Do you remember the enthusiasm you felt upon that initial spark: I should open a food truck! Would you warn yourself off, or encourage yourself forward? We at FoodTruckr wanted to know, and we bet you do too. So we asked food truck owners from across the country one simple question: Oh boy, did you all deliver with the advice! From the cynical to the hilarious, you shared tremendously practical insights for any aspiring food truck owner or those that may want some reminders.

This is precisely the type of knowledge we here at FoodTruckr aspire to curate and share in our quest to offer the ultimate business resource for the entire food truck owner community. From fighting City Hall to complying with tricky health code regulations—all while working incredibly long hours—running a food truck is not for the weak-willed.

Hands-down, navigating all the regulations was the most consistent external source of frustration we heard. At least one of our respondents decided to do something about it. That struggle—which took months—was what initially inspired my partner and me to start the New Orleans Food Truck Coalition back in early We spent a year and a half working with city officials on legislative reform, which were just recently passed by the City Council and the Mayor.

Starting in January, there will be permits for food trucks there were previously only a dozen or so. Also, we have gained access to certain areas of downtown that were previously off limits to us. We increased the amount of time food trucks can stay parked in one spot from 45 minutes to 4 hours. And most significantly, we completely eliminated the proximity restriction that prevented us from parking within feet of restaurants.

I wish I had known how anti-truck the NYC government is. If I had known that there was no way I could legally own a permit for my business, that it was illegal to staff my truck the way I staff a restaurant, and that it would suddenly become illegal to sell from a metered parking spot whether or not I pay the meter—in short if I had known that despite running an honest business I would have to operate in gray areas of the law at the whim of the NYPD, I would have been more prepared for the trials of the business.

I will tell you though that when I bought my truck, I expected to be able to park it somewhere and be able to sell without being bothered. This is not the case, and the special permit needed requires everything from a lease to rent the spot I am parked in, to providing toilet facilities. The fine is heavy if you are caught selling on the side of a road, for example. The other thing I wish I knew, I still do not know. What EXACTLY do my customers want?

I have come to realize that customers themselves hardly know what they want. I can take the advice a customer gives, like stocking a different item, just to have that same customer never purchase the item once I have it for sale. I wish I would have known what all went into the permitting process and how involved it is so that I could have been more prepared and ahead of the game.

One thing I wish I would have known before getting into the food truck business would be all of the needed back-end permits, licenses, certifications and insurance requirements that are all needed in order to operate. I wish I would have known how much the regulations would change over time with the general acceptance of our industry. I believe there needs to be a central location for all food truck vendors to check the laws and regulations of each county and hopefully all cities in California and eventually all states.

This is a long-term goal for FoodTruckr. I wish I would have known the cities codes and regulations.

Sometimes different counties require certain licenses and permits. Also, check with promoters, farmers markets, lunch spots, etc. A lot of trucks come out with the thought that they will be able to bring their new truck to all these events but sometimes the waiting lists are months, even years.

I wish that I had known about the bathroom letter requirements for parking more than one hour in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Health Department has strict regulations—food trucks parked over an hour must have access to a bathroom within ft of the truck. Food trucks may seem like fun, but they require serious business planning to be profitable and sustainable. Many food truck owners expressed great thoughts on this very point.

Always prepare for the unexpected; truck breaking down, selling out too soon, preparing too much. Without this essential piece you are setting yourself up to fail.

The food truck business is not just about your passion for food. How you spend your time is extremely valuable to the success of your food truck business. I wish I would have known how truly expensive it was going to be to get the business off the ground.

Expect it to cost you a lot more than you think to run your business. You need a license for every city you visit.

Fuel costs are very high—most trucks only get about 7 MPG. This means that you will often pay more than a regular restaurant does. No matter how good your food is, your business plan needs to be equally good—if not better—and vice versa. Do your homework about your market. I would have to say that I wish I had better understood the food truck climate in Chicago, where consumers are rather uneducated in general about food trucks and the city seems utterly opposed to the entire industry. I had researched the market in LA and New York and had some major misconceptions about how much money a food truck here in Chicago would realistically be able to generate in a day.

The truth is, my food truck serves more as an advertising vehicle for other revenue generating channels, such as catering, food delivery and cooking classes.

