Temporary Food Service Establishment ​means a food products establishment that operates at a fixed location for a limited period of time in conjunction with a single event or celebration (i.e. Taste of Dallas, July 4th, etc.); or a concessionaire operating under a seasonal contract with either the park and recreation department or the municipal produce market.

Food means any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance; ice; any beverage; or any ingredient; used or sold or intended for use or for sale in whole or part for human consumption, except tobacco or a drug as defined by the Texas Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TEMPORARY FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
For Food and/or Beverage Stands

I. Food

1. Only foods, which are pre-approved and require minimal handling, will be considered. No slicing, dicing or cutting of food products onsite. Temperature Control for Safey (TCS) food items will be limited to six items.  TCS foods include: meats, eggs, dairy products, rice, beans, potatoes, etc.
2. Seafood and poultry are only allowed under two conditions
1. Raw product must be pre-cut, breaded and frozen, to go from the freezer to the fryer or;
2. Product must be pre-cooked.
3. TCS food allowed to be cooked on site from a raw state are those which are fast cooking such as:
1. Pre-formed hamburger patties
2. Beef fajitas
3. Sausage, hotdogs, etc.
4. All other TCS food must be prepared and cooked at a currently permitted and inspected food facility. These cooked foods must be properly transported to the temporary site while maintaining proper temperatures.

*EXCEPTIONS TO BE REVIEWED BY MANAGEMENT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS

II. Structure

A.  All temporary food establishments are required to have approved flooring, which may include concrete, asphalt or tight-fitting plywood.

B.  All stands must have suitable overhead covering for food preparation, cooking, utensil washing and service areas. Such coverings must meet the City of Dallas Fire Code requirements. A table skirt or other form of protection is recommended to protect food, single service articles and utensils.

C.  All grills must have overhead covering while in use.

D.  Booths must have barrier to protect food and prevent customers into the booth.

E.  If propane will be used during the event a low propane fire permit must be obtained.  Contact the Fire Department at 214-670-4319 for information on obtaining a permit.

III. Sink Requirements

1. Hand washing facilities which are convenient are required for all establishments which handle open food. These must provide flowing water to be used for hand washing and a collection bucket for waste water. Coffee urns, drink coolers, or bottled water with a spigot work well for this purpose. At least a five (5) gallon potable water capacity should be available. Soap and paper towels must also be available. Disposable gloves are recommended, but do not take the place of hand wash facilities.

IV. Utensil Washing and Sanitization

A.  A container with soapy water solution is required for the washing of dirty utensils on site. This is for emergency use only.

B.  A residual of 50-100 PPM chlorine may be obtained by placing one (1) tablespoon of bleach in one (1) gallon of warm water. Test papers must be provided to ensure that proper sanitizer level is achieved. All utensils must be taken to a commissary location daily to be properly washed, rinsed and sanitized.​
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​​C.  All waste water from sinks, steam tables, buckets, etc. must be disposed of into a sanitary sewer system or in a manner which is consistent with the liquid waste disposal code requirements.

D.  All wiping cloths must be stored in an approved sanitizer solution at the proper concentration. If chlorine is used as the sanitizer, a solution of 100 PPM is required.

V. Food Protection and Handling

1. Bare hand contact is not allowed with ready-to-eat foods. A barrier (ie. gloves, utensils, deli paper, etc.) must be used between bare hands and ready-to-eat food.
2. Effective hair restraints, including nets and caps are required in food preparation and service areas.
3. Food handling personnel must wash their hands as frequently as necessary, even if disposable gloves are used. Nails must be closely trimmed and maintained. No sculptured nails or chipped nail polish is allowed.
4. Gum chewing is prohibited in the food preparation and service areas.
5. All foods, food containers, utensils napkins, straws and other single service articles must be stored at least 6"off the floor and adequately protected from splash, dust, insects, weather and other contamination.
6. All condiments, including onions, relish, peppers, catsup, mustard, etc., which are available for customer self-service must be available in individual packets or be dispensed from an approved dispenser.
7. All TCS food requiring refrigeration must be stored at a temperature not to exceed 41°F. TCS food which are required to be held hot must maintain a temperature of 135°F or hotter to prevent bacterial growth. Mechanical holding units are required in each booth to ensure that proper temperature is maintained. Canned heat (Sterno) is not allowed for maintaining hot food temperatures outside. Ice chests are not allowed for maintaining cold food temperatures.
8. Open and unprotected displays of food are not allowed.
   When using chafing dishes, only hinged-lid types will be allowed so that at least half of the food remains covered at all times.
9. Animals must be located at least fifty (50) feet from a food facility or food service area.
10. When self-service ice dispensers are not used, ice scoops are required. Ice used for human consumption may not be used to refrigerate other foods and beverages. Ice storage units must be drained to a waste water receptacle or a sanitary sewer system to prevent submergence of beverage containers into melted ice.

VI. Permitting

1. Applications for, and issuance of Temporary Food Establishment Permits are at 7901 Goforth Road, Dallas, TX 75238. Permits are issued Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm and 4: 00 pm.
2. Applications must be received in this office at least five (5) working days prior to the event. All three (3) pages of the application must be submitted for approval.
3. A non-refundable fee of $121 plus $13 per day for each temporary food establishment must be paid when the application is submitted.  Vendors that will offer only prepackaged foods from the manufacturer that are non-time and temperature controlled and with minimum handling and preparation may request a limited service food permit.  Limited service food permits require a non-refundable permit fee of $74, plus $13 for each day of operation and for each facility from which the establishment is operated.
4. All Vendors will need to submit a copy of the current local health permit and a copy of the last health inspection conducted by the local health department.  Vendors that do not have their own licensed kitchen will need to provide a permission letter from the owner of the kithcen where the food items will be prepared.
5. Food Manufacturers must submit a copy of the state manufacturer's license along with the application.
6. Vendors must provide a copy of the invitation or letter from the event organizer granting permission to take part in the event.
7. Applications must be filled out completely to include all menu items along with the location of preparation.

The Purpose of these requirements is to prevent food borne illness and protect the public health by assisting operators of temporary food service establishments in meeting minimum construction standards and using safe techniques when storing, preparing, displaying and serving foods.

Failure to comply with these regulations may result in the closure of the food establishment, revocation of the permit and/or municipal court citations.

The Consumer Health Division may impose additional requirements related to the operation of temporary food establishments to protect the health of the consumer and may prohibit the sale of some or all potentially hazardous foods.

For additional information or any questions contact the
Consumer Health Division at
7901 Goforth Road Dallas, Texas 75238
(214) 670-8083 FAX (214) 670-8330

Guidelines​ (PDF)

Temporary Indoor Fixed Facility (Kiosk)

A kiosk is defined as a temporary fixed facility operating on a permanent basis without being required to connect to a sanitary sewer and water. A kiosk operation is allowed only in connection with an on-site facility that has a permanent food establishment permit. A kiosk structure is not necessarily limited to a single fixed or mobile structure. There can be an arrangement of mobile units, fixed units, or a mixture of both joined together to form a structure not to exceed 100 sq. feet. Kiosks are not required to have a grease trap or ventilation system, therefore no cooking of raw food products will be allowed on the kiosk. All foods must be precooked and require warming only.

Kiosk Guidelines ​
Kiosk Application/Plan Review​
Kiosk Commissary Approval​