Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 7, ch. 7-38, art. II, pt. B — Mobile Food Dispensers (7-38-130 et seq.) | Municipal Code of Chicago (2026 S-74, current through Council Journal of June 17, 2026) — City of Chicago

Municipal Code of Chicago § 7-38-130 Preparation and service of food and drink.

7-38-130 Preparation and service of food and drink. (a) No food shall be sold or served by a mobile food dispenser, except the following: (1) Individual portions of food that are totally enclosed in a wrapper or container and which have been manufactured, prepared or wrapped in a food establishment licensed by the city or a food establishment which is operating under the state or local health authority if the statute or ordinance regulating such food establishment is substantially equivalent to this chapter. Such food may undergo a final preparation step immediately prior to service to a consumer, provided such final preparation steps conform with the rules of the Department of Health. (2) Coffee which is prepared in a licensed retail food establishment, refrigerated cream which is kept in a covered single-service container or an approved cream dispenser, and sugar which is served only in wrapped individual packages or in a covered closed pouring-spout type container, or in any other manner approved by the Department of Health, which is effective in preventing contamination; (3) Other bulk soft drinks or beverages which are dispensed from an approved dispenser only. These approved bulk soft drink dispensers shall be serviced and filled only at a licensed retail food establishment which serves as a commissary for the mobile food dispenser. The drink outlet on all bulk liquid dispensers shall be protected from flies, dust and contamination; (4) Individual portions of ice cream, ice milk, frozen dessert mix, sundaes or other frozen desserts that are totally enclosed in a wrapper or container and which have been manufactured, prepared or wrapped in a licensed food establishment; and (5) Whole and uncooked fruits or vegetables. (b) No mobile food dispenser licensee or charitable food vendor shall operate as a mobile food preparer without complying with all the requirements to operate as a mobile food preparer. (Added Coun. J. 7-25-12, p. 31326, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 9-24-15, p. 6984, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 12-13-17, p. 63286, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 3-23-22, p. 45620, § 4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 7-38-132 Sinks, water storage tanks and other plumbing requirements.

7-38-132 Sinks, water storage tanks and other plumbing requirements. All mobile food dispenser vehicles that engage in a final preparation step as defined in the rules of the Department of Health shall be equipped with a handwashing sink and an adequate supply of running hot and cold water. The water storage tank shall be self-draining and cleaned and flushed not less than twice in each six-month period. Liquid waste from the handwashing sink shall be piped in fixed piping to a liquid waste retention tank 50 percent larger than the water storage tank. The liquid waste retention tank shall be located in a separate area from food storage or food-contact surfaces. The connection between the piping from the sink and the liquid waste retention container shall be tight-fitting and comply with the plumbing sections of this Code and the rules of the Department of Health. The liquid waste retention tank shall be emptied daily or more often if necessary, and only into a sanitary drainage facility in a manner and place approved by the Department of Health. Liquid waste shall not be discharged from the retention tank when the mobile food vehicle is in motion. (Added Coun. J. 7-25-12, p. 31326, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 12-13-17, p. 63286, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-14-18, p. 90308, Art. II, § 2)