I Tried to Open a Lemonade Stand

Originally posted by AnarchoCapitalist
John Stossel tells us about trying to legally open a lemonade stand in New York.

Here are the steps involved:

– Register as sole proprietor with the County Clerk’s Office (must be done in person)

– Apply to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number.

– Complete 15-hr Food Protection Course!

– After the course, register for an exam that takes 1 hour. You must score 70 percent to pass. (Sample question: “What toxins are associated with the puffer fish?”) If you pass, allow three to five weeks for delivery of Food Protection Certificate.

– Register for sales tax Certificate of Authority

– Apply for a Temporary Food Service Establishment Permit. Must bring copies of the previous documents and completed forms to the Consumer Affairs Licensing Center.

Then, at least 21 days before opening your establishment, you must

arrange for an inspection with the Health Department’s Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation. It takes about three weeks to get your appointment. If you pass, you can set up a business once you:

– Buy a portable fire extinguisher from a company certified by the New York Fire Department and set up a contract for waste disposal.

– We couldn’t finish the process. Had we been able to schedule our health inspection and open my stand legally, it would have taken us 65 days.

I sold lemonade anyway. I looked dumb hawking it with my giant fire extinguisher on the table.

At least he didn’t get arrested like these people did.

He's lucky he didn't try to feed the homeless without a permit.

edit on 2/24/2012 by AnarchoCapitalist because: (no reason given)

As I posted to another one of your post, you blame all of this on the federal government, all but one of your steps are the result of state and local regs. You right wing nut jobs want to give more and more power to the state and local government and this is what you get. Stop blaming this on the federal government, and truly place the blame where it lies. Ignorant people will believe anything, and you sir are committing a crime with your lies.

Originally posted by AnarchoCapitalist

Originally posted by sligtlyskeptical
You just have to be serious about having the business. Over the years so much bad stuff has been done to consumers that these regulations need to be in place to protect them. If their were no food safety laws in this country i would hate to see what some people would be served. Why should one have to suffer food poisoning to know a food vendor doesn't know what he is doing? Sounds like the only way to go is with people who already have a reputation, which still doesn't help your aspirations?

Lemonade stand leads to norovirus outbreak

Looks like your regulations didn't stop that foodborne illness from occurring.

I thought regulations were supposed to prevent anything bad from ever happening to anyone ever again.

Shockingly, it turns out that regulations don't actually prevent anything.

edit on 2/24/2012 by AnarchoCapitalist because: (no reason given)

You can't prevent everything bad but you can prevent most of it. I am certian that wide spread illness from food is much less prevelant today than when their were no regulations in place and by a large margin.

This is at least the second post by the OP along the same lines. His facts are distorted, and his headlines are ridiculous, I would suggest that he be one that is automatically removed to the hoax forum. His stupid crap is mostly unbelievable, except by those to the far right who will believe anything shown online.

reply to post by AnarchoCapitalist


Well said sir I agree simple balances are merely what nature is all about. We don't need delays and fees to make sure someone is not going to begin poisoning random people. A fully established business could still fall victim to a psycho poisoning someone's food.

Originally posted by links234
He should've stuck with the Mobile Food Vendor License, it would've been easier.

Of course, he's trying to point out the absurdity so he goes about it in the most absurd way possible.

A stand is not a mobile vending station.

Selling from a lemonade cart would apply, but not a lemonade stand.

reply to post by AnarchoCapitalist


I keep seeing those commercials where the character named Susie open a lemonade stand and it snowballs into a huge corporate success:





Why didn't she get busted way back at the beginning?

And a thought occurred to me just a minute ago while one of those commercials was running:

Why aren't the police breaking up church bake sales. Same principle I suppose. Or those kids who go door to door selling chocolate bars for their school trips and the like?

No permit, so selly.