Straight answers for Philadelphia food truck, trailer, and cart operators.
A commissary kitchen is a licensed, shared commercial kitchen that mobile food businesses use as their home base. Food trucks, trailers, and carts are too small to do all their prep, storage, cleaning, and waste disposal on board, so they work out of a commissary instead.
In Philadelphia a commissary is not optional. PDPH requires every mobile vending operation to have an approved support facility and to report to it at least daily for food, cleaning supplies, and servicing. You name that facility on the Schedule A form in your plan review packet, and the Office of Food Protection checks that it is approved.
A commissary typically includes a cook line and prep kitchen, cold and dry storage, potable water, a greywater and grease disposal station, and a place to clean your unit. At Center City Commissary it also includes indoor parking for your truck or cart and a supply counter where you buy food direct in the building.
A commissary is the licensed base your mobile unit works from. Philadelphia requires every food truck and cart to have an approved support facility and report to it at least daily.
Yes. We sign your Schedule A support facility form and give you a copy of our food license and latest inspection report. We sign again every year when your license renews on April 30.
Yes. You need a signed support facility to get licensed, so many operators start with us before their license is issued. See our licensing guide.
Once your paperwork and insurance are on file, you complete orientation, get your credential, and roll into your spot.
Certificate of insurance naming us as additional insured, PDPH mobile food establishment license, vehicle registration and state inspection, fire suppression inspection tag, and Commercial Activity License.
Yes. Your unit gets an assigned spot inside the building with its own electrical outlet.
Trucks and trailers up to 26 ft long, 8.5 ft wide, and 12 ft tall. Carts up to the City cap of 8 by 4 by 8 ft. Bigger than that? Send your dimensions and we confirm before the tour.
Loaded step vans up to 22,000 lb are accepted. Running something heavier? Send us the numbers before the tour.
Yes. Each unit gets its own assigned spot and outlet. Tell us your fleet on the tour and we price it together.
Yes. Electric, water, and trash are included in your monthly parking rate.
The facility is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is not a 24 hour facility. A staffed building beats an empty one at 3 a.m.
Yes. Credential based entry, video monitoring, and staff on the floor the whole time we are open.
Reserve your block in advance. We set you up with booking at orientation.
A cook line with hood for hot work and a cold prep area with sinks and work surfaces. The full equipment list is shared on the tour.
A minimum block applies to every booking. You get the exact length with your pricing on the tour.
Billing runs from your reserved start time. Cancellation terms are written into your license agreement and walked through before you sign.
You rent the shelves or pallet space you need, billed monthly. Space is assigned to you, with no floor, aisle, or common area storage.
Registered personnel who have completed orientation. A certified food safety person must be present where the City requires it.
No. Buying at our supply counter is optional. Your food is already here when you pull in, so it can save you a supply run, but you can buy wherever you like.
Our pricing is commercially reasonable for the Philadelphia wholesale market, accounting for pack size, on site availability, and no delivery minimum.
Yes, we carry halal. We write down the exact certification at signing so there are no surprises later.
Say so at signing and we write it down. Where we cannot supply it, you source that item elsewhere.
Pricing varies by unit type, size, and setup. Call or text for your number, or get it on the tour.
You get your full numbers, including what is due at signing, on the tour.
No. You rent your spot month to month under a license agreement, which is how commissaries normally work. It is what keeps the building safe for everyone.
Yes. You need a certificate of insurance that names us as additional insured.
You rent month to month under a license agreement. Notice terms are written into the agreement and reviewed with you before you sign.
No match. Call or text and ask a person.
Ask it on the tour, or call or text and talk to a person.
