“Your driver slipped in after the last Riverwalk fireworks burst—no tourists spotted the hose—and our quarterly check leapt from $420 to $690.”
Gina Morales, Executive Chef — Bayfront Bistro, Downtown Tampa
Why Tampa‑area kitchens turn to Grease Connections
From late‑night empanada carts in Ybor City to sky‑club lounges at Tampa International Airport (TPA), Hillsborough County fryers run nearly 24/7. Any spill that hits the dock can wash into the Hillsborough River and ultimately Tampa Bay, where the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) can fine operators up to $900 a day when grease manifests are missing.
Grease Connections rolls in a sealed container, times collections around Amalie Arena event exits and Crosstown Expressway closures, and turns every gallon of used cooking oil into low‑carbon renewable diesel—shielding local waterways, keeping floors safe, and turning waste into steady cash.
Five Hillsborough‑specific wins
| Local headache | Our fix | What you gain |
|---|---|---|
| Riverwalk crowds jam Bayshore at 10 p.m. | Harbor Midnight Loop stages south of Kennedy Blvd.; pumps 11 p.m.–1 a.m. | Zero valet backups, happy hotel managers |
| Brick alleys behind Ybor’s 1890s cigar lofts | 70‑gal slim cart with rubber treads clears 30‑inch doors | No cracked century brick; silent entry |
| Crews speak English, Spanish, Vietnamese, & Tagalog | Manifests auto‑translate and post to EPC portal | Inspections finish in under five minutes |
| Fryer‑oil price up 19 % year‑over‑year | Rebates start at $0.30/gal and climb with purity & volume | Pays for hood cleaning and staff meals |
| Summer downpours & hurricane watches | 24‑h surge team pumps within 12 h of NHC alert | Bins stay ≤ 60 %, no flood overflow |
Route map & ZIP coverage
| Route name | ZIPs | Days | Time | Landmarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Midnight Loop | 33602 · 33606 | nightly | 11 p.m.–1 a.m. | Riverwalk hotels · Channelside eateries |
| Ybor After Hours | 33605 | Thu · Sat | 2 a.m.–4 a.m. | 7th Ave clubs · Columbia block |
| Stadium Surge | 33607 · 33609 | Game days | 5 a.m.–8 a.m. | Raymond James tailgate lots · Westshore QSRs |
| Airport & Westshore | 33609 · 33615 | Mon · Fri | 1 p.m.–4 p.m. | TPA kitchens · Cypress business park |
| Brandon Dawn Run | 33510 · 33511 | Tue · Fri | 5 a.m.–8 a.m. | Brandon Mall food court · Falkenburg commissaries |
Vendors under five gallons a week can hop on a shared route and still get top‑tier rebates on their regular intervals.
See your rebate instantly
Pop in three details—watch your projected monthly payout appear on‑screen.
Step 1 — Secure your Tampa quote in under an hour
Call 888‑826‑0201, leave a voicemail, or start live chat with ZIP and fryer count. We slot you onto Harbor Midnight, Ybor After Hours, Stadium Surge, Airport Loop, or Brandon Dawn and email a locked‑in rebate plus first pickup slot—usually inside 60 minutes.
Step 2 — Pick the container (installed in 48 h)
A ServSafe tech wheels your unit through cigar‑brick alleys or baggage tunnels, trains staff on splash‑free pours, and syncs the wireless sensor to your dashboard. Want grease‑trap cleaning? Bundle pump‑outs and chop 15 % off plumbing costs.
| Capacity | Best venues | Why it’s ideal |
|---|---|---|
| 70 gal slim cart | Ybor basements | Rubber treads · fold‑flat handle |
| 90 gal low cart | Riverwalk food halls | Low CG for seawall ramps |
| 140 gal lock tote | Stadium fry lines | RFID seal · fits service elevators |
| 240 gal flat tank | Westshore bistros | Slides under sauté line · side inlet |
| 300 gal storm vault | TPA commissary hub | Powder‑coat steel · forklift pockets |
Step 3 — Cash before the prep crew clocks in
A CDL driver hooks a drip‑proof hose, empties the container in four minutes, wipes the pad with citrus degreaser, and posts a geo‑tagged photo to the EPC dashboard. A four‑language manifest lands in your inbox, and ACH funds hit Suncoast, Bank of America, or Regions branches before 10 a.m. Quarterly audits auto‑boost your rate whenever you clear a new purity or volume tier.
