What Is A Food Hall & Why Are There So Many? 

I live right next door to a food hall. It's the worst. Overpriced everything, I ain't paying $6-8 for a single beef taco.

This is my hood. We need a grocery store not a place for yuppies to buy overpriced drinks. Just keeping us real people down. It makes me sad because I love it over here.

so sad, the concept, if done with the right intention, could be a blessing to so many. we are so dang good at tripping ourselves up. thanks for the learnin!

"you young wierd bast@rds" is my new tagline

Miss your tyt segments but so thankful you are still creating content here, Jeff. ❤ Never Stop!

Thanks for the shout-out! And for upgrading my Emmy win to an Oscar! Keep up the good work.

Haven't heard of this. Learning something new. Cheers!

I'm in Oklahoma, I'm not sure why this video was recommended for me, but I've been to a few food halls in my state that seemed to be a very similar situation. As you said, on one hand it's nice to see old abandoned buildings get revamped, but is it gentrification because they usually charge more than the local market can truly sustain, leading them to be "tourist" spots more than true local spots? I don't know about the ones in your area, but at the OK food halls, parking was almost non-existent leading to overcrowded street parking & people illegally parking in surrounding residential lots which impacts local residents and can lead to increased police presence in already over policed areas (one food hall we went to, we saw 5 police vehicles circling just as we were trying to find parking, and saw 2 incidents involving citizens and police). Demographically, the main people I saw in the food halls were Gen Z, early-late 20s mostly college student types, far more than Millennials (though I and my partner are both Millennials so there were at least 2). The tax breaks definitely don't sit right with me, either, especially since those areas have such underfunded schools. Schools in Oklahoma in general have terrible funding, we passed a lottery years ago supposedly to fund schools but 90% of our schools have gotten worse because of course there's loopholes & misappropriation, I'm sad to hear your area is dealing with similar issues. Food deserts are a big issue, and I just don't think food halls are the best answer, even if they have little grocery stores, it's a bandaid when you need stitches.

Eyes glazed until you said "IPA whatever that is". I learned and forgot what IPA is three times over.

I hadn't heard of food halls. Thanks for that introduction, but also thanks for speaking the truth of what so often happens when businesses promise one thing, but deliver another. Sounds about white to me. I love your content!

While many people enjoy cornmeal pancakes, they are usually only partly cornmeal. A johnnycake is usually all or only partly cornmeal, so there's some distinction. Loved this video about the food halls! I love the idea of working or doing business in a place like that but those politics!

Johnnycakes originated in Jamaica. They're actually called Journey cakes, but the the Jamaican accent makes "journey" sound like "johnny."

I haven't heard of a food hall until today, but something tells me I really don't wanna smell what they're cookin'. 🤔

very cool. i live local to you in columbus. i am enjoying your work found you from tyt back when you did that

Thank you for covering this Jeff! I'm loving your channel.

They opened one up in downtown Indianapolis, at the old Coca Cola factory in a bar district. Although it's pricey, it seems to be doing everything right. They've got a bunch of small restaurants, a barber, a movie theater, and a gaming building with bowling and pinball machines. They revitalized the outside so it looks nice to walk around during day or night. But it definitely seems more to cater to the rich folks, and I definitely don't have the capital to visit often.

As always, great report and bonus 😻 ta' boot!

Who's Johnny? [Now El DeBarge is gonna be in my head all day]

Thanks Jeff, for another eye opening piece! Late stage capitalism has incrementally taken the quality of our goods on a horrible downward spiral. Packages have gotten smaller and prices have risen by minuscule amounts, which does add up when nobody has gotten a decent raise for forty years. Getting less and paying more is unsustainable, and nobody knows that better than those of us under the squeeze. We are being priced out of meals. We are being priced out of shelter. Generation Z shall tell their grandchildren about the legendary middle class, home ownership, full time employment with benefits and perks, as well as the mythical woman's right to choose... Vote blue and keep voting blue until the GOP dissolves and the progressive party emerges.

We have one here, literally an old train dept now called Grand View Public Market, $20 for a bowl of pork ramen or $14 for a milkshake

Interesting phenomenon! Never heard of these. Shame about the pricing, it's a cool idea, basically a food court for towns too small for malls.

