I. KEY INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS
A. OVERVIEW OF THE GREENWAY AND CONSERVANCY
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway (www.rosekennedygreenway.org) is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston and welcomes millions of visitors annually to gather, play, unwind, and explore. The Greenway Conservancy (the “Conservancy”) is the non-profit that has sole responsibility for managing all aspects of the Rose Kennedy Greenway, including horticulture, programming, public art, maintenance, and capital improvements. The majority of the public park’s annual budget is generously provided by private sources.
The Conservancy envisions a vibrant, inclusive, and evolving gathering place that offers
healthy green space,
fun, engaging, and thought-provoking experiences, and
a testing ground for new ideas.
We pursue our mission through
park care that sustains year-round beauty, ensures safety, and models environmental stewardship;
robust programming that showcases and supports the ingenuity and breadth of our community;
temporary exhibitions of contemporary public art that facilitate artistic experimentation and speak to our current moment;
raising the standard of excellence for urban park management.
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a public park, and the Conservancy strives to make The Greenway and the Conservancy more diverse, equitable, and inclusive through every aspect of our work.
The Greenway is one of the most visited attractions in the Commonwealth. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1.4M trackable visitors attended The Greenway’s offerings each year, and millions more casually enjoyed the park. The 17-acre Greenway is one of only a few urban parks nationwide that is maintained organically, providing beautiful lawns and gardens to complement the six fountains.
The Conservancy’s programming and improvements have brought the park to life. The Greenway typically hosts more than 400 free programs annually—from free fitness classes to movie nights to the Greenway Artisan Market showcasing the work of local artisans. Partnerships with Celebrity Series Boston and the Boston Lyric Opera have brought free, world-class performances to the public. Our nationally recognized food truck program, moveable furniture, and seasonal planters have created welcoming and engaging spaces for all. Our dedicated Park Rangers regularly patrol The Greenway and ensure the safety and enjoyment of the park for all. The one-of-a-kind Greenway Carousel at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove, created by a Massachusetts sculptor, is the most accessible in New England, welcoming individuals with physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities. The Conservancy’s Public Art Program has become a leader in presenting temporary exhibitions of contemporary public art. The rotating artwork ensures new perspectives and ideas can be explored, celebrating the work of local, national, international, emerging, and established artists.
Ten years after the Conservancy took over management of The Greenway, we were awarded the Boston Society of Architects/AIA prestigious Commonwealth Award for place-making for our "outstanding work on the dynamic transformation of a portion of downtown" and Boston Globe columnist, Yvonne Abraham, lauded, “The Greenway has also become a destination unto itself; a serene respite from bustling streets, a place of immense beauty, a platform for adventurous public art.”
For over a decade, it has been the Greenway Conservancy’s mission to manage and care for The Greenway, providing vibrant green space that is essential to everyone who shares our city.
B. OVERVIEW OF FOOD VENDING ON THE GREENWAY
The Conservancy’s food vending program is in its fifteenth season and features talented local chefs and small business owners with the goal to provide a great public amenity. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the program saw growing crowds and acclaim; the Boston Globe wrote that “The Greenway is a place to eat – and eat well.” Former Mayor of Boston, Martin J. Walsh, has said the Conservancy’s food vending program “not only offers residents and visitors alike an array of food options, but also helps support local food entrepreneurs.” The Conservancy’s food truck vendors are among Boston’s very best, and are real partners with the Conservancy. Greenway vendors are often acknowledged with awards and accolades, including Boston Magazine’s Best Food Truck of 2022 and Best Caribbean Restaurant of 2023.
The Conservancy accepted 25 trucks and carts for the 2024 season. Like many businesses, organizations, and events, the Greenway Food Vending Program continues to be impacted by the affects of the COVID-19 pandemic, though is encouraged by the growth in our program each season since 2020.
The Conservancy is seeking a diverse set of proposals from food/beverage vendors for both regular operations and special appearances such as vending at the Greenway Artisan Market, beer/wine gardens, and one-off event opportunities for the 2025 season. Vendors will be selected for a combination of ability to deliver the indicated service and experience, compelling concept, fit of operations, and financial offer.
C. VENDING LOCATIONS AND TERM
The Conservancy seeks food/beverage vendors for the following locations on The Greenway and may consider proposals for other locations if interest is indicated.
Minimum vending hours have been established for select locations to ensure consistency and success, particularly in areas that cater to the lunchtime crowd or at beer gardens. For locations without assigned minimum hours, vendors have the flexibility to determine their own regular schedule. Vendors are also welcome to propose operating hours outside of our minimum vending hours, such as during breakfast.
The Conservancy especially encourages self-propelled and self-contained vehicles, such as trucks, trikes, and bike carts due to their easy load-in/-out.
The Food Vending Program’s current fee structure consists of a flat shift fee PLUS a percentage of gross revenue. Respondents must propose both a flat shift fee and a percentage of their gross revenue when bidding on a location. The minimum bid must be at least $25 per shift plus 8% of revenue for each location they are interested in operating at. Total vending fees will be capped at $200 per shift across all locations in the park.
