Multnomah County sees rise in unlicensed food carts in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Multnomah County Health Department issued a warning to Portlanders on Thursday about a rise in unlicensed food carts in the area, posing “serious” health and safety concerns.
According to the county, these unlicensed vendors have not undergone inspection by the county and may lack proper food handling equipment, handwashing facilities, clean water, or refrigeration, which can increase the risk of customers catching a foodborne illness.
The warning comes as the health department has responded to a rise in unlicensed makeshift pushcarts across Portland that sell hot dogs near event venues and bars, the county said.
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The health department noted many unlicensed vendors “are known to be transported to Portland from other areas.”
“We can’t have people coming from out of town, disregarding County rules, and selling unsafe food that negatively impacts public health and the livelihoods of licensed food businesses,” said Multnomah County Interim Environmental Health Director Jeff Martin.
During the summer of 2023, the county shut down four vans with out-of-state license plates that dropped off vendors and carts near Portland venues.
In the summer of 2023, Multnomah County shut down four vehicles with out-of-state license plates that dropped off unlicensed food vendors in Portland (Courtesy Multnomah County). The Multnomah County Health Department is warning Portlanders about unlicensed food vendors in the city, posing a serious health risk for foodborne illness (Courtesy Multnomah County).
Hot dogs are the most prevalent item these carts have sold. But the health department is also hearing reports of unlicensed vendors selling other foods as well, including hamburgers and cut fruit.
“What we’re seeing is red carts or carts covered with silver tape. They don’t have a visible health permit, they don’t have a handwashing station, they don’t have refrigeration or a big cooler to keep foods cold,” explained Andrea Hamberg, interim public health director for the Multnomah County Health Department. “They’re also often located on the sidewalk or in the middle of a closed street.”
Even though six carts have been labeled as unlicensed by the county, vendors have misled customers by covering the health department’s “unlicensed” stickers on their carts, officials said.
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“There is a legal way to operate a mobile hot dog stand: Obtain a temporary license from the Health Department,” said Martin. “We’ve tried working with these unlicensed vendors, but they have been unwilling to follow our guidance, which harms both licensed food vendors and the public.”
The health department told KOIN 6 News this appears to be a “west coast problem” with Washington and California reporting similar cases involving unlicensed hot dog vendors.
So far, the health department is not tracking any foodborne illness outbreaks related to the unlicensed food carts, Hamberg said, emphasizing most cases are minor and the department doesn’t hear about them.
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“The concern is that it could just be a matter of time before a more serious case or set of cases emerge and we really want people to know they are taking their health into their own hands when they eat from an unlicensed vendor,” Hamberg warned.
The county is encouraging Oregonians to continue visiting licensed food carts — noting licensed vendors have county-approved health permits displayed and customers can ask vendors to see permits.
“That’s how we protect our thriving food cart industry and public health in Portland. Our focus is helping small businesses succeed,” Martin said.
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Lucinda Klicker, the market manager for the South Waterfront Farmers Market, told KOIN 6 News all the businesses at the market are required to have a permit and insurance, even the small carts.
Klicker said she’s seen some of the unlicensed carts popping up around town recently.
“It was like, it was kind of a little skeptical because you were just like, ‘How do they get all of their ingredients into these little carts?’ And you know, I’ve never seen these in Portland before,” Klicker said.
Gagan Aulakh is the owner of one of the licensed carts at the South Waterfront Farmers Market, Kulfi. He said it’s easy as a smaller cart to pack up everything they need “without having a big set-up.”
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Kulfi sells South Asian-inspired artisanal ice cream and kulfi, a traditional Indian dairy dessert. Aulakh said the permitting process through the county was fairly simple.
“We find it daunting in the beginning. But the fact that they just give them a call and they’re very easy to help you, to get the things that you need, so that you’re able to do what you want to do for when you start a business,” he said.
Since the county’s number one priority is food safety, that makes the end product of licensed vendors all the more “top notch,” Aulakh reasoned.
“If it has to go through some rigorous screening just to make sure that we are able to provide a good quality product that people can rely on, then it’s great, right?”
As a small business incubator, the South Waterfront Farmer’s Market is host to Kulfi and a number of other licensed vendors. They hold 23 markets throughout the year.
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