BiteBase uses this language to keep hosts, vendors, and cities aligned. Definitions are source-grounded where regulatory, and we flag where a term means different things in different states.
67 terms · last updated by BiteBase D.28 1D
Plain-English definitions, with citations to official sources where regulatory. Specific requirements vary by state and city — this glossary is a starting point, not legal advice. When a term has different meanings across jurisdictions, we say so.
How a mobile food operator shows up at an event — truck, trailer, cart, tent, caterer, or specialty.
A food business that contracts with a host to prepare and serve food to a private guest list — paid by the host, not by guests.
How BiteBase uses it: /book service model `catered`. No corresponding operatorType enum yet — caterers may show up under any unit type or none.
Also called: catering operator, buffet caterer
Don't confuse with: food-truck, vending
A towable serving unit, often used for fairs and festivals, that may be smaller and simpler than a full food trailer.
How BiteBase uses it: Common synonym for `TRAILER` operatorType; some states (e.g., TX) treat concession trailers as a distinct risk tier.
Also called: fair trailer
A specialty mobile vendor focused on coffee, ice cream, cocktails, smoothies, or other dessert/drink categories.
How BiteBase uses it: No dedicated operatorType enum; surfaced via cuisine taxonomy. Often paired with a savory vendor at events.
Also called: specialty beverage vendor, dessert truck
A non-motorized food service unit that the operator pushes or tows by hand.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema enum value `CART` on VendorCandidate.operatorType. Public UI label "Food Cart".
Also called: pushcart, vending cart
Don't confuse with: food-truck, food-trailer
A towable kitchen unit that requires a separate tow vehicle for transport but operates as a stationary kitchen at the event.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema enum value `TRAILER` on VendorCandidate.operatorType. Public UI label "Food Trailer".
Also called: concession trailer
Don't confuse with: food-truck
A self-contained, drivable kitchen on a truck chassis that prepares and serves food on-site.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema enum value `TRUCK` on VendorCandidate.operatorType. Public UI label "Food Truck".
Also called: food wagon, lunch truck
Don't confuse with: food-trailer, concession-trailer
A vehicle-mounted (motorized or trailered) food service unit that can be moved to another location without disassembly.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema enum value `MOBILE_UNIT` on VendorCandidate.operatorType. Generic umbrella label when vendor type is not yet narrowed to truck/trailer.
Also called: MFU
Don't confuse with: food-cart, tent-vendor
A food stand operating only part of the year, either as a portable structure (Seasonal Temporary Food Stand) or a fixed structure (Seasonal Permanent Food Stand) under MN licensing.
How BiteBase uses it: Not a current schema enum value. Surfaced as glossary reference for state-specific licensing.
A food and beverage establishment used in conjunction with celebrations and special events; in MN limited to 10 total days per year.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; not a schema enum.
A food establishment operating at a fixed location in conjunction with a special event for a limited number of consecutive days.
How BiteBase uses it: Generic regulatory term BiteBase uses in state-content for special-event permit explanations.
Also called: TFE, temporary food service establishment
Don't confuse with: mobile-food-unit
A vendor who sets up under their own canopy or tent at a fixed spot for a single event or short run.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema enum value `TENT` on VendorCandidate.operatorType. Public UI label "Tent / Pop-Up".
Also called: pop-up vendor, stand vendor
Don't confuse with: food-cart
Permits, licenses, commissary requirements, fire and zoning approvals. Most of these vary by state and city.
A city, county, or state authorization to conduct any business activity in that jurisdiction.
How BiteBase uses it: Generic term. Distinct from food-safety licensing.
A licensed facility where food for a mobile or temporary food establishment is prepared, packaged, or held before service. Synonym for commissary in some jurisdictions.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference. Used in some state codes; equivalent to 'commissary' or 'service base'.
Also called: CPF
A licensed commercial kitchen or facility that supports a mobile food unit — typically used for food storage, preparation, vehicle servicing, water/waste handling, and overnight parking.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; surfaced in state content where required (e.g., Alaska). No vendor-profile schema field yet.