Though we do make money with the food truck at special events, the daily grind is just not that profitable. Luckily I have been able to diversify with various revenue streams to make my company viable financially. I think the one thing that we wish knew prior to getting into the food truck business is how efficiently we could actually run the business. We spent extra money all over the place, and when we got to the winter it taught us how to run a really lean operation.

And vacations are hard to come by. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves. I wish I knew that I, as the owner, would have to be hands on the majority of the time in order for the truck to be successful financially. A few months into starting the truck, I realized that in order for us to grow, I needed to remove myself from the truck to have time for answering emails, booking stops, developing new menus, promotion and marketing, etc.

But with doing that, I had to pay about three people to replace me, and I noticed that the quality of product and service dropped. For instance, sometime menu items would be served that were under my standards or we would open our doors for service later than we had on our schedule.

We have learned that this industry relies on the cooperation of other food truck owners, local businesses and suppliers. There is networking, finding reliable suppliers and food preparation, lots of food preparation.

Basically owning a food truck is your life. The way to succeed is to earn respect from your fellow food truckers. I wish I had known that this business would really limit my ability to take vacations. I run 3 chai carts in downtown San Francisco and chai is something people have everyday.

The one thing that I wish I knew before I started is that the time it takes to make a truck successful.

If my eyes are open, I am working on the business in some capacity. In a low-margin business, there are a few tweaks you can make to increase your odds of success, especially when it comes to the selection of ingredients and events. We work all the time. There are tiny-ass margins and way too many people to deal with.

Before I got into the Food Truck Business, I wish I knew how time consuming it was to get all my product. Now, I spend extra time in the mornings just driving around in my cars, shopping for ingredients. Owning a food truck is a much greater time commitment than most potential owners think. Especially when you are making things from scratch.

The amount of prep and post sale time is actually about equal to the service time. Make food so good it sells itself…almost. Finding the right events to attend is an art in itself. If possible, try to secure some locations to park your food truck. Catering for a food truck is where the big bucks are. After our first year, we started building charts and learned that wisdom only comes with time and trials.

We hope to keep up with the ever-changing market and improve each year! The nature of the food truck industry relies a lot on chance and luck; you roll the dice every time you go to an event without a guarantee of sales. Sometime you score big and other times you lose money. You have to rely on a lot on the word of event organizers that may exaggerate a little to get your truck to come. Or they may want a fee or percentage for you to be at their big event.

You never really know what to expect, but with time you can start to understand the patterns a bit better. Booking, booking and booking. Oh, how I wished I would have known right away which locations and events make the most! When we decided to get into the food truck business, we were ready for all the hard work that any business entails. Being in the food industry having a family run business and my own share of restaurants in the previous years , I know that this is a business that requires a lot of patience, long hours and diligence.

When we built our food truck, we built it with the intention of concentrating on the on-site catering business. The business has been good, but there are times when you need to fill in with the other types of business as well such as vending.

Being at street, farmers markets, fairs, festivals, or special occasion vending are what adds to the fun of your business and definitely help in the bottom line. Try to make setup time, after you reach your site, a quick and somewhat easy chore.

It takes us roughly 45 minutes to an hour to setup. Other trucks in the Association are setup in minutes. We cook outside our truck, on a large grill, while all the others cook inside their truck. Oh yes, the truck. And you thought picking the right food was tricky! From temperamental transmissions to wonky power steering, your truck is both your best friend and your greatest adversary. How to be a better truck mechanic!

Anyone can make a pan gravy, but can anyone replace their power steering pump? One thing I wish I knew was that, I needed to get a job as a part time mechanic, if not, an electrician. We are going into our 4th week now and my Gogi truck is a Chevy StepVan. Me being a car enthusiast, I want the old girl to run properly. That being said she really needed a lot. Replaced the entire transmission, the driveshaft, tires, brakes, wiring, re-customed the interior, had the engine tuned up. But even now I am having some engine issues.

Sucks being stuck on the side of the road thinking about all the profits being lost on a Saturday night. We should have built two food trucks instead of one. We have had great success since launching the truck in the fall of and are currently in the process of getting ready to build another one in the future. The food truck business is the future of restaurants. The one thing I wish I would have known is all the extra maintenance that comes with owning and operating a food truck; including, but not limited to generator maintenance, equipment maintenance, vehicle maintenance etc.

