Dubai: Food trucks are not allowed to roam around the city and sell food in Dubai, Dubai Municipality said on Monday.
The so-called kitchens-on-wheels are only allowed to be stationed at approved venues and cater at events with prior permission from the Food Safety Department of the civic body, an official told Gulf News on Monday.
The department had chalked out the regulations for issuing permits to food trucks last year after the relatively new concept became popular in the emirate.
“People started asking [permission] to roam around and sell food in streets. But this is the final decision. We are issuing the permits for food trucks only for functions and events,” said Aisha Ebrahim, principal health officer with the Food Permits Section.
“They are not allowed to park and sell on the roads, parks or beaches without permission. They can station the trucks only at the venues approved for the organisers of the function.”
Food trucks in Dubai are also not allowed to have on-board kitchens and to prepare food from scratch.
“Food establishments [operating the food trucks] should have their main kitchen in their premises and only the final preparation will be allowed in the food trucks. All raw materials should be prepared in the main kitchen.”
All food safety and hygiene regulations, including training for employees applicable to food establishments, are applicable to the food trucks as well.
Many food chains and independent companies are now catering through food trucks at carnivals and special events giving a different ambience of street dining for the public in Dubai. Ebrahim said the department had issued several permits in the past year.
She said the maximum duration allowed for keeping food trucks at one particular event is one month. The fee for obtaining a permit for operating a food truck for each function is Dh180.
Violation of these rules will attract penalties, the official added.