Also called: service base, central preparation facility
Don't confuse with: food-establishment
An inspection by the local fire department or fire marshal to verify suppression, propane, and ventilation safety on a mobile food unit.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference for the operational checklist BiteBase shows vendors.
Also called: fire marshal inspection
Per the FDA Food Code, any operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption to a consumer.
How BiteBase uses it: Umbrella regulatory term. Not directly surfaced as a UI label.
A state-issued authorization to operate a food establishment, typically administered by a state department of health or agriculture.
How BiteBase uses it: Generic state-licensing term. Distinct from "operating permit" (city-level) and "event permit" (event-scoped).
Also called: state food license
Don't confuse with: operating-permit, temporary-food-permit
FDA Food Code term for a food establishment that operates from a movable vehicle, vessel, or stand. Documented in the FDA Mobile Food Establishment Matrix.
How BiteBase uses it: Federal regulatory term referenced when explaining inspection frameworks.
Also called: MFE
A state-issued license specifically authorizing operation of a mobile food unit, often distinct from a stationary restaurant license.
How BiteBase uses it: Common state-level licensing category for food trucks, trailers, and carts.
Texas-specific statutory term for a mobile food operator under HB 2844, which establishes a uniform statewide licensing system effective July 1, 2026.
How BiteBase uses it: Used in Texas-specific state content. Maps to the broader 'mobile-food-unit' concept but with TX-specific risk tiers and statewide preemption.
Also called: MFV
A general business license required to conduct any occupation in a jurisdiction, separate from food-safety or mobile-food licenses.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference for regional terminology (common in LA, FL, KY).
Also called: business privilege license, business tax receipt
A city or county authorization to operate at a specific location, on top of any state-level food license.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema field `operatingPermitRequired` (YES/NO/UNKNOWN) on Municipality. Distinct from state food licensing.
Also called: local permit, city permit
Don't confuse with: food-establishment-license, mobile-food-license
A municipal license category for someone who travels door-to-door or street-to-street selling goods, often with stricter location rules than transient merchants.
How BiteBase uses it: Local business-license category; rarely the right category for a stationary food truck but sometimes used loosely.
Also called: hawker
Don't confuse with: transient-merchant
Authorization for the use, storage, or transport of LP gas (propane) on a mobile food unit, typically issued by a state fire marshal or local fire authority.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference for operations checklist.
Also called: LP gas permit
Vending from public streets, sidewalks, or parking spaces, governed by separate municipal rules from private-property vending.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference for street-vending vs. private-property scenarios.
A facility that provides services (water, waste, food storage, vehicle servicing) to a mobile retail food establishment. Wisconsin terminology.
How BiteBase uses it: Synonym for commissary in state content where the local term is 'service base'.
Also called: mobile service base
A separate Texas permit category for small-scale food operators, codified at Texas Health & Safety Code §437.0063.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; not yet surfaced in product UI. May become relevant when BiteBase ingests TX vendors after HB 2844 effective date.
A municipal license category for someone who solicits orders or sales rather than selling on the spot. Often grouped with peddler licensing.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference. Generally not applicable to mobile food vendors but appears alongside related licenses.
A short-term permit issued for an event-scoped food operation (e.g., 1–14 days), distinct from an annual mobile food license.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference for event-scoped permits.
Don't confuse with: mobile-food-license
A municipal business-license category for someone selling goods or services temporarily, transiently, or itinerantly with no permanent location in that city.
How BiteBase uses it: Local business-licensing category; distinct from food-safety licensing.
Also called: temporary merchant, itinerant merchant
Don't confuse with: food-establishment-license, mobile-food-license
Wisconsin licensing category for a food establishment operating at a fixed location in conjunction with a special event for no more than 14 consecutive days.