A typical restaurant deals with ongoing maintenance for the facility and kitchen equipment. With a food truck, you have those same maintenance issues, but in addition, you have all the maintenance issues that come with owning a heavily used vehicle.

Our trucks serve the entire San Francisco Bay Area, as far north as Napa, and as far south as Monterey. Being headquartered in Half Moon Bay, they put on a lot of mileage, and there is constant need for them to be serviced, which gets expensive, and causes them to be unavailable for periods of time.

I wish someone had told me not to cut corners when purchasing the truck. I wish I had gotten a newer truck. We had so many repairs the first year we were in business. I wish we knew that Honda EU generators were the way to go with generators.

Well, someone actually suggested we get some and they worked out well we use 3 every day now. If you have a big loud generator on the front or rear bumper, you might give yourselves carbon monoxide poisoning which over time is not too good not to mention the noise. Anyway, portable, quietish, dependable generators which you can move fairly far from the truck will keep the occupants healthier, at least for Food Shark. We designed and custom built our trucks. This has been incredible…learning how to create a super efficient cooking machine.

We can produce just as many orders out of our trucks as a restaurant kitchen ten times the size. We love the trucks! Since I have been in the restaurant business for over 30 years the easy part was the menu and food. I think what I need most was some guildlines on the build out of the truck. For example, what size of fresh water tank is needed for a two shift day?

How much propane is need for a week? Does an air conditioner really make a difference in a degree truck in Houston summer? And your super-fans are the lifeblood of your business. Becoming a master of ceremony is just as important as becoming a master chef.

Ultimately, connecting with neat people and engaging them in friendly conversation is the most rewarding part of the business. The one thing I wish I had known before I began my business would is how critical a big social media push would have been to help launch the business.

I would have put way more focus avenues like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the likes … connecting, announcing, introducing, giving offers, specials and a better communication effort to the world of social media. The one thing I wish I knew prior to operating The Hogfather BBQ food truck is that I never expected such enthusiasm for the brand. I thought people were honking at me because I was driving slow, but once they got up to the side and front of my vehicle they would take pictures, wave and give me a thumbs up approval.

It took some time getting used to that, especially when I timid driving a large truck. It was great to go into this completely unaware. When disaster strikes you are convinced that no one has it so bad. Then, through talks with other owners, the knowledge you gain along the way and the building of an amazing repair person arsenal, you feel empowered that you have EARNED your place every day.

We love our truck! What in this round-up resonates with you? Did we miss an important warning to future food truck owners? Please share in the comments! We so appreciate your continued input on this important topics because it helps to shape the future of FoodTruckr content. We look forward to connecting with you in the comments below! FoodTruckr is the 1 online destination for current and aspiring food truck owners looking to succeed in the mobile food industry.

Chat with FoodTruckr on Facebook or check out the FoodTruckr School podcast for more awesome tips to level up your business. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. Enter your email and we will send you 6 Free Social Tools to Get People Talking About Your Food Truck.

Although food trucks are about fanfare and great food, running a truck is hard work, with numerous challenges and pitfalls as clearly described in your article. There has to be a true, enduring, passion at the core. Thanks for launching the site. Chris, your point about passion is a great one — it takes sincere, committed passion to succeed in a business as tough as the food truck industry, and that drive is what keeps you going through all the challenges along the way.

Building Your Catering Business: How to Work with Event Professionals — FoodTruckr How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business. Niche Site Duel 2. We love to see people expanding the food truck community. What area are you in? I remember the good old chip trick in my town. Damn corporations always get these stupid regulations passed that prevents small business owners from making any money or even a living. I want to add one more truck to the list, as i am a little late, just like i usually am with my food truck.

I have 2 degrees from culinary school and over 15 years of cooking experience, managing, ordering, running day to day operations. I love to cook, and be creative! I knew that this was going to be a quite a challenging experience going in, and i did it anyway. I was begging for people to do work on my truck, but everyone seemed too busy, or too expensive.

I ended up some doing some plumbing and electrical work myself because no one could help me. I have been open for 5 months now, and will probably be one of the casualties in the long list of failed food industry owners. I knew it was going to be difficult, but you will never really understand until you exhaust all your resources to make your dream come true, and put all the blood, sweat, and tears in, just to watch it backfire. Im considering contacting Robert Irvine On that note, Anyone looking to buy a food truck?

