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17 Responses to Contact Us

1. Tony Madden says:

   August 27, 2010 at 3:20 pm

   I was wondering the reasons for Chicago not having food carts on the streets. I grew up in the chicagoland suburbs and recenty moved out to San Francisco. I was stunned by the number of food carts out every day. The summer in Chicago would be PERFECT for food carts and the friendly people of the city would welcome it. So it brings me to the question Why? I was thinking about investing some money and starting a food cart .. I’ve talked to many people out here and they had to pay many fines and had been shut down plenty of times but they just had to ride it out. If you have any more info and I’m sure you do I would love to hear back from you. Thanks for you time. Tony.
2. chicagofoodcarts says:

   August 27, 2010 at 4:43 pm

   Thanks for your comment. The reason that Chicago does not have food carts as we understand it is that they are concerned about health and sanitary factors for the people that walk the streets everyday. The city does have a program for food carts that is run by the Park District but they dictate where you can have your cart(s). Mainly in parks and beaches. Also they only let you buy from approved suppliers i.e. Vienna Beef and Pepsi. So what we are trying to propose is a loosening of the laws that are in place for food vendors. Right now you can sell food that has already been prepared at an inspected kitchen or commissary but can’t prepare food from your cart or truck. So prepackaged goods are okay to distribute and sell but nothing that is freshly cooked or prepared. Check out http://www.sfcartproject.com/. There you can find some great info about carts in San Francisco. Also look into contacting your local government website for permit and licensing information. Hope this helps.
3. Scott Brooker says:

   November 9, 2010 at 10:50 am

   I live in Rogers Park, was in process of opening small Breakfast/Lunch joint but scratched due to economy and recent marriage. I have met and spoken with guy from Gaztro Wagon? Would love to discuss legality of operating food truck. i know he has location on Clark, curious to know how that all works???
4. chicagofoodcarts says:

   November 12, 2010 at 3:52 pm

   Hi Scott,

   Thanks for your comment. The long and short of it all is that you can’t prepare food on a truck and serve it. What you can do is prepare your food at a shared kitchen like Splice Kitchen or commissary then set-out and serve your food at appropriate parking spots.

   We along with the folks at chicagofoodtrucks.com are trying to get the food truck/cart ordinance passed in the city so you can actually cook on such said mobile units.

   Hope this helps and please let me know of any other questions you want answered and I can do my best to help you answer.
5. JB says:

   January 7, 2011 at 4:52 pm

   Hi, just came to your site for the very first time. Is there any new information on whether or not food can be cooked on the mobile cart? Also, if you serve pre-packaged food, can it be of any type of food or it has to be pre-approved? I wanted to start something with Indian food but want to find out more information. Thanks.
6. chicagofoodcarts says:

   February 7, 2011 at 3:39 pm

   As of right now you can’t cook food right on a cart. If it is pre-packaged it has to be prepared on an approved commissary or kitchen. Thanks for your comment.
7. Aaron says:

   March 9, 2011 at 8:49 pm

   I am very interested in opening a food truck in Chicago. I have some questions that I have been unable to answer. I have found commercial kitchen space. However, where and how do you get food delivered to you? A food purveyor just can’t pull up at your food truck and unload goods. Do you have any idea of how this works? Also, where do you store your food truck at night? Is there some location across the city? I would appreciate any and all input.
8. chicagofoodcarts says:

   March 23, 2011 at 9:05 am

   Wherever you have your business address is where you could have supplies and food delivered. As far as parking your truck, you can park it where you live or where your business address is. This could be your home or if you have an office it could be parked there.
9. Matt says:

   April 14, 2011 at 11:44 am

   You say above that you can’t “cook” your food onsite at the cart, but can do so in a licensed kitchen and then only sell it from your cart. But what is the exact definition of “cook” as it pertains to food carts? Does that also mean “prepare”?

   For example, let’s say I purchased some Wonder bread, Jif peanut butter, and Smucker’s jelly and make the PB&J’s onsite at my cart and then sold them. Would that be illegal? Thanks for your help.
10. Mark Roberts says:

    July 25, 2011 at 10:30 pm

    You actually have to park your food truck at the commissary that has been inspected at by the city. You are not able to take it home with you unfortunately. It must remain there at that site.
11. Pete Wilson says:

    August 18, 2011 at 3:17 pm

    I was wondering if the laws about where you can sell based on proximity to restaurants only applies to food sales. Could a truck sell prepackaged beverages anywhere in the city, say the loop or do these laws apply to beverages as well?
12. chicagofoodcarts says:

    August 31, 2011 at 8:43 am

    This applies to food and beverage.

    Thanks for your question.
13. chicagofoodcarts says:

    August 31, 2011 at 8:46 am

    You would have to prep all of that and package it up for sale at a shared kitchen or commissary then you would be able to sell it from a cart.
14. Victoria says:

    December 14, 2011 at 2:07 am

    Does this same rule applies to street vendors that are in the corners selling corn on the cob, hot chocolate, and pork skins. It seems as if they just put up a table and set up and no one tells them anything. Most of them dont even have licenses to sell. We have candy vendors selling off a kmart cart to kids after school and that’s ok?
15. chicagofoodcarts says:

    December 14, 2011 at 8:30 am

    The same rules apply to them as well. I don’t know how much the police actually enforce these laws but i have the same feelings as you. The vendors you see just might be okay with paying any fines they incur. I have often thought of just opening one and suffering the fines if they came about. Although in the areas I want to do business I am sure I would get much more attention than the areas we see corn on the cob, hot chocolate and pork skins sold.
16. Dee says:

    January 9, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    I just purchased a steam table, it has a 2 comp. sink, icebox and a hook up for a Propane tank. Do I apply for a licernse first or have it checked by the City of Chicago
17. chicagofoodcarts says:

    January 10, 2012 at 10:46 am

    Where do you plan on selling your items? In the city of Chicago?