How BiteBase uses it: WI-specific glossary entry; equivalent to 'Temporary Food Establishment' in other states.
Also called: TRFE
Authorization that a specific physical location can host food vending under the city's zoning code.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; not yet a tracked schema field.
What event organizers, venues, and payment models look like — vending, catering, hybrid, recurring, fundraising.
A private event hosted by a company for employees, clients, or stakeholders. Typically uses a host-paid catering model.
How BiteBase uses it: EVENT_TYPES list value `Corporate Event` (already in glossary).
A specific subtype of host whose role is to plan and run an event that may involve multiple venues, vendors, or performers.
How BiteBase uses it: HostType enum value `ORGANIZER`. Synonym used in some product copy where 'host' would be ambiguous.
Also called: organizer, event planner
An event where part of food sales goes to a charitable cause; usually structured as revenue-share or vendor donation.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; not yet a distinct event-type enum.
Payment arrangement where each guest pays the vendor directly at the truck; the host doesn't see the bill.
How BiteBase uses it: /book payment-model `ATTENDEES_PAY`.
Also called: attendees pay, vending model
The party organizing or paying for an event that needs mobile food vendors.
How BiteBase uses it: Canonical role name. Schema entity Host has hostType enum (BREWERY, CORPORATE, MARKET, PARK, PRIVATE, VENUE, ORGANIZER, OTHER).
Also called: event organizer, event planner
Don't confuse with: venue
Payment arrangement where the host pays the vendor a flat amount for the event; food is included for guests.
How BiteBase uses it: /book payment-model `HOST_PAYS`.
Also called: host pays, catering model
A payment model that combines host-paid and guest-paid elements (open tab, vouchers, partial cover).
How BiteBase uses it: /book payment-model `HYBRID`.
A commitment from the host to cover the vendor up to a minimum dollar floor if attendance-based sales come in low. Common ask on vending events with uncertain turnout.
How BiteBase uses it: /book wizard step `vendor_support` captures host willingness via SUPPORT_WILLINGNESS enum.
Also called: sales floor, min guarantee
A single, non-recurring event — wedding, single festival, single fundraiser. Standard catering or vending model applies.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema field `isRecurring=false` on CateringRequest.
A hybrid payment arrangement where the host covers vendor sales up to a defined limit; guests order freely and the host pays the bill at the end.
How BiteBase uses it: Reflected as `HYBRID` payment model on /book.
An event with a controlled guest list (e.g., wedding, corporate function) that typically uses a catering model rather than a vending model.
How BiteBase uses it: Common in /book service-model `catered`.
Written permission from the property owner authorizing a vendor to operate on a specific private parcel.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; appears as a host-side checklist item in event request flows.
An event open to the general public, typically requiring different permits and insurance than a private event.
How BiteBase uses it: Reflected in /book service-model selection (often paired with vending).
Don't confuse with: private-event
An event that repeats on a regular cadence (weekly, monthly, seasonal). Different routing logic from one-time events because vendors may want a season-long commitment.
How BiteBase uses it: Schema field `isRecurring` on CateringRequest. /book wizard branches on this.
An arrangement where the vendor pays the host (or the venue) a percentage of sales in exchange for the booking.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; not yet a /book step. Common in fundraising and brewery contexts.
Also called: rev share, house cut
The set of vendors confirmed to attend a single event, typically curated by the host or organizer.
How BiteBase uses it: Concept used in admin triage; not yet a schema entity.
The physical location where an event happens. May or may not be owned by the host.
How BiteBase uses it: HostType enum value `VENUE`. Schema entity HostSite represents specific physical locations.
Also called: event site, venue site
Don't confuse with: host
A hybrid payment model where the host pre-pays for tickets or vouchers that guests redeem at the truck for specific items.
How BiteBase uses it: Reflected as `HYBRID` payment model on /book.
Also called: meal voucher, ticket program
Vocabulary BiteBase uses internally for vendor status, event requests, and city application readiness.
