Independent Operators

Cincinnati establishes food truck curfew

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September 12, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio has established a food truck curfew of 11 p.m. The city manager believes it will improve public safety due to intoxicated individuals coming out onto the streets late at night to order food, according to a report by Fox 19.

"These gatherings can escalate into nuisance behavior for nearby residents and businesses," the manager's office said in a statement. "By placing reasonable time limits in these areas, the city is helping to reduce pressure on law enforcement while still ensuring that food trucks have opportunities to operate legally and thrive in other parts of Cincinnati."

The city first considered the rules when a brawl broke out in a food truck line on July 26. Some businesses are pleased with the change, stating that the food trucks take business and cause crowds. However, AJ Cheesesteaks owner Ty Velez said food truck vendors were taken back by the decision.

"It makes the food trucks look really bad when all they're trying to do is take care of our families and pay our employees," Velez told the news outlet.

The Cincinnati Food Truck Association said in a statement "The CFTA was also not made aware of any particular late-night issues concerning food trucks or their after-hours presence."