North Myrtle Beach City Council will hold a workshop on August 5 to discuss a potential ordinance to establish regulations for the operation of food trucks within the city. This move comes as the city is one of the last sizable municipalities on the Grand Strand without a formal framework for mobile food vendors.

Background

Neighboring towns, including Myrtle Beach and Conway, have already established their own rules for food trucks. Myrtle Beach adopted its first food truck ordinance in 2017, restricting trucks to a limited number of permits tied to brick-and-mortar partnerships. Horry County, on the other hand, has a more restrictive ordinance, requiring food trucks to set up at least 300 feet from the entrance of any brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Smaller towns like Aynor and Atlantic Beach have taken a more permissive approach, allowing food trucks to operate on public property or partner with local businesses under a relatively low annual license fee. Atlantic Beach, with a population of fewer than 200 year-round residents, has even established a working permit system for mobile food vendors, generating significant revenue from events like the 2026 Bikefest.

Implications

The substance of the workshop discussion will shape whether food trucks become a fixture along commercial corridors and near beach access points in North Myrtle Beach. The city’s current lack of regulations has limited its ability to regulate where trucks set up, inspect them, or collect fees. Residents who want a say in the matter should tune into the livestream of the workshop.

Original reporting: MyrtleBeachSC News — read the source article.