Good stuff bro! Keep up the good work! 👍

I love this! So educational!

I was taken there when I came last August. Explains a lot. Appreciate the video, my man!

Your first video I’ve watched- fantastic!

There is one a few miles from my house, I didn't know it was called a food hall but it completely fits the description.

Sure enough bob, you recreated the food court.

Thanks 4 this presentations

Johnny cakes were actually super hard, dense corn cakes eaten by pioneer types because they lasted for days…

Nice talk Jeff, thanks

What a wonderful job you did with this reporting.

Always interested to see what’s going on in your area 😃

Just attended an Art gallery hop on Parsons Ave…. the times are changing. Great video.

What a novel concept, now if only it'd go full circle and start establishing itself in the hollowed out remains of abandoned malls.

Great video

I like having an Ohio focused channel about this stuff. Hello from Cleveland! Yeah I'm used to the actual West side market then I went to Vann Aken district which is at the end of one of our light rail lines in shaker heights I did not realize food halls were a trend at least Vann Aken is getting like mixed used housing. Still too rich for my blood.

I'm here for the algorithm. great content!

dope content man

I can do 4 rides and have enough to eat a quesadilla and live in the seated position at east market so I can use the wifi to micro invest

Didn't know this was a thing. Thanks.

The closest I got to a food hall I was in was in Disney World Epcot, in “The Land”. It was great and the cheapest place to get food at Disney World.

Johnny cakes are cornmeal cakes. Goes great with curry goat. Or syrup.

I have been taughted good program great delivery

I am glad that the east side is finally getting some attention

Back in the 80's we called those things Food Courts.... 🤔 The difference is that you don't have malls attached to it, I guess?

They used to screech "Gentrification!" about those renewal projects. What changed?

I am glad Scott Woods' scarf was acknowledged, it is lovely

Thanks for the great analysis Jeff. Food deserts seem to be deliberately imposed on poor minority communities. Selling a restaurant meal for the cost of a week's worth of groceries is more profitable than providing a competitively priced grocery store. Greed sucks 😡

Soooooo many in Denver, and yet one of the cheaper experiences

I actually like how newly opened eateries tend to pretty honest about how much they need to charge in order to make it these days instead of sneaking in service charges, giving you less fries for the same price, not giving out straws unless they're asked and all the other little gimmicks that a lot of restaurants who have been around are using to mask inflation.

You should have X 100,000 subscribers. You're freaking good!

I like food halls and I’ve had mixed experiences but have been positive overall.. I like having variety and a nice atmosphere to hang out..

i thought food halls are like those food hubs (food bazaar, food street, hawkers etc) in asia that sells cheap and affordable food and at the same time good for gatherings as well.

Johnny cakes are made w cornbread batter

Instant sub

love you dude

I enjoy north market as a bus rider.

Food Halls is just like Town Centers here in Florida.. the modernized shopping center that is just like a mini city.

There’s quite a few of these on the North side of Indianapolis.

I am six minutes in and am so confused as to what the conflict is. Who hurt who. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? I still don't know waht a food hall is or whether or why ihop is one.

i was taught johnnycakes comes from journey cakes ! my people are caribbean.

Soon they will be not just food, but a few stores and services perhaps add some large name brand retailers to make it a true destination shopping experience and....we just reinvented the Mall. Built up from the food court out. But without the pricey real estate and initial construction cost, plus it will come with revitalization tax breaks.

Imagine the same development, but as a co-op built around a grocery and produce market.

I really doubt there will ever be one close to me. I live in a county larger than 5 states that has 28000 people.

I do hope these spread around the US, if they can be affordable. I know they exist in other countries. In Singapore, they're called a "hawker centre" and are mostly not overpriced--they're really popular.

I'm Japanese in studying English. Recently,I knew foreign culture ''Food hall''and interested in it,so I research for food hall on RU-vid. I watched your movie and could know food halls in depth!(*ˊᵕˋ*) However,I don't know enough English words to understand this movie completely.I want to understand what he say completely. I'll use this movie for studying English. nice to meeting you😚I'll be back😎

So Austin, you have described what Austin Texas is like. Overpriced food halls everywhere and the food isn't even good.

