‘This isn’t just about health’: Spike warns Seattle’s unlicensed food vendors are hurting businesses playing by the rules

Unlicensed food vendors were on full display around Seattle’s stadium district on Saturday, as roughly 30 pop-up operations lined the streets outside Lumen Field during the Seahawks’ preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

The issue has been percolating for years. Even though King County health officials shut down unpermitted vendors repeatedly, the illegal operations tend to return within hours at a different location.

Spike O’Neill, co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, said the problem goes beyond food safety and has turned into an enforcement failure that is hampering legitimate businesses and putting health inspectors in danger.

Spike says vendors are shut down, return the next day

Spike told a story about a vendor in his own Shoreline neighborhood as an example of how little to no consequences exist for operating without a permit.

“The shop up in my neighborhood in Shoreline that’s been there for months, into last year. We know it’s illegal. We know they don’t have permits,” Spike said. “They got busted on Wednesday. They were back on Thursday, right across the street.”

He questioned whether authorities are confiscating equipment or simply issuing warnings that carry no weight.

“Are we just writing tickets for folks? Are we confiscating equipment from these folks?” Spike asked.

Spike notes inspectors are being threatened with violence

Spike’s question drew a massive response from listeners, including a message from a Seattle restaurant owner who has been in business for the last 32 years, and described asking a King County health inspector why the unlicensed vendors weren’t being shut down.

“The inspector said their hands are tied,” Spike said. “He’s been threatened with violence if he approaches these folks, and the cops, there are not enough cops to do the job.”

Spike said if a health inspector is being threatened, the next stop should be law enforcement rather than to shrug it off.

“If I’m a King County health inspector, my next stop wouldn’t be the route that I’m on inspecting facilities,” Spike said. “My next stop would be to a cop, and say, ‘These guys just threatened me with violence. I’ll bear witness to that.’ And then the cops should lock these guys up.”

He also noted the president of the Seattle Food Truck Association was assaulted after trying to record video of unlicensed trucks operating in the area.

“He tried to record video of these trucks that are here from California, and he was assaulted. He was injured,” Spike said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3