As the prevalence of food trucks continues to grow, a Wilkes-Barre councilwoman has been working to design a new ordinance to better regulate those that operate in the city.
“There was one that, when I was at a stoplight, the bright lights were kind of blinding me a little bit. So, I brought it up (at a council meeting) then, but nothing happened with it,” Jessica McClay said in a recent interview.
That was about a year ago.
Since then, other council members have also raised questions about food trucks. Councilman Stan Mirin had concerns about a party with a DJ behind some food trucks one day this past summer.
McClay began researching food truck ordinances in other towns in the area including Scranton, Hazleton and Allentown.
“A lot of them are fairly newer, which means that everybody else has had the same thing that we’ve had — a change in dynamics,” McClay said.
McClay has been working with her fellow council members and Mayor George C. Brown’s administration to design an ordinance for Wilkes-Barre, and she welcomes input from food vendors and the public as well. She expects an ordinance will be ready for discussion at council’s next work session at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25.
So far, she’s considering a section that, in addition to bright lights, addresses continuous or loud music. “And, personally, I just want to make sure that they’re paying the taxes, whether it’s the city mercantile tax, the business privilege tax or whatever. They should be treated just like the regular brick-and-mortar restaurants are,” McClay said.
She also thinks food truck owners should have liability insurance in case anyone is injured near one, and that operators should have written permission from a property owner to park their truck on a property. She also believes the city zoning ordinance should be reviewed and possibly amended to designate areas of the city in which food trucks are and are not allowed to operate.
McClay said she’s not opposed to food trucks. While she rarely orders food from them, she said her husband and son love them. “My son, who you know is a police officer, he loves the food trucks in the city. He’ll tell you all the good ones,” McClay said.
But, she wants to make sure the owners are operating responsibly and are treated the same as brick-and-mortar restaurateurs.
“I am for advancement in the city, and I think it’s great when somebody tries something new. I just want to make sure that we as a city are making sure that everything is covered and we have rules and regulations in place that can be enforced,” she said.
McClay also would like food truck owners to provide more information to the city. The current one-page business license application doesn’t ask for much more than the owner’s name and address, she said.
Upon request, the city provided the newspaper with a list of 62 businesses with food truck business licenses; 56 of the licenses expire this year on April 30, and the remainder, which were awarded earlier last year, already expired.
The types of licenses include:
- 12 new mobile food licenses.
- 21 renewed mobile food licenses.
- 18 renewed catering licenses.
- 6 ice cream truck licenses.
- 5 temporary event food vendor licenses good for four to seven days.
A review of the most recent health inspection reports for the food trucks licensed to operate in the city showed they were all in compliance with health and safety codes.
Bryan Carrasco’s 4 the Love of Breakfast food truck is in its third year of operation in the city.
“We’ve been growing steadily and engaging ourselves,” Carrasco said.
Carrasco said it’s “hard to say” what kind of regulations are needed “because every single food truck and operator has their own variety of what they’re serving” and best hours for operation.
Jaycer Castillo, owner of the Carne & Queso food trailer, said the proposals he’s heard from McClay so far “seem straightforward and fair.”
“We try to do everything required of us to make sure we run our businesses properly,” Castillo said. “We would like to see communication with the food truck owners so we’re all on the same page… The main thing is for this to be fair, for us and for the restaurants as well, so nobody has an edge.”
Castillo, of Kingston, has been operating a food truck in Wilkes-Barre for two years. He said he and fellow operators add value to the city.
“We run during the night and we build a safe community,” he said. “We’d like to keep things in good standing.”
These are licensed food trucks in Wilkes-Barre, the name of the licensee and the type of license.
- 4 The Love of Breakfast, Bryan Carrasco, Mobile Food Renewal
- All Belgium LLC, Toon DeScheppler & Billy Berry, Mobile Food Renewal
- Alyxzander’s Coffee Stop, John Young, Mobile Food New
- Fiamma Rossa Brick Oven Pizza, Antonio Scotto, Mobile Food Renewal
- Around the Table Catering, Dror Levi, Catering Renewal
- BOOZY B’s LLC, Bianca Lupio, Ice Cream Truck.
