San Bernardino County Food Trucks

By Michael Reiter, Attorney at Law

[2023 note.  This post is severely outdated it is kept only to preserve existing links to the site.]

I first heard of Gourmet Food Trucks in San Francisco a few years ago.  I had some college friends who often headed to the Fruitvale neighborhood in Oakland to visit a taco truck (until they got robbed at 2 AM), but these are obviously not the same kind of food trucks.  I won’t mention the rhyming pejorative that often accompanied catering trucks that I heard in the San Bernardino of my youth.

The Los Angeles County-based trucks are now well-known, with multiple blogs, television coverage, and Yelp entries dedicated to the trucks.  I went to the Santa Anita Food Truck Festival II and there were 80 trucks.  Even though there were two Nom Nom Trucks at the event, one ran out of food. The Grilled Cheese Truck had an hours-long wait, and I was lucky to have only a twenty-minute wait at the Lobsta Truck for a lobster roll at 11:30 a.m.  Most interestingly, someone was handing out fliers for an event for aspiring food truck owners.  They even claimed to deal with legal issues.  Unfortunately, I was not given the flier.

Street cuisine seems to be the cuisine du jour.  According to San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford, mobile food trucks (other than at fixed events) are currently not allowed in the County of San Bernardino.  The Rutherford Report (Newsletter), March 2011, Page 1.

Update 6/29/2011

Someone wrote to me about this post.  To clarify, I believe catering trucks are currently permitted in San Bernardino County because catering trucks have pre-made food.  Gourmet Food Trucks involve preparation of food in the truck, and are only allowed at special events like the Food Truck Festival held recently in Ontario.  I know the County is still reviewing, at Supervisor Rutherford’s request, the prohibition on Gourmet Food Trucks.  To clarify further, when I quote an ordinance, I am not stating my own opinion.  I do not hold political opinions on this blog.  Even if I did something in previous employment, that was not my opinion, it was what my client wanted.  Attorneys, particularly public attorneys, do not have the liberty of having opinions.

Copyright 2011 Michael Reiter, Attorney at Law

The information you obtain at this blog is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by reading or commenting on this blog. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.

Michael Reiter is a partner with Cole Huber LLP

2855 E. Guasti Road, Suite 402

Ontario, CA 91761