WASHINGTON — For office workers who don’t have much variety when it comes to choosing from places to grab a bite, food trucks can spice things up. And in area downtowns, food trucks have been drawing customers looking for food in a hurry.
In two counties, the rules regarding food trucks — where they operate and how long they can offer meals — are changing.
In Prince George’s County, Maryland, the council adopted three bills. One bill creates “food truck hubs” — areas where the mobile restaurants can offer meals and snacks and provide a kick-start to the local economy. A second bill outlines precisely where pop-up service by the mobile vendors is allowed.
A third bill deals with regulations, including health and safety requirements, such as appropriate use of propane and open-flame cooking.
In Montgomery County, the council approved legislation that allows food trucks to operate from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Council member Hans Riemer applauded the move, saying that food trucks “contribute to very vibrant urban districts.”
Brick-and-mortar restaurants have complained that food trucks in downtown areas amount to unfair competition, and that they take up spaces that could be used by customers looking for a parking place near a sit-down restaurant. Riemer said that issue “hasn’t been satisfactorily resolved,” and added that he expected the council would look at it in the future.
Riemer says there haven’t been many documented problems with food trucks, because “the way that the rules have been enforced has driven them out. And we’re trying to change that.”
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
