare away people who might think the food is “weird.” By making GOOD vegan food you can certainly bring in all kinds of people.
While I’ll gladly shop at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or visit vegetarian and omni restaurants, this seems more disappointing in some way. It’s a step backwards in stead of fowards. Even though Whole Foods sells seafood, for example, they are always reaching out and expanding their vegan product line, like having the vegan hot bar in the prepared foods area, or introducing Daiya on their pizza. Caving and selling meat when you previously ran on an all-vegetarian platform does nothing to advance the cause, and actually hurts it. We argue all the time that anyone can easily eat a vegan diet, but it’s like Yalla Truck is now saying, “Oh, I guess it’s just easier for people to eat familiar food like dead birds.”
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This post (and many of the following comments) typify what I hate about being associated with the so-called vegan community.
I’ve been vegan for 13 years and yeah, I was a fascist baby about it for 2 of those years but I grew up. It’s easy to forget when you’re living in a veg. friendly city and you surround yourself with your veg. friends that the majority of people still feel that meatless meals are not filling, tasty, or even nutritional and many could care less about animal rights, the environment, or whatever made you become vegan in the first place.
This truck chose to accommodate all of us and continues to do so – more so than other businesses I’ve seen praised on this site for offering one vegan item amongst of sea of steaks and hamburgers. It’s absurd to call them out on it. Would they be getting the same backlash if they started with a meat-containing menu and one vegan sandwich? I doubt it.
You don’t have to explicitly say “boycott” them because whether you mean to or not, you are passive-aggressively screwing with their business which, from what I understand, is already struggling.
and Robert… you’re not perfect. Stop trying to pretend that you are. Everyone who tries is helping. This hard line BS doesn’t advance your/our cause.
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I understand what Meredith is saying. I felt a little bummed to find out that Cru was no longer totally raw and I, by no stretch, eat only raw food. BUT, don’t be disappointed in the business. Be disappointed in the situation that prevents some of these businesses from staying afloat.
Yalla Truck never claimed to be a role model of vegetarianism and I respectfully disagree that it hurts the vegetarian cause for them to start serving a chicken sandwich. It’s not the same thing as if Real Food Daily suddenly started selling meat. Is Yalla Truck supposed to let their business go under to “advance” some cause they don’t even belong to?
Look, I’m skeptical too about a chicken sandwich saving the day but I don’t presume to know how to run their business. Let’s remember, they are a business after all, not a non-profit organization.
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Robert March 17th, 2011 at 20:09
Laura:
I’m not perfect, but I’m perfectly vegan. I’ve been doing it for 28 years. It’s not something I did in college because it was cool and then stopped. I’ve dedicated myself to a nonviolent diet for longer than most of the people who read this blog have been alive.
Please speak for yourself about your own cause. I reserve the right to decide for myself what advances “my cause” which is the life and happiness of all creatures on Earth, for them not to suffer and end up as food.
If you see it differently or excuse the suffering and torture, your cause is NOT my cause.
You assume way too much.
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Robert March 17th, 2011 at 20:14
By the way, QuarryGirl, I’m simply stating my opinion about a vegetarian blog promoting companies like Hugos that serve animals to people. I think I’m allowed to do that, right? To have my own opinion and express it here? I’ve long read your blog and I respect you and what you’ve accomplished, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with everything you do or say. Some of these little kids here have that “love it or leave it” mentality which is childish. I never insist I’m right. In the end I don’t really care what anyone else does in their lives. It’s all I can do to control and guide my own life. Anyway, I was merely expressing an opinion. It was not meant as an insult in any way.
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Meredith March 17th, 2011 at 20:25
I realize they were never a “vegan business” (and AFAIK they served some not-vegan but still vegetarian products, like mayonnaise and dairy-based cheese), but there are many places that are omni or have omni owners that really do work with the vegan community, identify vegan menu items, and are willing to modify items as well. I think when you experience that kind of level of respect and collaboration, it’s very easy to forget that our cause isn’t their cause. If you’re not working with a vegan owner/chef, their cause is their bottom line. If you can bring in vegans and their friends, great, but serving vegan food isn’t a moral crusade for anyone but vegans.
I don’t blame Yalla Truck for needing to succeed in business and I’m not saying I will boycott them, at all. I also understand that their response is typical and dictated by society (though if small businesses don’t work to counteract that view, it won’t change, but that’s another debate). But it’s understandable and okay for some of us to be a bit disappointed in their choice.
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Robert, I applaud you for being vegan for 28 years. There’s the pat on the back it seems like you need.
I know why I choose to be vegan and how I express it every day in each decision I make without needing to win a contest with you. I think you probably “assume too much” when you equate my criticism of your self-righteous tone with excusing the “suffering and torturing” of animals.
Of course, you’re entitled to express whatever opinion you want. My opinion is that you sound condescending and you perpetuate a negative stereotype (@ least in these few posts, I don’t know you after all) of vegans as people who bask in their own moral superiority-even over other vegans/vegetarians. Please accept this as my sincere criticism and not an attempt to insult you.
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Robert March 18th, 2011 at 04:44
Laura, I don’t care even a little bit what your opinion of me is. “Winning a contest” … “Pat on the back it seems you need” … all I did was express my opinion and because it runs counter to yours, you go on the attack. You’re a hypocrite and angry … probably a man-hater. And your postings tell volumes about who you are.
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Cortney March 18th, 2011 at 19:16
Laura- TOTALLY agree with this point…
“This truck chose to accommodate all of us and continues to do so – more so than other businesses I’ve seen praised on this site for offering one vegan item amongst of sea of steaks and hamburgers. It’s absurd to call them out on it. Would they be getting the same backlash if they started with a meat-containing menu and one vegan sandwich? I doubt it.”
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Cortney March 18th, 2011 at 19:18
Just in case it was missed in the comments- Yalla Truck commented up thread. I don’t think it was replied to or referenced in any of the subsequent comments, so I just wanted to give a heads up in case anyone missed it.
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Cortney March 18th, 2011 at 19:20
“Probably a man hater” ah, once again, that famous vegan exception for misogyny and sexism pops up… so over it.
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Okay Robert, every week I’m going to drive up to Canoga Park for my groceries and blast plenty of exhaust into the atmosphere, which of course has no effect on animals or the ecosystem.
hippierunner March 14th, 2011 at 19:08