If you are preparing to venture into the food truck business you’re going to need to be up to date on everything that’s happening in the government regarding your potential business and that could possibly impact on your food vendor license. It’s important to know that changes to the laws regarding the food truck business are being proposed in many cities and states across the country. These laws will affect the way that your business is able to operate from defining the hours, to defining exactly where you are able to park your food truck. Since you are looking to turn a profit from your business it’s essential that you know what’s taking place in the legal environment before you jump in with both feet.
Could Your Food Truck Business Cope With Imposed Restrictions?
As an example of what can occur, one of the proposed changes in Libertyville (a suburb of Chicago) is limiting the open hours of a food truck business to the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Another proposed change is where a food truck is allowed to be parked. It is proposed that food service vendors would be able to stay in one location for only eight hours and would only be able to sell in one zone a total of four times during one calendar year. This regulation would also require a $500 permit and a background check before that permit would be issued.
Before you start thinking that you don’t live in Libertyville Chicago and you don’t have to worry about these proposals – think again. Many cities and states across the country are proposing similar regulations and changes for mobile food vendors. It is believed that these changes will help to limit the vast number of food trucks that have been popping up all over villages and cities of all sizes. Libertyville has noticed a drastic increase in the number of mobile food trucks in their area and they are not the only ones.
So How Does This Affect You?
So how does this affect you? Well the first thing you need to know is that purchasing a permit will cut into your bottom line. This will cost you more money right up front which can be difficult when you are just starting out. On top of that, if you will only be able to sell during specific hours that can make a big difference in your profits and your flexibility as well. Think about when you would really like to sell your products if given the choice. Chances are you know the area that you want to sell in and you know what times of the day that area is the busiest. Those are the times when you want to sell and if those times do not fit into the specified hours being proposed, this is a challenge to your livelihood and such facts need to be reflected in your food truck business plan when you’re setting up.
Busy cities like New York never sleep and the busiest hours for mobile food vendors may be after midnight. If they were to adopt regulations like this it could be more difficult to earn the best profits. This also means that you need to work set hours which takes away from the flexibility of being your own boss and working when you want to work. Having to stay in certain areas for only certain amounts of time during the year can also cut into your flexibility and your profits. As a result, you could have more trouble getting what you want out of your business.
Can Your Food Truck Business Influence These Regulations At All?
This can happen anywhere around the country which is why it’s important to know about. But once you know you can plan around these changes. You’ll be able to locate the best areas to be in at certain times of the year and of the day. You’ll also learn how to maximize your profits during the hours that you are allowed to sell. It’s all about understanding what’s available to you and what you can do about it. But is there anything that you can do to change these regulations?
“Talk with other food vendors about how the new regulations affect them and then talk with the people who frequent your food truck
and find out how the regulations affect them as well.”
If you really want to make a change in any community the best thing to do is start a petition for your local government. Talk with other food vendors about how the new regulations affect them and then talk with the people who frequent your food truck and find out how the regulations affect them as well. The government is more likely to listen to the complaining public than they are to listen to the group of food vendors – which is why these regulations end up getting proposed in the first place. If you can get feedback from enough people who frequent your food cart at times or in areas that don’t fit the mold of the regulations you may be able to keep these rules from being passed at all.
