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For Food Truck Applicants

The City of Cambridge Food Truck Program is a business incubator initiative, designed to grow food truck and trailer businesses with an emphasis on first-time operators as well as historically excluded proprietors who may have limited vending options in Cambridge or the surrounding area.

To be eligible for vending consideration in the Food Truck Program, food truck and trailer operators are required to fill out an application, now available online through the City's Viewpoint platform. They are also required to become licensed and permitted by the City of Cambridge prior to the start of vending. Permitting and licensing guidelines required by the City are available at the Food Truck Vending in Cambridge webpage. 

All food truck and trailer operators are encouraged to apply. For questions about whether or not your business meets the special considerations of the Food Truck Program, please review the Food Truck Program Guidelines. 

The Cambridge Food Truck Program will reopen for the 2022 vending year (starts May 2022).  Operators interested in participating should complete this online application. Please review the Food Truck Program Guidelines prior to submitting an application online.

Applicant Resources

Food Truck Program Guidelines 

Food Truck Operator FAQ

Read how the Program Helped The Pull Up, LLC Establish its Business

Locations & Scheduling Considerations

The following shift times and locations are available to applicants for the 2022/2023 season. To promote diverse food offerings at each location, ineligible food truck or trailer menu items have been noted. Vendors indicate their shift preference when completing the online Food Truck Program application. Scheduling food trucks and trailers is a three-part process vetted by an internal review committee to determine qualified trucks for each location. 

Note: actual vending time will be shorter to allow for at least 30 minutes for setup and breakdown at the beginning and end of each shift

Additional Location Notes

• Food truck and trailer businesses operating in the City of Cambridge are required to follow all the same regulations applicable to their brick-and-mortar counterparts. For a full list consult the Food Truck Program Guidelines.
• Payment for shifts secured through the Food Truck Program will be made on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis, and paid for in advance of vending. Food truck and trailer operators will be invoiced by the Traffic, Parking & Transportation Department and issued a Special Permit for use of the road. Failure to pay for the Traffic, Parking & Transportation Special Permit in advance of vending will result in shift forfeiture. Food trucks are not responsible for paying parking fees via parking meters as shift fee includes cost of parking at a public parking spot. 
• If your truck would like to host programming, such as live music, children's entertainment, or other activities, please contact economic development staff for information about how to obtain a Special Event permit or other one-time licenses as these activities are not covered by the permits and licenses for food truck vending.

Parking & Enforcement

In the event that a location space is occupied during the hours of an approved food truck or trailer shift by any automobile other than the scheduled truck or trailer, please contact the Cambridge Police Department, which will dispatch a unit to ticket and tow the vehicle.

Non-emergency line: 617/349-3300

For More Information

Contact Christina DiLisio, Associate Economic Development Specialist, at cdilsio@cambridgema.gov or 617/349-4601