BiteBase has the official mobile-food-vendor application form for a city stored in its system.
How BiteBase uses it: Status flag derived from Resource records linked to a Municipality. Distinct from 'application ready' or 'gen-ready'.
Don't confuse with: overlay-ready, gen-ready
Action by a vendor owner to take ownership of a discovered VendorCandidate, converting it to a managed VendorProfile.
How BiteBase uses it: Route `/vendors/[id]/claim`. Status transition: VendorCandidate.status → CLAIMED.
A vendor record whose real operator has logged in and taken ownership of the BiteBase profile.
How BiteBase uses it: VendorCandidate.status = CLAIMED. Public profile shows ✓ Verified badge.
A licensing structure where the state delegates day-to-day food licensing and inspection to county-level agents.
How BiteBase uses it: BiteBase classification used for jurisdictions where county sanitarians act on the state's behalf.
Legal arrangement where a state retains rule-making power but delegates enforcement or licensing to a local agency.
How BiteBase uses it: Used in regulatory framing for jurisdictions where authority is split.
A vendor record BiteBase has discovered through public sources but the actual operator has not yet claimed.
How BiteBase uses it: VendorCandidate.status = DISCOVERED. Default state for crawled vendors.
A specific document or form is linked to a city or vendor record but may not yet be field-mapped.
How BiteBase uses it: Resource record exists; downstream automations may or may not consume it.
A host's submission describing event needs (date, location, guest count, payment model) used to source vendors.
How BiteBase uses it: CateringRequest entity, created via /book or /request. Status flow: NEW → CONFIRMED → BOOKED (or CANCELLED).
Also called: catering request, vendor request
Don't confuse with: vendor-request
A city is fully wired for vendor PDF generation: application is mapped, overlays are calibrated, document requirements are configured, and a vendor can generate a complete packet.
How BiteBase uses it: Subset of overlay-ready cities; the strongest readiness state. Usually counted in city-onboarding metrics (e.g., '26 generation-ready MN cities').
Also called: generation ready
Don't confuse with: application-on-file
A Texas-specific framing where local cities apply additional permit requirements on top of the state-issued vendor framework.
How BiteBase uses it: Texas state content terminology. Refers to municipal rules layered on top of state licensing.
BiteBase has identified the canonical municipal/state source for a regulation or document (e.g., the city ordinance, the state statute, the DEP guidance page).
How BiteBase uses it: Confidence flag stored as part of municipal research; gates promotion of suggestions.
A city's application form has been mapped to BiteBase canonical fields with calibrated overlay coordinates so vendor data can be auto-printed onto the PDF.
How BiteBase uses it: Stronger than 'application on file'. Means automation is wired and tested.
Louisiana-specific role: a county-equivalent (parish-level) state inspector responsible for food safety inspections.
How BiteBase uses it: Used in LA-specific state content. Demonstrates the parish/county distinction.
A licensing structure where the state agency issues the primary vendor license and local jurisdictions enforce time/place rules.
How BiteBase uses it: BiteBase classification for jurisdictions like TX (post-HB 2844) and similar models.
BiteBase has not yet confirmed an official source for a city's regulations or forms.
How BiteBase uses it: Default research-status flag for cities that haven't been onboarded.
Operator-side equivalent of an event request — the routed submission a vendor receives in their inbox/pipeline for response.
How BiteBase uses it: Vendor-facing PipelineEntry record (status INQUIRY) sourced from a CateringRequest.
Also called: lead, inquiry
Don't confuse with: event-request
Mobile food unit equipment terms that come up during inspections and event planning.
An automatic fire suppression system installed in the cooking hood of a food truck or trailer, typically required for any unit with grease-producing cooking equipment.
How BiteBase uses it: Glossary reference; surfaces in vendor operations checklist.
Also called: wet chemical suppression, Ansul system
BiteBase reviews each request before reaching out to vendors that fit. Vendor participation isn't confirmed until vendors respond or accept.
Start a vendor request through BiteBase