Commissary

A commissary is a permitted fixed kitchen that a food truck works from. The truck returns there to fill its water tanks, empty wastewater, clean equipment and store food and supplies. A licensed restaurant or shared kitchen can serve as a commissary.

The NACCHO best-practices factsheet describes daily trips to the commissary and asks for a written agreement signed by the commissary operator and the truck operator, with a copy for the health department. King County, Washington defines it as an approved food establishment where food is stored, prepared, portioned or packaged to be served elsewhere.

Some places let a fully self-contained unit operate without one. See do food trucks need a commissary kitchen for the details.