- BULLDOG BBQ SAUCE, Vince Balint, Mobile Food Renewal
- Carne & Queso Inc., Jaycer Castillo, Mobile Food Renewal
- Chan’s Concessions, Johnnie & Lillie Chan, Temporary Event Food Vendor
- Coco Bongo of NY, Chris Englert, Temporary Event Food Vendor
- Continental Foods dba Nico’s Pizza/Cibo’s Pizza, Domenico Buonsante, Catering Renewal
- Cosenza’s on the Go, Pam Masi, Catering Renewal
- D’ Island Grill, Jose Hernandez, Mobile Food Renewal
- Dave Norman Concessions, David Norman, Catering Renewal
- D-Nice Ice, Charlene Miles, Ice Cream Truck
- D’s on Wheels, Daniel DeMellier , Mobile Food Renewal
- D’Vice Night, Carlos Rodriguez, Mobile Food Renewal
- Eat Up Now, Edward Varhely, Mobile Food Renewal
- EL Pancho Villa, Asucena Verara, Mobile Food New
- El Rey Azteca Mexican Restaurant, Gaston Romero, Catering Renewal
- El Sabor Del Campo, Cristina Rameche, Mobile Food New
- El Solde Oaxaca, Martin Gonzalez, Mobile Food Renewal
- Fat Caboose Food Truck, Craig Termutto, Mobile Food New
- Halal Mobile Food, LLC Truck #1, Nasir Ali, Mobile Food Renewal
- Handel’s Ice Cream, Andrea Briggs, Ice Cream Truck
- Hartman Jerk Center, Carlene Hartman, Catering Renewal
- Horrs Hot Dogs, Buddy Prusinski, Catering Renewal
- Huey’s Concessions, James Huey, Catering Renewal
- Irem Shrine Motor Corps, Irem Temple, Temporary Event Food Vendor
- James Patrick Ryan Services, James Ryan, Catering Renewal
- K Snacks Philly Water Ice, Karma Miller, Ice Cream Truck
- K2-Halal Foods, Ashfaq Ahmed, Mobile Food Renewal
- La Morena, Diomeris Guzman, Mobile Food New
- Little Jimmy’s Italian Ices, Tijuana Best, Ice Cream Truck
- Lou’s Concessions, Lou Sapolis, Catering Renewal
- Maddy’s Dog House, Emily A. Elick, Mobile Food Renewal
- Mi Ranchito, Roberto Morales, Mobile Food Renewal
- Michael Mootz Candies, Michael Mootz, Temporary Event Food Vendor
- Mister Softee, Morad Mohammad, Ice Cream Truck
- Mr. P’s, Joe Perugino, Catering Renewal
- Pastelito’s Factory, Frederico Kelly, Mobile Food Renewal
- Philly Halal Gyro, Ayub Khah, Mobile Food Renewal
- Pico Pollo Los Muchachos RD, Oscar Casillo, Mobile Food New
- R and J Café, Dorothy Curtis, Mobile Food Renewal
- Sammy’s Caribbean Grill, Samuel C. James, Catering Renewal
- Sharif Express, William Sharif, Mobile Food Renewal
- Sherrie’s Crab Cakes, Sherrie’s Crab Cakes, Temporary Event Food Vendor
- Snooks Wings & Things, Snooks Wings & Things, Catering Renewal
- Taco El Borracho, Daniel Tapia, Mobile Food New
- Tacos La Catrina LLC, Alberto Castillo, Mobile Food New
- Tacos La Poblanita, Elizabeth Fleury, Mobile Food Renewal
- Tacos Mi Ranchito Xixingo, Eliazar Leon, Mobile Food New
- Taqueria Los Compadres, Kaitlyn Martinez, Mobile Food New
- The Gyro King, Notis Valas, Catering Renewal
- The Ice Cream Truck #2 #3, John Young, Mobile Food Renewal
- The Lunchbox, David Ratchford , Mobile Food New
- Tony Thomas Deli & Catering, Tony Thomas, Catering Renewal
- Tyre Square Club, Adolph Wright, Catering Renewal
- Vanauken Lemonade, David Vanauken, Mobile Food New
- Wicked Pissah Lobster Company, Michelle Moshey, Mobile Food Renewal
- Winnebagel, Phil Delzeit, Catering Renewal
- Yogi’s, Rose Jagodzinski, Catering Renewal
Contact McClay
Anyone with suggestions for or concerns about a food truck ordinance for Wilkes-Barre can email Jessica McClay at [email protected] or call her at 570-592-3380.
Food trucks in Wilkes-Barre
Find a list of food trucks licensed to operate in the city with this story at citizensvoice.com.
Originally Published: February 14, 2025 at 6:15 PM EST
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