Surviving Commissary Kitchen Closures: Food Truck Owner’s Guide

What can you do right now if your commissary kitchen suddenly shuts its doors? While it’s a stressful situation, there are a few avenues you can pursue to get your food truck back on track. Consider these alternative solutions when you’re left without a commissary:

• Rent a Restaurant’s Kitchen (Short-Term): Many brick-and-mortar restaurants have downtime (overnight or mornings) when their kitchen sits unused. If your commissary closes, try reaching out to local restaurants about using their kitchen during off-hours. You might find a sympathetic owner willing to rent you space in the early morning or late night when they’re closed. This gives you a fully equipped, inspected kitchen to work out of temporarily​

• Partner with Another Food Business: Do you know a catering company, bakery, or fellow food truck owner with their own licensed kitchen? It might be possible to share or sublet space from them. Sometimes multiple food businesses can co-op a single commissary kitchen, splitting costs and schedules. If you have connections in the local food scene, put out feelers – a friendly caterer might let you use their dish pit and storage for a while, or another food truck (one that maybe operates on opposite days from you) could share their commissary arrangement.

• Temporary Allowances from Regulators: It’s worth contacting your local health department if you’re caught without a commissary due to circumstances beyond your control. In some cases, officials might grant a short-term waiver or help you find a solution. For example, if a whole commissary facility shut down, the county might allow affected trucks to operate for a brief period as long as they use alternative approved facilities for water and waste. Every jurisdiction is different, so don’t assume, but it’s wise to explain your situation to the health inspector and ask what your options are.

• Adapt Your Menu/Operations (If Allowed): Depending on your state’s rules, you might be able to operate in a limited capacity without a commissary if your food prep is minimal. Some states have tiers of food trucks – if you only sell prepackaged items or non-perishable foods, you may not need a commissary at all​

• Vet Your Commissary Carefully: Before you sign on with a commissary kitchen, do some homework. Tour the facility – is it clean and well-maintained? Ask how often they pass health inspections. If you see red flags (like pests, old equipment, overwhelmed staff), consider looking elsewhere. A slightly more expensive but well-run commissary is worth it to avoid surprise closures due to negligence. Also, read the contract or agreement: does it have any clause about sudden closure or refund policy? Knowing how they handle emergencies is important.

• Maintain Great Hygiene Practices: When you’re using a shared commissary, the behavior of each user affects everyone. Do your part to keep the commissary clean and up to code. Follow all the rules for food storage, cleaning, and waste disposal. Not only does this reduce the risk of you triggering a violation, but it also sets a standard. Sometimes commissary users even form a small community – if you see someone leaving a mess, speak up or alert the manager. A culture of cleanliness can prevent the kind of health issues that lead to shutdowns.

• Network with Other Food Truck Owners: Build relationships with fellow food truckers and local restaurateurs before you desperately need their help. If you’re on good terms with others in the industry, you’ll have a support network to tap into during a crisis. Join local food truck associations or online groups. By networking, you might hear early warnings (e.g. rumors that a commissary is in trouble) and you’ll know who to call if you need a temporary kitchen or advice. Often, other owners who have been through it can share solutions or even offer you a spot in their commissary as a stopgap.

• Have a Backup Commissary From Day One: It might not always be feasible, but if you can afford it, consider arranging a backup location. This could be a secondary commissary you use occasionally or at least have an agreement with to take you on if needed.

• Document Everything: Should you face a commissary closure, document communications and reasons. If the closure is due to negligence by the commissary owner, you may have grounds to recoup some losses or at least get out of your contract without penalty. Having records can help in any legal or insurance claim situation.