Food Trucks

The City of Spartanburg Welcomes Food Trucks

We are currently reviewing our food truck policies and hope to revise and clarify. This temporary agreement is an interim step to provide clarity to guide your operations until our review of mobile food service is complete.

Food truck operations are expected to adhere to these conditions:

  1. Required to maintain documentation of the necessary approvals from SC DHEC and any other agency documentation necessary to provide food service.
  2. Required to possess a current City of Spartanburg Business License.
  3. Required to collect and remit Hospitality Taxes in the same manner as other food service enterprises.
  4. Required to possess proof that the mobile kitchen has been inspected and approved by the City's Building Codes department. Any modification made to the mobile kitchen must also be inspected.
  5. Required to possess confirmation of permission from the owner (or authorized agent) of the property where the unit is parked. This permission should include a legible name, signature, and phone number of the authorizing individual.
  6. The unit must be parked in a location that does not create traffic or safety problems and does not interfere with the activities of other businesses or otherwise interfere with other lawful activities or violate any statutes, ordinances, or other laws. Must immediately comply with requests or directives to relocate the unit for such reasons.
  7. The vehicle cannot be left unattended or left at a sales site overnight.
  8. Owner/operator is responsible for identifying suitable access to restrooms for employees.
  9. Owner/operator is responsible for removing their garbage and keeping surroundings free from litter. Must provide own waste receptacles. No garbage is to be left onsite.
  10. Sales to the general public are permitted on parcels zoned B-3, B-4, I-1, or I-2. Assuming conditions 1-9 above are met, permissible to operate in those locations without further communication with the city.
  11. Assuming conditions 1-9 above are met, can cater occasional private special events on private property within other zones. However, in those cases, sales should be limited to event attendees only (not to the general public).
  12. Assuming conditions 1-9 above are met, may operate on active construction sites.
  13. Downtown - The city has identified six city-owned locations within the downtown area for experimental use in this manner by self-contained food truck units able to function within one standard parking space (no trailers). These sites can be utilized by calling 864-596-2069. There is no limit on how often a food truck can operate downtown; however, it may not use the same downtown site more than once per week. The City encourages operators to rotate among the six city-owned downtown sites during this trial period. Conditions 1 to 9 apply in these situations as well.
  14. Operators interested in being a food vendor at City-sponsored special events should contact the City Special Events staff at 864-596-2976.

These conditions are subject to change as the city continues its review of the regulatory policies for this type of business activity. This agreement can be canceled at any time by the City.