A Southern California taco truck owner said after serving the community for more than a decade, he was forced to leave his home after a Ralphs supermarket banned him from operating nearby.
Rudy Barrientos is the owner of the popular Gracias Señor taco truck and has been serving the residents of Pacific Palisades for many years. His truck is often parked in the 15100 block of Sunset Boulevard along a line of parking meters on the busy street.
In January, Barrientos received a cease-and-desist letter from the attorney representing Ralphs, threatening legal action if he didn’t remove his food truck from there. A street meter is available outside the grocery store.
In November, he received another letter from the grocer, banning him from leaving the supermarket premises.
“They banned us from Ralphs saying we couldn’t use the restroom, we couldn’t shop there, we couldn’t even step foot in the parking lot,” Barrientos told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw.
The cease-and-desist order said Barrientos’ customers were using the store’s parking lot while also accusing his business of “doing things that harm Ralphs’ business and its customers.”
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The Gracias Señor food truck has been serving tacos and other Mexican food in the Pacific Palisades area for over a decade. (KTLA)
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Rudy Barrientos, owner of Gracias Señor street food truck, speaks to KTLA on December 14, 2024. (KTLA)
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Rudy Barrientos received a letter from the Ralphs store in Pacific Palisades threatening him with legal action and ordering him out of his parking lot. (Rudy Barrientos)
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A cease-and-desist letter Rudy Barrientos received from an attorney claiming to represent Pacific Palisades Ralphs. (Rudy Barrientos)
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Rudy Barrientos delivers an order to a customer on December 14, 2024. (KTLA)
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A sign was posted on Gracias Señor’s food truck asking his customers to avoid parking in the nearby Ralphs parking lot. (KTLA)
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Rudy Barrientos, owner of Gracias Señor street food truck (right), talks to customers on Dec. 14, 2024. (KTLA)
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The Gracias Señor food truck has been serving tacos and other Mexican food in the Pacific Palisades area for over a decade. (KTLA)
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Gracias Señor and other food trucks have moved their location to Alma Real Drive, a small street behind Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades. (KTLA)
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The Ralphs grocery store is located at 15120 Sunset Blvd. in Pacific Palisades. (KTLA)
On a sign on the outside of his truck, Barrientos had already posted a message warning his customers to avoid parking in the Ralphs parking lot. Often, his customers end up visiting Ralphs to buy more food and drinks.
But Barrientos said things escalated in November when one night, his truck was suddenly surrounded by armed guards while he was packing to leave for the day.
“[They would] check our trucks regularly,” he said.
The popular Taco Truck has been serving customers in Pacific Palisades in the same parking lot for nearly 10 years. The busy street is also home to many food trucks. He works with the necessary documents and always pays for street parking when he does his business, he said.
Throughout the ordeal, Barrientos said Ralphs asked some of his employees to park on the street, taking away his usual space and making it difficult to earn a living.
Following threats of legal action, he said fighting Ralphs was not worth sacrificing his health or peace of mind.
“Most of all, it was a mess and it wasn’t something I wanted to be around and we had a lot of local support so I thought if we moved, people would follow us,” Barrientos said.
He then moved his truck to Alma Real Drive, a small cul-de-sac behind the freeway of Sunset Boulevard.
He said the move hurt him financially, with sales rising over 20%. Loyal customers were also upset to hear about the situation.
“I think it’s stupid, the whole sack with Ralphs and fighting for a parking spot,” said Daniel Morris, a fan. “[Barrientos] he encourages people not to park there, but if they do, it’s not his fault.”
Some neighbors, however, said they agree with the grocery store.
“It’s not the right way to do business when you have stores paying rent that creates a community,” said John Palle, a local resident. “These people come, take and go and it’s not fair.”
Gracias Señor has been a dream for Barrientos, a proud taquero with a business degree who said he wants to serve his customers without the intention of creating trouble.
“Looking at a taco truck that usually just wants to serve good and tasty food, it’s funny,” Barrientos said.
KTLA reached out to Ralphs for comment but has not heard back.
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