The flat shift fee will be charged regardless of whether or not vendors are present during their shift, and the revenue share will be calculated based on sales in the park.
The Conservancy and our customers value consistent vendors, which can help improve customer retention. If vendors are absent for more than 50% of their scheduled shifts within a set month, an absence fee of $100 will be applied. Should extenuating circumstances arise that impact your ability to vend on The Greenway, please communicate with the Conservancy team in a timely manner to discuss operational and fee options. Absences from Greenway vending totaling 3 months or more are grounds for immediate contract termination.
The following locations are available for the 2025 season:
Dewey Square Park Plaza, across from South Station on the corner of Atlantic Ave and Summer St – multi-truck cluster location (up to 7 trucks)
In a typical year, the park and plaza receive a huge number of lunchtime visitors from the Financial District and 100,000+ daily commuters from South Station. Dewey Square’s food connection is strengthened by an edible garden and a pop-up drinkery. Dewey Square’s food truck cluster, the first to ever be permitted in the City of Boston, is complemented by plaza seating, a lush lawn, and rotating public art; currently, the mural on The Greenway wall is your spirit whispering in my ear by Jeffrey Gibson.
Minimum Lunch Vending Hours: 11:30am-2pm
Minimum Vending Season – April 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025, with an extension option to continue through March 31, 2026
Trillium Garden, on the corner of Atlantic Ave and High St – one food truck location
Trillium Garden, an open-air beer garden, is now heading into its ninth season on The Greenway. Located on a brick patio, the Garden has beer hall-style benches and tables, rustic fencing, and a custom-built bar. Food trucks interested in this location must be a consistent and communicative partner as they will work closely with the Conservancy and Trillium Garden management. Trucks with adept technology to receive orders by QR codes and online menus are preferred. Trillium Garden hours are typically Mondays and Tuesdays (4pm-9pm), Wednesdays and Thursdays (3pm-10pm), Fridays and Saturdays (12pm-10pm), and Sundays (12pm-6pm). This location is available for one food truck per day.
Minimum Vending Hours (Monday to Friday): 4pm-7pm
Minimum Vending Hours (Saturday and Sunday): 12pm-5pm
Minimum Vending Season – early-May 2025 – late-October 2025
Rowes Wharf Plaza, on the corner of Atlantic Ave and High St – multi-truck cluster location (up to 4 trucks)
This plaza is a popular lunch destination during the week, attracting patrons from the nearby Financial District and waterfront. Located on the north side of High Street, across from the 2 International Place tower and the Boston Harbor Hotel, this large plaza also offers benches and tables for seating.
Minimum Lunch Vending Hours: 11:30am-2pm
Minimum Vending Season – April 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025, with an extension option to continue through March 31, 2026
On Milk Street, across from the Rings Fountain – two-truck cluster location
The Rings Fountain, which runs from May through October, is one of The Greenway’s signature destinations and is just down the street from the New England Aquarium. This park area offers benches, a grassy area with ample seating, and a shaded grove of trees. Foot traffic is heaviest when the fountain is on and during peak tourist season in a standard year, generally Memorial Day through Labor Day. Vending is possible along the sidewalk on the south side of Milk Street.
Minimum Lunch Hours: 11:30am-2pm
Minimum Vending Season – May 1, 2025 to October 31, 2025
On State Street, across from the Aquarium T Stop – two-truck cluster location
This location is available for vendors interested in breakfast, lunch, or niche offerings looking to vend on The Greenway. This area is north of Rings Fountain and near the Aquarium T Stop, Long Wharf Ferry Terminal and State Street. On weekends, State Street is in the center of the Greenway Artisan Market, which draws large crowds of locals and tourists alike, connecting the New England Aquarium and Faneuil Hall. During the weekdays, this area sees foot traffic from local workers and commuters. Vending will be along the sidewalk on the south side of State Street.
Next to the Greenway Carousel, across from Faneuil Hall and Christopher Columbus Park – two-truck cluster location
The Greenway Carousel at the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove opened in 2013. The Carousel operates daily from early April to early October and Fridays to Sundays from early October to January 1 and sees 130,000 visitors annually. The Carousel sits adjacent to the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion and there is a large amount of foot traffic from tourists traveling from Faneuil Hall towards the waterfront and commuters coming in from Long Wharf Ferry Terminal.
Minimum Vending Season – May 1, 2025 to October 31, 2025
Due to existing multi-year contracts, we will not be accepting bids for Saturdays or Sundays at the Greenway Carousel for the 2025 season
g. Cross Street Plaza, across from Boston Public Market on the corner of Hanover St and John F. Fitzgerald Surface Rd – one food truck location
This location is available for vendors interested in breakfast, lunch, or niche offerings tailored to residents and workers in the North End and West End neighborhoods and tourists traveling along the Freedom Trail. This park offers tables and chairs, a grassy area with ample seating, and popular fountains. Foot traffic is heaviest when the fountain is on and during peak tourist season in a standard year, generally Memorial Day through Labor Day. Vending is possible for small food trucks (20' or shorter), trikes, or push carts only.