Every Hillsborough County City Covered
West Shore & Downtown Core
Tampa | Channelside | Hyde Park | West Tampa | Downtown Tampa | Davis Islands | Harbour Island
North Hillsborough & Suburban Communities
Carrollwood | Lutz | Lake Magdalene | Citrus Park | Westchase | Town ‘n’ Country | Northdale
University & Airport Corridor
University | Temple Terrace | USF Campus | Tampa International Airport | Sulphur Springs | Orient Park
East County & Industrial Zones
Brandon | Valrico | Seffner | Mango | Dover | East Lake-Orient Park | Palm River-Clair Mel | Plant City
South Hillsborough & Coastal Towns
Riverview | Apollo Beach | Ruskin | Sun City Center | Wimauma | Gibsonton | Balm
Reviews from the Tampa kitchen scene
“Your 3 a.m. pickup clears our fryers before the Cuban‑bread ovens fire up, and rebates now cover our house‑made ice block program.”
Raúl Pérez, Owner — Old Rail Café, Ybor City
“The 125‑gal tote rides the freight lift at Raymond James; sensor pinged 80 % and your truck arrived between pre‑game and kickoff.”
Kim Jackson, Concessions GM — Buccaneer Grub Hub
“Hurricane Idalia prep kept our Bayshore grill oil below half—no overflow, no overtime.”
Latoya Nguyen, GM — Pelican Pier Grill, Ballast Point
Case study — Brandon Wing Lab
Open drums behind a strip‑mall gate pooled rainwater, sinking rebates to $0.25/gal. We delivered a 95‑gal low cart with crumb screen and sensor. Thirty days later, purity reached 97 %, slip incidents vanished, and the rebate shot to $0.33/gal, funding walk‑in cooler LED retrofits.
Environmental impact & local ties
| Metric (2024) | Impact |
|---|---|
| CO₂e avoided | 83 tons — equal to removing 21 SUVs from I‑275 rush hour |
| Waste oil diverted | Oil from 2 million fry orders kept out of landfills |
| River & bay protection | Stops 6,800 gal grease reaching Hillsborough River & Tampa Bay yearly |
| Local reuse | Fuels county solid‑waste haulers & Riverwalk maintenance carts |
• Quarterly ESG reports accepted by Florida Green Lodging
• FDEP Hauler ID GC‑3471
• 2025 Tampa Bay Estuary BlueWays Partner
• Member, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful
• Internship host, USF Hospitality Sustainability Lab
Six FAQs — Hillsborough County
- Can pickups dodge I‑275 lane closures? Harbor Midnight shifts to 1 a.m.–3 a.m. detours when FDOT closes lanes.
- Pause fees during February Gasparilla lull? Zero; rebates restart once you reopen.
- Purity for top rebate? ≥ 98 % purity unlocks 34 ¢/gal; crumb screens are free.
- Emergency pump‑outs pre‑hurricane? Truck guaranteed within 12 h of NHC warning.
- Same‑day ACH—what banks? Suncoast, Regions, Bank of America in 33602/33606 post by 3 p.m.
- Can three Ybor stalls share one cart? Up to three tenants share a 65‑gal cart; RFID splits gallons fairly.
We Guarantee You
- Always‑free pickup in every Hillsborough ZIP
- 48‑hour container delivery or +2¢/gal first‑rebate bonus
- 15‑minute punctuality credit—late? next pickup free
- No‑spill pledge—we degrease any mess at no cost
- Price‑match guarantee—show a local quote, we beat it
Ready to flip fryer waste into Tampa Bay revenue?
Message 888‑826‑0201 or start live chat—your sealed container could arrive in 48 hours.