Online Food Truck Ordinance Petition Gathers Signatures

By Chris Bentley in Food on Sep 9, 2011 6:40PM

Food truck enthusiasts find themselves in good company these days. If you count yourself among them, check out this petition to allow food trucks to cook on-board, after you finish that empanada.

Chicago food truck operators are currently not allowed to actually cook in their trucks. The petition, led by the Chicago Food Trucks movement, advocates a city ordinance to change that:

Allow Chicago food trucks to cook on-board.

Chicago residents deserve a vibrant and diverse food truck culture. This is an incredible economic and culinary opportunity that Chicago needs to embrace.

Chicago has about two dozen food trucks now. Compare that to the 80 or so roaming the streets of Los Angeles, where mobile kitchens cook up everything from chimichurri fries to kimchi tacos.

Opponents of the ordinance include some restaurant owners who say food trucks have an unfair advantage over brick-and-mortar restaurants, and that they don’t give anything back to the neighborhoods they visit.

The petition is nearing 4,000 signatures after about a month and a half online.