Los Angeles Bans New Fast Food in South Central

Los Angeles recently passed a ban on any new fast food chain restaurants opening up in south central LA. There has been a lot of controversy about this decision because many see it as government overstepping it’s bounds by telling people what to it.

I disagree. I like this idea very much. Let me tell you why:

Existing fast food chains can stay

There is nothing in this bill that is asking current fast food locations to close. 49% of all restaurants in the south central LA area are fast food establishments. People already have the choice to eat there – the city council is NOT removing peoples choice. I am very much a liberal (almost extremely so) when it comes to letting people make their own choices and mistakes. I really don’t see this as infringing on people choices. If you want to eat fast food, you still can. The arguments everyone makes about “fast food police coming next” is slippery slope nonsense.

Encourages Healthy Options

This harks back to the last point I made. No one is forcing anyone to eat healthier. They are just making sure the option is there. There is absolutely no proof that people in south central want to eat at fast food chains. Rather, they are people who are, for the most part, poor and working multiple jobs. If you just finished working a 12 hour shift and only have $10 to feed your family that day, what are you going to do? Get on the bus to go to the grocery store across town or eat at the fast food chain on the corner? This isn’t choice – it’s convenience. Everyone knows grocery store food is cheaper. People go to the chain because it is right there (the statistics on number of grocery stores vs. number of fast food chains is ridiculous).

Works with the Market

No one is forcing existing restaurants to change. What they are doing is leveling the playing field so that new grocery stores and restaurants have a chance to move into the city before it is all filled up with chain stores. They know that there is a need for people to eat. They have now changed the equation so that the need is for people to eat healthy. They are then going to wait for the marketplace to fill the need – which it undoubtedly will.

There are unfortunately some people who will be caught up in the net – the article talks about healthy grilling locations that will be disallowed under the new law because they don’t have “at the table” service.” Hopefully they can figure out how to let these people through without getting them caught up in red tape. All in all though, I think this will be a boon for everyone.