Multiple food establishments in Central Seattle, including areas near Pioneer Square, Lumen Field, and T-Mobile Park, have been closed due to health violations, with eleven unpermitted red carts shut down near stadiums between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. for operating without valid permits and lacking essential facilities such as handwashing stations and water supply, according to Public Health – Seattle & King County.
Three additional unpermitted red carts located under the bridge next to T-Mobile Park were closed earlier between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. for similar violations including insufficient refrigeration and lack of water and handwashing facilities.
Mustard and Mischief, located at the southeast corner of South King Street and 1st Avenue South, was closed at 5 p.m. for operating without a permit and lacking hot water. The establishment also failed to use an approved commissary kitchen for food preparation and equipment cleaning.
Home Skillet at 500 Occidental Avenue South was shut down at 10 a.m. for operating without a permit and facing imminent health hazards including insufficient refrigeration, lack of hot water, and absence of handwashing facilities.
Licensed food stands in the area say noncompliant food carts have become a major issue in the last year. “It’s almost like, ‘if they’re not going to comply, we’re not going to comply,'” said Randy Stevenson, who has run a hot dog stand on Occidental Avenue for 30 years.
Stevenson said unregulated food carts have been setting up in front of his business during events. “They’re blocking our legal business here,” he said.
The unlicensed food cart issue extends beyond Seattle. In east King County, food truck owner Misa Avila talked about how hard it is to compete with lower prices by businesses not following regulations.
“We all pay taxes, we pay permits, we pay health inspectors, we pay the fire chief to come inspect and make sure our fire equipment is in order, they don’t have to do any of that,” Avila said.
Public Health Seattle – King County says consumers should look for required signage at food businesses showing compliance. The agency stated that it has carried out 150 closures of unpermitted food businesses this year.
“In all of these situations, we direct vendors to cease operations and educate unpermitted vendors about how to obtain a permit,” a Public Health – Seattle & King County statement said.
“This growing issue is not unique to King County, there has been a significant increase in unpermitted mobile food vendors across the country in the last two years. What sets many of these unpermitted vendors apart is that they are centrally organized operations, acting across county and even state boundaries, that intentionally ignore multiple closures and calls to come into compliance. Addressing this problem requires a multipronged approach, collaborating across agencies to protect the public’s health and safety.”
Earlier this week, a coalition of 200 licensed Mexican restaurants urged city and state officials to take immediate action against illegal “pop-up” taco tents and stands operating across the state.
The coalition emphasized the threat these unlicensed vendors pose to public health and legitimate businesses, stating they undercut legitimate restaurants, threaten public health, and erode trust in local government.
