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Study ranks Portland as most food truck-friendly city, Boston as most unfriendly

March 22, 2018

Portland ranks as the most food truck-friendly city in the U.S., while Boston is the most unfriendly, according to a study released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

The 12-month study, "Food Truck Nation," reveals the ease and hurdles of starting up and operating a food truck business in 20 of the most active food truck cities across the nation. The study reveals that the burdens placed on owners threaten the growth of an industry that for many entrepreneurs has become a gateway to owning a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

The study found that Portland and Denver rank as the friendliest food truck cities, while Boston and Washington, D.C., are among the most challenging.  

"In many major cities regulations for food trucks can be confusing, duplicative, and in some cases nonsensical," Carolyn Cawley, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, said in a press release. "Food trucks operating in parts of Los Angeles need to move their trucks every hour. In New York, entrepreneurs wait as long as 15 years for a simple permit. No matter the example, the end result is the same — difficultly for entrepreneurs to start and grow a business."

The once-fledgling food truck industry reached a record $2.7 billion in forecasted revenue in 2017 and has seen an annual growth rate of 7.9 percent. However, the study found that a lopsided, confusing regulatory environment is putting the food truck community at risk. In some cities, setting up a food truck requires at least 22 distinct interactions between owners and regulators.

Following are the five most friendly and unfriendly food truck cities.

Most friendly:
1. Portland
2. Denver
3. Orlando
4. Philadelphia
5. Indianapolis

Most unfriedly:
1. Boston
2. Washington, D.C.
3. San Francisco
4. Minneapolis
5. Seattle