Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for July 30, 2014

The 3 Ps (Perspective, Perception, Point of view) strike again!…..

Good luck, Teej, on keeping business afloat.

“One Man’s Ceiling Is Anohter Man’’s Door” (♫)“You Can’t Always Get What You Need, But Sometimes You Run Into What You Don’t Want” (♫)“That’s Just The Way It Is….And You Never Have Exact Change” (♫)“Smoke On The Sausage…And Fire Up The Fries” (♫)“It’s The Time Of The Season… For Beer Nuts” (♫)“If You Can’t Eat The One You Love… Honey, Put Some Salt On It” (♫)“Rainy Days And Sundaes Always Bring Me Down” (♫)“Ooh…Wishing You Were Beer (Wishing You Were Beer…)” (♫)or“Well, I Guess That’s Why They Call It Junk Food” (♫)

TJ…it is No Wonder that you aren’t successful…85% (just guessing here) of Americans do not eat organic/vegetarian foods. You need to be in a city that prizes such ways of eating! ;)

Also reminds me of a skit about the man who orders cofee and a sweet roll… – Waitress goes “We’re out of sweet rolls…” “Well, then how about tea and a sweet roll?”…mildly annoyed, ’We’re…out of sweet rolls"… “Juice and a sweet roll?”… – With raised voice, and irritation, “We’re out of SWEET ROLLS…”… “Then I’ll just have a sweet roll”…. – At this point (and at the top of her lungs), she finds the nearest exit wall….

T.J., try selling what people want to eat… not what you think they should eat.

Hahahahahaha on the 28-pound tofurkey… ;)

Its not like I have something against vegetarians…I think they have good food choices, but I could not live without a big juicy hamburger every now and then! As far a vegans go, I have to admit that I think they are way out in left field. After all, plants Are living entities and some have conjectured that they “feel” when they are cut into… Oh, well, to each her/his own! ;)

If you want to make money with a truck, sell ice cream.

Brown Rice? Tofu? Guava Juice? YUKKKK!!!!!!

basically 2 extremes…………… the guy expects beer on a food truck?(liquor license and such at minimum), hot dogs in a stick is fine thought for a food truck and TJ expects people to go for just rice with tofu in a wrap from a food truck? but guava juice is ok

Yeah, that’s what he said when he told Brad about his plans last year. And of you remember when they had Quill!!s “going away” party, it was just as “scarce” even then (the amount of stuff on the menu)…

Location, location, locationGet where your offerings will be appreciated or offer what is appreciated there

Heh, heh!!!!!

I only put salt on a few specific food items…ketchup, too…especially on French Fries or Hash Browns or eggs cooked in a certain way or on hamburger patties (no salt there!). My hub, OTOH, likes to put salt on most Everything! (even on cottage cheese, Yuck)… ;)

What is miso soup?…it sounds like it is Japanese or Southeast Asian or Chinese? ;)

IJB: thanks for the miso soup info! ;)

Hey, TJ – Look at the menus at these food trucks and you won’t have a problem being bored: http://offthegridsf.com/

Dave53: here is the title of that book I am reading about caregivers…“The Caregivers(A Support Group’s Stories of Slow Loss, Courage, and Love)” by Nell Lake. ISBN 978-1-4516-7414-9. It is so good I can hardly put it down! In fact, as soon as I slide through more of my usual daily comics, I’m going to read some more. Mrs. Horner had the right idea: move to an assisted living center while you still can make your own decisions…and, at the same time, enjoy your new surroundings and what they have to offer! ;)

Yes, food carts, or trucks, do the cooking at a proper kitchen, and just heat the food items in the truck.

Re: Sales Taxes…yikes! =-O

He nailed it- brown rice and tofu: junk food.

I want to have TJ’s food truck where I live! The food sounds awesome.

This customer looks to be an expert on “junk food”. Not only does he have “junk in his trunk” but it has spread to the rest of his body as well.

TJ’s business plan is to sell brown rice, tofu wraps, and guava juice to a community where the two main dining establishments (and apparently the only dining establishments) are Burger Box and Weenie World. He should get advice from an untrained amateur with a previously undiscovered natural genius for menu planning. Oh, Luann?? You’re needed.

