State Supreme Court Upholds Food Truck Regulations in Chicago

"The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Chicago’s food truck regulations are constitutional and that the city can protect restaurants from their wheeled competitors," reports Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz.

"The court affirmed the ruling of the appellate court and the circuit court in a lawsuit that claimed Chicago’s food truck restrictions suppress competition," according to Elejalde-Ruiz.

The owner of a food truck called Cupcakes for Courage brought the original lawsuit against a rule in Chicago that prohibited "food trucks from parking within 200 feet of any establishment that serves food — a category that includes convenience stores with hot dog rollers," explains Elejalde-Ruiz. The lawsuit challenged other aspects of the law, including a requirement that food trucks carry a GPS unit for tracking by the city.

The State Supreme Court uphold the law by noting the city's interest in the long-term stability of brick and mortar restaurant businesses.