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New city-run pilot program brings food carts back to downtown Orlando

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By Reina Nieves on Fri, Feb 24, 2023 at 4:01 pm

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

(A few) food carts are back operating in downtown Orlando

The City of Orlando this week launched a new program tailored to give food cart vendors a chance to set up shop again in downtown Orlando.

City Council unanimously approved the Mobile Food Vending Pilot Program, which (kind of) lifts the current ban on food carts operating downtown. Starting this week, 12 pre-approved food carts can operate downtown from the hours of 6 p.m.-2:30 a.m. seven days a week.

There are 10 designated locations downtown for registered and pre-approved carts to set up shop nightly. Participating vendors are subject to inspections and have to possess several state and local permits, including a state license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

The rules of the program also, interestingly, ban the use of styrofoam and single-use plastic bags.

The pilot program covers food trucks, lunch carts and food carts, and will be in effect for a year.

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