A late-night staple of Auckland might be leaving us after 75 years of post-town, pre-kickons feeds.
The White Lady, an after-dark food truck, might be entering its final days due to nearby businesses not being happy with the feed on wheels blocking the footpath, and attracting town-goers like moths to a flame.
The food truck's owner, Max Washer, talked to RNZ's The Morning Report about the issues his food truck is facing.
"They're concerned about us blocking the footpath late at night, intoxicated patrons - obviously we don't sell alcohol."
The iconic burger joint, located around Fort and Commerce Street in Auckland's CBD, is only licensed until September while the council investigates these complaints from the van's neighbours. These neighbours complain about a lot of litter being left around, but as our very own Tammy Davis puts it, "That's bullshit. The White Lady always makes sure they have a litter policy. They tell everyone 'chuck your stuff in the rubbish'." Too right Tammy.
Washer sees The White Lady as a beacon of good vibes and better food in a CBD and nightlife that has taken a hit since Covid arrived.
"This business is all of who we are and without it our family just wouldn't sort of operate, we have a great time and we think we do an amazing job for our city and just want it to thrive and the CBD to be a better place."
We do hope The White Lady can continue providing Auckland troopers with solid, homemade burgers fresh off the grill. It's been doing that since 1948 when Max's grandfather Brian Washer started it to feed the 6 am rush.
As their website states, the curb-side cookery "is widely known as an institution, a rite of passage and an icon of Auckland city." It would be a damn shame to see it go because of factors out of its control.