Mecklenburg County Public Health has reported a rise in complaints about unpermitted food vendors, particularly in Charlotte’s Uptown and South End areas. The vendors mainly operate between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The county’s Food and Facilities Sanitation Program is responsible for permitting over 4,400 food service facilities and conducting more than 13,000 inspections annually to ensure health standards are met. These establishments must display a food safety scorecard.
Unpermitted vendors are not subject to these inspections, posing potential health risks due to inadequate hygiene practices like improper handwashing, unsafe cooking temperatures, and unsanitary equipment.
Director of Environmental Health Chrystal Swinger emphasized the importance of looking for the food safety scorecard before ordering. “Unpermitted food vendors pose a serious health risk of foodborne illness, which can be severe and even fatal,” she said. She urged residents not to support illegal vendors as part of efforts to curb these hazardous conditions.
Residents can report illegal vendors through 311 and check inspection scores online or via Yelp.
