Dallas food businesses, from restaurants to temporary event vendors, would work under a more detailed local food code under amendments that city staff will present Monday, Nov. 16, to the City Council's Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee.
The changes would rewrite parts of Chapter 17, "Food Establishments," less than a year after the council adopted Ordinance No. 33283 on Dec. 10, 2025. That ordinance brought the city code in line with Senate Bill 1008 and the Texas Food Establishment Rules.
A memo from Assistant City Manager Alina Ciocan says the new proposals respond to permitting and enforcement needs that surfaced as the department put that ordinance into practice. State food safety standards would still apply.
Booths at events
The proposal draws a firmer line around multiple-event permits for temporary food operations. One permit would cover a single booth or unit at events, locations and dates the city has approved during the annual permit term. No single event could run longer than 14 consecutive days, and the memo says the permit could not be used for continuous or unrestricted vending.
If one approved event ends, the vendor's authority at that event would end without cancelling its approval for the others.
How often inspectors come
For the first time the city code would set minimum inspection intervals by risk level:
- Risk level three establishments: every six months
- Risk level two: once a year
- Risk level one: every two years
