Editorial: Hawaii parks with food trucks

Hawaii’s Division of State Parks is moving forward with a plan to issue concessions contracts for food trucks at 18 state parks across the islands, sparking idyllic dreams of refreshing shave ice as a reward for the hot walk along the sand, and smiles all around.

In other words: Good idea!

Concessions will help provide a dependable presence at our state parks, helping to prevent vandalism or other misuse, and they’ll provide some additional revenue for the parks. Further, they are a welcome option for visitors, providing refreshment and an opportunity for pleasant social interaction that is welcome after these long months of COVID-induced isolation.

Another benefit comes from the parks division’s focus on local entrepreneurs as the food truck vendors. These contracts will support small businesses.

Oahu parks that could soon host these mobile vendors include Diamond Head State Monument, Kaena Point State Park, Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline and Nuuanu Pali State Wayside. Food truck concessions also are proposed for state parks on Maui, Kauai and Hawaii island. Some locations could even get more than one. The parks division will bid out food truck contracts for three-year terms, with an option to extend for three more.

None of the parks on the list have food trucks on site now. However, before the COVID-19 shutdowns, food concessions operated successfully at the Diamond Head site, Makena State Park on Maui and Waimea Canyon State Park on Kauai.

On Kauai, the previous vendor was a mobile fruit stand, rather than a food truck, so as not to compete with the restaurant concessionaire at Koke‘e State Park; similarly, the state will invite bids for mobile vendors that fit the character and services provided at each individual site.

State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said the contracts will be shaped to retain “sustainable and environmentally responsible” operators, in his recommendation.

The parks agency, a division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), won approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday. At the BLNR meeting, Cottrell said contractors won’t generate extra trash, since as part of the permit process, vendors will be required to clean up their own waste.

With this approval, it’s go time for DLNR, which can now solicit and award bids, and get the trucks rolling into parks over the next several months.