Uptown Charlotte food trucks may see extended hours to boost sales

CHARLOTTE — Food trucks in Uptown Charlotte may soon receive relief from a temporary midnight curfew.

Center City Partners implemented the midnight curfew in mid-June at the request of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Officials enacted the restrictions to improve public safety and reduce crime in the Uptown area.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Food truck owners unhappy with forced closing hours in Uptown

The early closing requirement has created financial strain for local vendors.

Wais Mayar, manager of a Halal food cart, said his business lost nearly half of its typical revenue under the curfew, forcing him to reduce working hours for his employees.

“We want them to not shut down small businesses,” Mayar said.

At a board meeting Thursday afternoon, Center City Partners leadership discussed potential changes to the policy.

Michael Smith, president and CEO of Center City Partners, said the organization is considering options to align food truck closing times with surrounding nightlife rather than returning to unrestricted hours.

“The thought is rather than restore it to unlimited, let’s have it close concurrently. So, does that mean 1 a.m. but they’re out at 2, or does it mean that at 2 it’s truly, we’re done at 2 a.m.,” Smith said.

Smith explained that police originally requested the curfew to reduce late-night criminal activity.

“The majority of the most violent acts occurred after 2 a.m.,” Smith said, noting that the midnight restriction has helped cut down on crime.

City leaders have expressed support for revising the current policy to assist vendors.

Dimple Ajmera, an at-large Charlotte City Council member, urged municipal leaders to protect small vendors while addressing public safety concerns.

“We do not need to punish our small businesses for someone else’s bad behavior,” Ajmera said.

Center City Partners is considering a proposal to extend the food truck closing time to 2 a.m.

The exact start date for the potential curfew extension has not been announced, and whether the City Council will formally vote on the policy remains undecided.