If you run a food truck, trailer, or cart in McLennan County, you already know you can't legally operate out of your home kitchen. You need a commissary. We run one in East Waco, and we built it because we remember how hard it was to find one.
What a commissary kitchen actually is
A commissary is a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen that a mobile food business uses as its home base. Texas health regulations treat a mobile unit as an extension of a fixed facility, which means your truck needs somewhere permitted to handle the things a truck can't:
- Prepping and cooking in a full commercial kitchen
- Cold and dry storage for your inventory
- Filling fresh water tanks and dumping waste water
- Washing and sanitizing equipment in a three-compartment sink
- Cleaning the unit itself
When you apply for your mobile food unit permit, the health department asks where your commissary is and wants a signed agreement from that commissary. No agreement, no permit.
Why we offer it
After the fire, we ran Tru Jamaica off a food truck for nearly three years. We know exactly what it costs a small operator to be told no, and how few permitted kitchens in Waco will take on a startup vendor.
So when our kitchen came back online, we licensed it for commissary use. Supporting other small food businesses in East Waco is part of why we're here.
Who this is for
- Food trucks and trailers that need a commissary agreement for their permit
- Carts and concession stands, including shaved ice, coffee, and dessert vendors
- Caterers who need a licensed kitchen for prep
- Pop-ups and farmers market vendors who've outgrown a cottage food setup
- New operators who are still working through the permit process and need a commissary letter to finish the application
What you get with us
- A signed commissary agreement for your health department application
- Scheduled access to a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen
- Water fill and waste water disposal
- Cold and dry storage
- Warewashing and a place to clean your unit
- Owners who've been through the permit process and will actually answer your questions
What it costs
Rates depend on how much kitchen time and storage you need, so we quote it per vendor rather than posting one number. We've kept it priced for small operators, because a commissary fee that eats your margin defeats the purpose.
Call us at (254) 304-9288 and tell us what you're running. We'll walk you through it.
Getting started
- Call or stop by and tell us about your operation: what you sell, how often you run, and what equipment you have on board.
- Tour the kitchen so you know it fits what you need.
- Sign the agreement. We give you the signed commissary letter for your permit application.
- Set your schedule so your kitchen time doesn't collide with anyone else's.
Permit requirements come from the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, and the rules for mobile units change from time to time. Check current requirements with them directly. We'll help with the commissary side of it.
Come talk to us
We're at 937 Taylor St in East Waco. Call (254) 304-9288 or stop in and ask for Aniceto.
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