I’m tired…I really didn’t do much today, but the heat has drained me. TG for air-conditioners! Off to bed with IS Katie and my book! ’Nite all! ;)-——————————————————————————“Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness…Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to fulfill it.” (George Santayana, 1863-1952)

One final thought (just came to me) T.J. seems to have a nitche type of menu so he neds to go out and try to find his nitche crowd. This I can associate with to a point. In the late 80;s I started trying my hand at entertainment. My style of performing to be blunt was differnt. Then one day quite by accident a friend asked me if I would open for his act at a different type of place than I was use to. Well it was different and they ate up my act and gave me my first standing ovation.; Soon I started looking for places like those to perform. Wound up performing for 15 years until health issues took their toll and I couldn’t physically do it anymore. So again T.J. has to find his nitche crowd

Well, I am really into healthy eating, but a brown rice and tofu wrap doesn’t sound good to me at all. I like brown rice, but it isn’t appealing in a wrap (too many carbs). Isn’t tofu made from soy? I had it once when I was a kid. If I were to try it again, it would have to be organic, non GMO tofu. And I honestly don’t think I would like it anyways.

Brown rice and tofu??? WTF? No wonder he’s going out of business.

Or maybe TJ just needs to start serving up some spamly spam…

Ironically, specialty food trucks are quite in fashion. There’s even a food truck festival around these parts, and they have all sorts including vegan food trucks, just about every nationality of food truck, and fine dessert food trucks.

I’m feeling the former manager he dealt with is coming back into the picture.

What? Do mean to say that there aren’t any Annoying “Health Conscious” Folks that would EAT that Stuff in ENTIRE the Town of Pitts?

Or Could that there ARE Annoying “Health Conscious” folks in the town of Pitts, but its just that THEY Don’t Like Old Smiley, Either?

That’s interesting. Where are TJ’s sales skills now?

The cooking surfaces are usually in the back end of the truck so staff (if you have more than one person) doesn’t have to move by a hot surface and it’s easier to vent from the back as opposed to a side, The weight distribution is more even that way. Heavy engine, cooking surface and associated equipment on the ends, lighter storage and serving counter on the sides for proper balance.

Well, thank goodness Brad knew how to dodge a bullet. :-)))

Actually, today’s strip caused me to consider a bit of a “comeuppance” scenario for TJ. What if someone does come up to buy the truck from him? Someone who has a chain of their own trucks and is looking just to quash TJ out of business, or force him to work for that firm?

What if it’s Ann Eiffel? ;-PPPP

I thought T J was a gourmet chef. Nothing gourmet about what he has. He never has had much of a clue except when Brad had all the trouble at weenie world.

Dude, get out! Sell the truck, quit the strip, find your own comic. Or go to someone else’s! Try Lio, it’s a good solid strip. Or you could be a new cop in DIck Tracy, they’re always looking for smart guys. But you’re too good for this. LuAnn is just bringing you down. Either admit you’re gay and marry Brad or just move on!

Wow TJ, first rule of business, Server the Customers what they want, not what you want.

Looks like a big part of TJ’s lack of success is that he needs to change that menu and hasn’t done so! Brown rice is okay, but the rest of that stuff is not likely to sell much at all, unless in some very affected 1%-type neighborhoods (where a food truck wouldn’t be allowed, anyway).

Just tell the guy that if he buys a tofu wrap, he might be food truck customer # one million and win an expensive vacation. That sort of grifting is your only role in the strip, TJ, so why are you trying to be a hard-pressed honest businessman? And if Greg Evans is tired of the character (as are so many of the readers), can he just get rid of him by having TJ go explore other business opportunities in Peru? (Isn’t TJ from South America, anyway?)

What if it’s Ann Eiffel? ;-PPPP

He would gladly sell it to her for a profit.

She won’t ever make him a profitable offer. She will crush him with competition such that he’s forced to sell it to her for a huge loss and make up the difference by working slave labor for her…

If he’s that rich, then why hasn’t he just abandoned the truck and gone onto something else? Why is he worried about “selling” it?

You don’t really have to force someone out of business who isn’t doing any business.

Gunther’s Mom to the Rescue! She’s going to come galloping in on a white horse, looking for adventure (or at least a food truck to save), spot TJ. Her son attests she is a great cook, making the kind of food the masses like.*Yay, Mom!

Maybe he should sell what the people want. I’m pretty sure tofu and guava juice wouldn’t be big sellers in the little town I currently live in. These people want dogs and Dew.

You’ve got to know your customers…

Exactly. I’m baffled as well, because Brad has mentioned that TJ got a rather sizable inheritance and is by all accounts rich. My guess is that TJ hates “losing” more than he hates his new business, and would be upset to throw away money.

My impression is that this “wealth” that is mentioned all the time is “controlled.” He doesn’t have complete access to it, all at once… that it’s “rationed” out to him (i.e. a “trust fund”).

