City of Portland: Is a Food Cart Crackdown on the Menu?

Image of SW 9th and Alder cart pod courtesy memsphere via Flickr

According to a KATU report (brought on by a station investigation), many of Portland's famous food carts will soon be getting visits from the city's building department to "investigate the potentially dangerous situations" brought on by carts' and pods' unsanctioned seating areas. The report, which aired on last night's broadcast, claims that "some carts just aren't playing by the rules out there" — and many restaurateurs are also crying foul, saying carts' different standards allow them to undercut brick-and-mortars' profits.

And Food Carts Portland is calling shenanigans. "KATU did a whole series of stories last week arguing that the carts have an unfair advantage against restaurants," cart critic Dieselboi writes. "Unfair or just a different business model?" Either way, looks like the city inspectors will be out and about, kids: Consider your rickety deck structure warned.
· Portland Crackdown on Food Carts? [FCP]
· All Previous Cart Talk Coverage [Eater PDX]