What's in a name? To the Wandering Dago food truck, it's thousands of dollars in lost revenue, no-longer-necessary new equipment and five now-unemployed workers.
Owners Brandon Snooks and Andrea Loguidice now must offset not only expenses and lost revenue related to their cancelled contract at Saratoga Race Course, but that from the numerous festivals and special events they turned down during the summer meet.
The ousting of the Wandering Dago as a vendor at the track is an unjust cancellation of a contract. Centerplate's agreement with Snooks and Loguidice required 30 days' notice for termination, but the business was summarily dismissed by a phone call — not due to its lack of quality or service — due to its name.
The contract negotiation process spanned six months, after which the Wandering Dago met all the requirements to become a subcontractor at the track, including submitting menus for approval and purchasing product from Centerplate. Nary an eyebrow was raised regarding the business name. In fact, a joint press release by the New York Racing Association and Centerplate touted the food truck as "one of the country's top barbecue fusion trucks." Food fans agree; rave reviews on the Wandering Dago's Facebook page are in no short supply.
So why are we talking about a name? While the political correctness of the term "dago" and its definition are certainly debatable, we in America enjoy the rights of free speech as well as free choice of which businesses we patronize. The issue at hand is a contract violation, and I support the Wandering Dago.
Charles P. Steiner, CCE
President and CEO, The Chamber of Schenectady County