I think he want’s his own source of income that he controls on his own. That, and perhaps fulfill his sense of “entrepreneurship.”

I’m a vegetarian, but brown rice and tofu in a wrap sounds awfully boring and tasteless.

T.J., there are vegetarian hot dogs, and they are delicious.

You’re just in the wrong neighborhood, T.J. ! Move your truck closer to the Whole Foods market or a college campus!

Junk customers.TJ should ask around to the other trucks to see if anybody’s looking to expand (look for the longer lines) and then sell them on the idea of another truck.

TJ needs to move to a real city like LA—we love gourmet food trucks out here

Or Seattle or Portland. heh heh

So we’re supposed to root for a scammer who was interested in selling his failing business to his supposed best friend?

Considering I know a few people who can’t eat rice without getting ill, are allergic to tofu, the tubby guy has a point.

TJ needs to have a wide range of foods to appeal to a wide types of eaters. He has a moving cafe, he needs to focus on the majority of one or two type of eaters which are the meat eaters and junk eaters. Vegans are not a large group of eaters therefore should be a small group of foods on the menu. TJ should have done his research before starting his moving cafe business.

TJ would do great in Southern California. Lots of healthy food trucks here. Usually parked next to burger trucks.

Location and target market are the keys to any restaurant market. It is inexcusable not to at least have soda.

Location and target market are the keys to any restaurant market. It is inexcusable not to at least have soda.

I’m just happy to see TJ in the window of the truck, and not Brad….

Perhaps a visible menu would help. Or picture or words giving the potential customer some idea of what you’re selling. Perhaps we have an idea of why the truck is failing.

If he could just get Tiffany to stand in the truck, business would pick up.

-You sound like someone who’s run a successful restaurant!

The fat crud obviously looks like he doesn’t have the finances to buy the wagon from TJ. Otherwise he could start his own business selling beer & hot dogs! Maybe TJ will get a customer whom he can talk into buying the “business.”

Hmmm. All this talk about food reminds me that I won’t be able to eat any for awhile. Having a closed MRI tomorrow (if I don’t freak out, as a genuine claustrophic) to figure out what part of my guts is now on the fritz…. all good thoughts are appreciated….

Waiting on a “called it” – time is running out. Time to call a cab, Louie.

“This one could sell me a peanut butter, tuna”.or from her.I’m a big fan of the arts

“This one could sell me a peanut butter, tuna, and sauerkraut sandwich and I probably wouldn’t complain.”

Hahahahah :D(What perfection she is!)

What a good business plan and great name!

@Dave53

“OK OK!!! don’t go calling the PC police on me!!!”.“Hello, PC police? Oops, wait a minute, my 53rd clone just asked me to not call you, so bye, bye and have an ethnicly neutral day.”.Okay, I aborted the call, meanwhile, let me say, I would buy from that dancer. Looks like a cute kid.

“Time to call a cab, Louie.” ..

a Casablanca reference perhaps?

More likely the “Taxi” TV series, but I have no clue as to what Sheriff is referring. Hopefully we’ll find out…

TJ might as well either find a sucker to buy the foodmobile, or drive to another town for a brand new start.It almost seems that he is being phased out of the strip…

“TJ, you sold out at a huge profit to those gentlemen who said something about a front fo illicit activities, but what are you going to do now?”.“Well, Brad, as you know, I’ve just been hanging around waiting for a sibling of yours to turn 18, so I think I’ll enrole in Pitt CC.”

I especially like a mix of brown rice and wild rice… ;)

Re: TJ’s next move…I hope he moves right out the door and keeps going. Just don’t care for that character. Now, I think exploring Crystal’s character would be far more interesting than TJ’s… ;)

What a beautiful Native American costume! ;)

Had to laugh at your “awe” and “ful”! ;)

There’s Halal Trucks that do pretty well around here….. they do Halal and a limited menu of “western” foods…

I also saw that “Squaw” on a tub of margarine somewhere….

Yes, Larry Groce is correct.!.. – BTW, I was taking on Elton for that one above… “Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues”….

Maybe… Of course, he’d have to take his wares “elsewhere”…..

Ha ha! I’d never seen that book!

@ Brd: I don’t think so! It happens to me, sometimes… as a matter of fact, to all of us (missing one, or not getting a response till later). And you know that one of us will… usually us or JPW or Dave or Seismic or Torad or somebody… collectively we are the Dept. of Mis(sed) Information…

Yeah, I think that’s a good idea! I like to make sure of that, too! That’s key!

I was wondering if tj was going to be in anymore comics, lol