JACKSON, MS – Food truck vendors will now be able to move freely around Jackson to sell their food.

The Jackson City Council passed an amendment Tuesday night to the city’s mobile food vendors ordinance to allow food trucks to move from location to location with an annual $500 fee. However, they can’t park and sell food within 300 feet of a restaurant.

Prior to the council passing the amendment, food truck vendors had to pay $500 per spot to sell food.

“This will allow food trucks to move from spot to spot with one $500 permit fee a year,” said City Councilman Tyrone Hendrix, chairman of the council’s rules committee. “And we are protecting our established restaurants with the 300 feet buffer zone.”

Food truck vendors said the change is needed.

“We don’t want to be hindered,” said Jeff Puckett, whose Hog Heaven BBQ on Lakeland Drive operates a food truck. “We just want to be able to operate.”

Lauren Davis, owner of Lurny D’s Grille, the first food truck to operate in Jackson, said changing the ordinance will free them to tap new customers throughout the city..

“We haven’t tapped the West Jackson or South Jackson market,” Davis said. “Also, I can’t tell you how many people have called us wanting us to be closer to their business.”

Davis said the change in the ordinance will modernize Jackson. He said larger cities already allow food truck vendors to move freely.

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