Temporary Food Establishments

Temporary event food licenses are issued for an event or celebration, such as a fair, carnival, circus, sporting event, or occasional sales promotion. Licenses are issued to individuals or groups that operate a temporary food stand.

Temporary food establishments are defined as a food establishment that operates at a fixed location for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration such as a fair, carnival, circus, public exhibition, anniversary sale, or occasional sales promotion. Occasional/Occasionally means not more than 3 days during any 12-month period.

Event Licensing

Temporary Event Food License Applications are processed by the City of West Allis Health Department. To apply for a City of West Allis Temporary License: 

  • Please call 414-302-8600 to apply for a license or click here.
  • Fees are based on complexity of the food preparation and are determined by what is being served, processed, and sold (menu)
  • West Allis Temporary Food vendors licensed by West Allis are not charged an additional inspection fee

Food Stand Construction 

  • Every temporary stand must have a roof and sidewalls. It can be built of wood, canvas, nylon, or plastic.
  • Have enough room for all cooking equipment except for barbecue grills. Those may be outside the stand as long as they are blocked off.
  • Areas used for extensive food preparation must be effectively enclosed or screened.
  • The food preparation area may have a food pass-through opening or entry door. 
  • For booths not on concrete; sealed wood racks, plywood, or shredded bark should be used to control mud, dust, and water.
  • Use pallets, crates, racks, or tables to keep all food and single-service items at least six inches off the ground.

Food Layout

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  • Cooking equipment- grill areas must be separated from the public for a distance of at least 4 feet by using fences, ropes, or other means.
  • Do not use barrels that formerly held chemicals or toxics as cooking devices. Enamelware equipment and utensils (i.e., older metal Nesco cooker inserts) may not be used to prepare or store food.
  • Provide a secure and level area for all propane tanks.
  • Electrical power- sufficient power must be available for all electrical equipment
  • Sanitary services- arrange for adequate trash, grease, and wastewater containers and service in and around the food stand.
  • Do not empty grease and liquid wastes on the ground or street. Never dump grease or wastewater in to the storm sewers or on the grass at an event.
  • Water- have a sufficient supply of approved drinking (potable) water. Connections to city water must be made using approved backflow prevention.
  • All hoses used for food preparation, handwashing, or utensil washing must be food grade (ANSI/NSF). If city water is not available, potable water may be brought to the site in a water buffalo or covered food grade water container.

Dishwashing

  • Warewashing- equipment and utensils can be taken to an approved facility at the end of each day for warewashing. Adequate utensils must be provided and replaced with clean utensils at least every four hours. When water under pressure is not available on site, basins large enough to immerse utensils may be set-up for warewashing.
  • Hot water- If hot water under pressure is not available, provide a means of heating water such as a coffee maker or heated in a container on the grill.
  • Proper storage of cleaning aids- All chemicals must be used according to label directions and properly labeled. Store them away from food, equipment, utensils, and single service articles. 
  • Wiping cloths- Wiping cloths that are in use for wiping food spills shall be used for no other purpose and shall be stored clean and dry or in a container of clean sanitizing solution at the proper concentration. 


Handwashing

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  • Hand wash facilities must be located in all stands where open food is handled or prepared and convenient to all employees. Grill areas that are separate should have a separate handwash facility.
  • When water under pressure is not available, the hand wash facility shall consist of soap, paper towels, wastepaper basket, discard bucket, and a minimum 5-gallon insulated container with a free flowing spigot that is filled with warm water. 
  • Employees may not touch ready-to-eat foods such as: bread, lettuce, tomatoes, or cooked foods with their bare hands. Use gloves, tissues, tongs, or other utensils
  • Gloves and hand sanitizers are not a substitute for handwashing and may only be applied to hands that have been thoroughly washed. 
  • Employees must wear clean clothes and hair restraints. Smoking and eating are not allowed in food stands. Small children, friends, and visitors must not be allowed into food stands. 


Safe Food Temperatures

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COOK

  • Poultry, poultry stuffing, stuffed meat and stuffing containing meat to 165°F for 15 seconds
  • Ground beef/hamburger to 155°F for 15 seconds
  • Uncooked brats or polish sausage to 155°F for 15 seconds
  • Whole pork, beef roasts, and ham to 145°F for 4 minutes
  • Pork chops/ribs to 145°F for 15 seconds
  • Fish to 145°F for 15 seconds
  • Raw shell eggs prepared for immediate service to 145°F for 15 seconds
  • Fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding to 135°F

HOLD

  • At 135°F or above for safe hot holding
  • At 41°F or below for safe cold holding
  • Use date marking for potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat foods prepared or opened on-site and held for more than 24 hours

COOL potentially hazardous cooked foods:

  • Within 2 hours, from 135°F to 70°F
  • Within 6 hours total from 135°F to 41°F or below

To speed cooling:

  • Use ice bath with frequent stirring or add ice as an ingredient
  • Use frozen paddle
  • Separate food into shallow pans and refrigerate

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REHEAT- rapidly (within 2 hours):

  • To 165°F for 15 seconds
  • To 135°F for ready-to-eat foods taken from a commercially processed sealed package (e.g. frozen soup)
  • Stir food while reheating
  • Use proper cooking unit, not a steam table

THAW

  • In refrigerator at 41°F or below
  • Submerged under cold running water at 70°F or below
  • In microwave oven on defrost or low when an uninterrupted cooking process immediately follows (Note: can be cooked to165°F in microwave and held covered for 2 minutes.)
  • In conventional oven or cooking unit to the proper internal temperature, as part of the regular cooking process, until food reaches proper temperature throughout.

Important Requirements for Operating a Food Service at a Temporary Event 

  • All food operations need a hand wash station set up before any food processing can be done onsite. 
  • Food operations considered high risk will not be allowed to operate until inspected and the license issued.
  • To prevent short-term closure of a food service, operators should make sure that safe food handling practices and temperatures are implemented and followed.
  • Food vendors should download our Guidelines for Temporary Food Stands 
  • Event Coordinators can download Information for Temporary Food Coordinators

Questions regarding festival food service should be directed to City of West Allis Health Department at 414-302-8600 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Advisory: The environmental health specialist or fire inspector may impose additional requirements to protect against health hazards related to the conduct of the mobile or temporary food establishment, may prohibit the sale of some or all TCS foods, and when no health hazard will result, may waive or modify requirements to these rules relating to physical facilities. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the closing of your operations.