Milwaukee food truck hours restriction, owners optimistic

Food truck owners optimistic on hours change

Milwaukee food truck owners said they've seen a sign of progress just a week before a new rule will force them to close earlier than they'd prefer.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee food truck owners said they've seen a sign of progress just a week before a new rule will force them to close earlier than they'd prefer at locations across the city.

Food truck hours

The backstory:

The Milwaukee Common Council approved an ordinance last week that requires the mobile restaurants to close at 10 p.m. downtown and 11 p.m. in other parts of the city starting on Saturday, May 9.

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"We want to work together"

What they're saying:

Food truck owners said they'll lose out on business at their busiest times, which is why they hope to find common ground before the ordinance takes effect.

"If the ordinance takes effect next week, that means we're going to start facing the problems and issues," said Abdallah Ismail, who owns the Fatty Patty food truck.

Fatty Patty food truck on Water Street

Ismail and other food truck owners went to City Hall on Thursday to raise concerns about the Common Council's decision. On Friday, he met with staff from Mayor Cavalier Johnson's office.

"Our meeting in general was, like, overall positive," he said. "Our voices are starting to be heard."

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Ismail said he highlighted food truck owners' work with the city in 2023, when food truck curfews were cut from 3 a.m. to 1 a.m. He also said he brought up possible solutions this time around, like putting trash bins outside every truck and also posting grab-and-go signs to help avoid any large gatherings in food truck zones.

"We want to work together to solve this," he said. 

Food truck owners in Burnham Park, where the ordinance would force them to close at 11 p.m., said they, too, are optimistic about finding a solution before May 9.

Food trucks in Burnham Park

City's side

The other side:

City leaders said the curfew ordinance arose out of safety concerns.

FOX6 News reached out to the mayor's office on Friday. He was not available for an on-camera interview, but a staff member said owners' message will be taken to the mayor's council relations staff – adding that Friday's meeting was positive.