Johnny Cake is from either "Journey Cake" or "Shawnee Cake".

Dr. Who scarf. Always a good choice.

❤

Hey Jeff, like Tacos? La Casita and Tula Taqueria.

Jonnycakes are a Rhode Island thing, from the Narragansett tribe. It's similar to hoecakes or corn pone.

Food Hall ? Hell, where I live, they've just discovered pulled pork and food trucks.

Diddy what? Did he do it, or diddy do it 😂

It's been a long time since I was in Columbus. Seem like a slower rat race than GA.

I don't live anywhere near there, nor do we have food halls. What we do have, is sweetheart tax deals between the city/state and private businesses. They then jack up the sales tax rate, sometimes as high as 10% so we can pay for the "priviledge" to spend money there.

so basically a soup kitchen? or like a failed mall turned into hipster food trucks with a fixed address?

Johnny Cakes are pancakes made out of corn meal instead of flour.

Johnny cake is a mispronounced Journey cake- a sweet bread that you would take with you when traveling

I want a cheap food hall and an automat please :)

uhhh....these were big in the 80s. To my knowledge there is only one left within 20 miles of me....they been dead. But they uused to actually be bomb. Like a food court on steroids.

Johnny cakes comes from Jamaica 🇯🇲 that is what my Jamaican people say but the etymology beyond that I don't know

I've never heard of a food hall. lol

So food halls are like ghost kitchens for small chains

Sounds like amazon

This is the first time I am hearing about Food Hall.

are any of these food halls gonna have reasonably sized portions + drink for like $10? Or are they all gonna be $8 for something you can eat in 3 bites?

Journey Cakes turned to Johnny by accents and dialects

I happened across a food hall on accident in Kansas City and suspected something was up. I like the idea but the execution was catered to a very specific, almost imaginary market

A grocery store would be more welcomed than a food court. Ijs😊

You know when I think about it... after Hurricane Katrina maybe 5 years after.. a seafood / hot plate restaurant called St Roch WLwas turned into a Food Hall... it's just I didn't know what the hell it was before hearing the word Food Hall... it was different vendors who sold .. cheese , wine and crackers, some hot cajun food, and other kinds of food... and St Roch seafood was around since the 1940's ..St. Roch is around diverse neighborhood.. but now most customers are rich spoiled pampered young people who live in New Orleans..NOT FROM NEW ORLEANS but moved to New Orleans because they love our culture so much.. to the point they're trying to ruin it by gentrifying our black neighborhoods.. I was so livid.. soooo... disgusted by what they did to this restaurant.

Its "Journey cakes", with a southern accent.

"..She said"

I also say sangwich lmao 😂

Using the word 'cuisine' for the food offered in these halls, is a stretch.

Re: “experience”-oh I get it, it’s a third place. That’s why we millennials need em so badly. I recently went to a food hall because there was a vegan ramen place we wanted to try. The competition for common seating was fierce because restaurants would kick you out of their counter seating if anyone in your party had a single item of food from a different restaurant, citing health code. Some food halls are set up much better, with massive picnic style tables and lounge areas. But either way, one you’ve got a common seating table, it’s a place to actually socialize for as long as you want with however many friends you can fit, without irritating the staff of any specific restaurant. Putting them in food desserts and pricing out the residents is so… yeah I mean, why do we ever expect anything else from developers though? It’s gross that they get tax breaks. Thanks for bringing all that information to this discussion.

And here I am just struggling to buy groceries

In downtown Los Angeles, there is a food hall that has been there for over a century. When I first went there are a child, it was all local vendors and the clientele was varied, but definitely not upscale. In recent visits, most of the small, one off vendors have been replaced by more upmarket ones. Still small businesses, but those aimed at "foodies" willing to spend a bit more cash. Its history has been one of following the economic fortunes of the neighbourhood, so this change is not new. Not sure how to feel about it.

Every Tesco and Big C (big box stores like Target or Walmart) in Thailand has had one of these lame food halls for decades now. Ain’t nothing new.

I live in NYC, that 'Karen' sandwich, on a hero, would only cost $8-10 in a regular upscale deli here. Where do they get off????