Carleton College is pleased to welcome food trucks and mobile food vendors to campus for approved, scheduled events throughout the year that enhance the campus experience while ensuring safety, sustainability, and responsible operations. The guidelines & policy apply to all employees, students, and visitors of Carleton College.

Carleton Food Truck

Sponsoring Host Responsibilities

  • Determine which designated location to utilize. An approved location must be identified in advance. Locations may not be changed after they have been approved, without first communicating with Campus Services and receiving approval.
  • Ensure all documentation, including contracts, permits, and liability insurance have been received and uploaded at least 14 days prior to the event.
  • Serve as the main point of contact for the food trucks operators and ensure they are acting in accordance with the following guidelines.
  • Ensure the mobile food vendor has completed all required paperwork/permits with the Northfield Fire Department.
  • Submit the appropriate work requests for waste receptacles and provide a corresponding budget code.
  • Departmental hosts are responsible for ensuring all waste generated is appropriately disposed of at the conclusion of the event. If Grounds staff are needed for additional clean-up, the department hosting the event is responsible for all related costs.
  • Ensure that the name of the departmental host is included on all promotional and marketing materials.
  • Ensure the event location is returned to its original state at the completion of the event.
  • Inform Carleton’s Risk Manager with any issues or concerns after the completion of the event.

Guidelines

  1. Host/Departmental Sponsorship: All food trucks must be sponsored by an affiliated campus department responsible for ensuring adherence to these guidelines. Please note, due to the number of chartered student organizations, the Student Activities Office (SAO) will not automatically serve as the sponsoring host for all student-coordinated events.
  2. Application Process: Interested parties should contact Campus Scheduler at scheduling@carleton.edu to discuss possible dates and locations, along with the name of their departmental host. Food truck contract, insurance documentation, and final scheduling must be done 14 days prior to the event.
  3. Insurance: The sponsoring host is responsible for ensuring the Food Truck & Mobile Food Vendor Contract is completed. The sponsoring host shall provide the College with a certificate of insurance listing Carleton College, its trustees, officers, faculty, students, employees, and or agents as additional insured, at least 14 days before the event. The certificate of insurance shall be sent electronically to: purchasing@carleton.edu.

    Food truck/mobile food vendors shall maintain the following coverages, in full force and effect during the event:
    • Commercial general liability: $1M each occurrence/$2 million aggregate
    • Workers’ Compensation: Statutory limits, Employers’ Liability of $500,000
    • Automobile Liability: $1M each occurrence
    • Professional Liability: – $1M per claim (required when the service provider is required to be licensed by the State of Minnesota)
  4. Locations: Food trucks/mobile food vendors must use the designated space(s) solely to provide food products.
  5. Branding & Marketing: Marketing materials should indicate the name of the sponsoring department and must be approved by the college in advance to ensure consistency and alignment with campus branding. Vendors shall comply with any reasonable request of the College.
  6. Self-Sufficiency: Food trucks/mobile food vendors must be fully self-contained and not require college utilities or equipment. Connecting to Carleton utilities of any sort, water, electrical, network, sewer, gas, etc. is not permitted.
  7. Waste Management: Food trucks/mobile food vendors must prevent the disposal of any materials, including rinse or wash waters, any spilled materials or any waste, onto the College property. Vehicles and equipment must be free of leaking fluids and food truck operators may not dispose of any trash or other waste on College property. The departmental host will be responsible for removing all related garbage, litter, compostable and recyclable waste.
  8. Sustainability: Food trucks/mobile food vendors should serve with compostable or recyclable materials when possible. Beverages must not be served in glass bottles or containers.
  9. Alcohol Prohibition: Food trucks/mobile food vendors are not permitted to sell or provide alcohol.
  10. Licensing & Compliance: Food trucks/mobile food vendors must furnish a copy of the State of Minnesota’s Mobile Food Unit license to the College and shall comply with all applicable licensing, laws and regulations, health inspections and other compliance measures of the State of Minnesota and the City of Northfield.