Policy Updates Say Food Cart Operators Must Connect With Commissary Kitchens 

Food carts now must be stored at a food cart storage commissary kitchen facility in Long Beach and Los Angeles County. 

That rule is part of updated regulations approved in the last couple of years as food cart operation became a focal point of discussion for politicians and the public. Politicians wanted to retain the economic opportunity the mobile food carts represented while protecting the public’s health. 

Food carts and food trucks have been a part of the Southern California food scene for some time – bacon-wrapped hot dogs outside sports venues, warm tamales, street tacos and cut fruit at gathering places or in carts pushed along sidewalks. 

But until less than a decade ago, food carts operated outside the law.

Before Regulation

For most of the food cart movement’s history, street vending was technically illegal, and operators could be charged with a misdemeanor – typically preparing and selling food without a health permit. But as the 21st Century progressed, political leaders became increasingly concerned about the unfairness to operators from low-income and immigrant communities who used food carts as an entry into the economy. 

Advocates framed the vending controversy as an anti-poverty and racial justice issue. The debate found its way to the state capital, where the legislature took action.

SB 946

After considerable debate and several drafts, Senate Bill 946, the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, passed the legislature and was signed into law by then-Gov. Jerry Brown on Sept. 17, 2018. The law established sidewalk vending as a protected activity, eliminating criminal penalties and capping fines for administrative violations (primarily operating without a health permit). 

That statewide law prompted municipalities, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, to revisit their local regulations. While SB 946 went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, it took cities longer to develop workable solutions. Local issues included ADA access, sanitation, congestion, and fairness, all while avoiding restrictions that would violate state law. 

All About Health

Just like brick-and-mortar restaurants and stores, anyone selling food in the city has to have a health permit to operate legally. That includes a plan check with facility and operation inspections. 

Permits vary in complexity depending on what type of food is sold – packaged food and/or whole fruit don’t get the level of scrutiny faced by on-the-spot cooking, for example. However, cleanliness is key at all levels to ensure food safety. 

But how can you ensure cleanliness when dealing with a mobile operation like a food cart?

Commissary Kitchen Base

Long Beach, along with Los Angeles city and county, decided to make use of a resource already in place – commissary or commercial kitchens. These facilities – including Partake Collectives in Long Beach and Los Angeles – already have health permits and the facilities to properly clean equipment and prepare food. 

State legislators helped matters along in 2022 by passing SB 972. That law created the Compact Mobile Food Operations category to deal specifically with small food carts. It also tied storage, cleaning and food prep directly to commissaries and shared kitchens. 

Both the California Retail Food Code and Long Beach’s guidelines require food carts to be stored at an approved commissary. The cart also must be cleaned and serviced at least once a day. An agreement with a certified commissary is part of the plan check requirements for a food cart health permit. 

That requirement can be a major plus for food cart operators. The rules for what must be done at the commercial kitchen make it possible for a small operation to meet health standards. Here is a partial list: 

1. Store food and supplies under proper temperature and protection. 

2. Clean and sanitize utensils. 

3. Obtain potable water and empty wastewater tanks. 

4. Dispose of liquid and solid wastes. 

5. Wash the cart itself. 

Bottom line, in order to get a health permit to operate a food cart, you have to have a signed agreement with a licensed commissary (commercial kitchen). In both Long Beach and Los Angeles (the Glassell Park area), Partake Collective fills that bill. 

We’re happy to help, and believe that Partake Collective compares favorably to any Los Angeles area operation. 

Tours of both Partake locations are available. Partake Long Beach is at 456 Elm Ave. Partake Los Angeles (Glassell Park) is at 3716 Eagle Rock Blvd. To book a tour, go to partakecollective.com/book-a-tour. 

© Partake Collective 2025