Where's the (Mobile) Grass-Fed Beef?

If anyone’s been missing burger trucks at Alameda’s Off The Grid (OTG), it turns out that Pearl's complained about them. Pearl's is the burger joint at South Shore that, as far as I've seen, is usually packed on OTG days. 

I asked one of the burger truck owners if this was true and he said, “True. They actually filed legal action against the Lease holder for violation of terms.” This is disappointing for several reasons but primarily, if Pearl’s can’t compete on the merits of their product, then they have a problem with their product, not the competition.

If Pearl’s were smart, which it appears they aren’t, they could try to compete like a business and not like a whiny baby. That is, maybe they could run a “burger truck special” on days when burger trucks are in the OTG line up. Their prices are comparable to the trucks’, but they offer many more menu options. It seems like it wouldn’t be too difficult to come up with a marketing strategy that could easily compete with a burger truck. (Pearl’s is a chain – a local chain – but not an Alameda-based chain.)

Nearly every time I’ve been in line at OTG, I’ve heard someone say “I don’t want to wait, let’s go to Pearl’s.” I’d guess that there are a fair number of people who, even if eager to sample some of the gourmet fare offered by the trucks, don’t want to wait in line for it.  

I realize food trucks aren’t for everyone, but if we want to have a free market, competition is intrinsic to that. It means companies have to step up and provide the best product and we get to choose which one we buy. Peet’s didn’t sue Starbucks when they opened a shop (or five) across the street from every Peet’s (even though Alfred Peet trained the founders of Starbucks). That’s a lot of coffee in close quarters, but it means we get more choice and both shops seem to be doing fine.

To be honest, I don’t go to Pearl’s that often because I don’t want to eat burgers (or any fast food) that often. But when I have gone, I’ve enjoyed having a choice of grass-fed organic beef, turkey, grilled chicken or a salad. They also offer a “mini” so I can indulge, but not hork down a gut bomb. Their food is OK, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there.

When it comes to the trucks, there is one I never miss because it is the very best burger I’ve ever had and if Pearl’s were smart, which again it seems they aren’t, they’d walk over to the Five Ten Burger truck and buy one and then figure out how to make theirs better. In the 50 Best Burgers in San Francisco, Pearl’s ranked a respectable #32. However, Five Ten Burger was #16 and Docs of the Bay was #11. Even In & Out Burger beat Pearl’s at #21. I think Burgermeister is better as well (they didn’t make the 50 Best list). They also have a full bar with TV sets – always a plus.

There is no shortage of competition for great burgers and no reason to ever have a mediocre one with these excellent options around us. If Pearl’s can’t up their game and compete with the better burgers, then they need to get to work, not take legal action. Even though I rarely eat there, I won’t be eating there again until they grow up and make a better product and stop trying to squash the competition they can’t compete with. How un-American, which is ironic for a burger joint, no?