Thanks for your detailed story, Andrew. So much of it really hinges on how well you use the platforms that you have available. For example, with Facebook, you can try running a promotion or discount for people who have liked your page. This prompts people to share the page with friends and gets more eyes looking at your content.

A few other ideas: You could also try getting your story out to local media outlets. Many newspapers and TV news stations are on the lookout for human interest stories, and you could pitch them a piece on your truck. Part 1 SEO Expert Brisbane. Part 2 SEO Expert Brisbane. Oh me oh my!

Yes, I identify with all of the above, great article! Im co-owner of Nitro Burger in Lincoln, NE… this year we are entering our 4th season and coming out with a new facility.

In the past we had a smaller truck and could fit into some tight spots. Our biggest frustration with a large facility is finding places to park on a regular basis that meet all the criteria you need for a sweet location. Most prime locations are larger corporations or chains and its hard to move up that ladder to get the permission you need.

I wish we had known prior to start up how difficult it was to secure regular, profitable lunch and dinner spots and what fee or offer is appropriate to give back to the property owner , especially in a city where the industry is just beginning to grow.

Sorry for the late response; I somehow missed this comment! Finding a consistent place to serve is tough, so I would recommend that you focus on building relationships with one or two prime property owners. As for building those relationships and moving up the ladder to get permission, the best advice I can give you is to be persistent.

Hope that helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions! Nicole, thank you for the great feedback! We have done some of the same negotiating in the past but it has been difficult to even find small business that meet all the criteria we need to secure a good lunch spot that works for us, the business owner, and our customers, especially the space requirements.

It seems this is a problem even in cities where local politics are supportive of food trucks.

We plan to send out a press release prior to introducing the new concept this season, and were trying to decide the best method of local presentation, email or in person, so I appreciate the support! Great to connect with you! Please keep me posted on your progress in finding those elusive lunch spots. At what point in time would you recommend starting a marketing campaign on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Hey Christian, thanks for the question! Hope that helps, and let us know if there are any other questions we can help with! Nicole at FoodTruckr HQ. I know this is an old thread, but I was curious if anyone has any input of social media platforms as of today. What are people using today to communicate more. Have any of the platforms that have been used in the past years become stale? Platforms like Facebook and Twitter I assume will continue to be used but are they still the right platforms to promote or even Four Square.

With technology changing so fast and new apps being built, the one thing I can count on is my own website, but what is beyond that? Is the Social Media articles posted a year ago or longer still relevant to the same degree or has that menu changed? Facebook and Twitter are definitely important for your food truck business. FourSquare, some would argue, is becoming less relevant.

I will give it a read. My next step is financing. This part is not fun. Everything is in the infancy stage, but I want to start a food truck at the top of If you had to put a figure on it without cutting corners.

How much do you think the start up cost is? In addition my food truck idea is pretty exotic and no one in my area or region is specializing in the cuisine or style of cuisine. To be totally honest, food trucks are better for some people and brick and mortars are better for others — it all really depends on your personal financial situation and your ultimate goals for the business.

This post from Forbes also has some helpful information: Be sure to do some market research and test your idea with friends and family to get feedback on how viable it really is.

I had a brick and mortar location for several years and it was difficult. The primary issue was that it was at a seasonal location ski resort. I was busy in the winter and sleepy in the summer my lease required summer operation, despite the lack of traffic.

My rent for one year would have been enough to buy a decent, used, food truck. At least with a food truck I could go to the people and not beg for them to come to me! What do you think is the best way to introduce my new truck and not be shunned as the new kid on the block.. By customers and other vendors? What sets you apart from all of the other trucks in your area?

Do you use special ingredients or offer a twist on a popular dish that no one else does? Get involved in the food truck community. Does your city have a food truck organization, or an area where food trucks regularly get together and sell? Start participating now and volunteer to help out with events, etc. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions, and be sure to tell us when you get your truck up and running. Great article, and as a food truck owner as of 8 months ago, I agree that these tips are spot on!

I do have a question about generators and would love feedback from you and your readers. We need a new one and would LOVE recommendations. We were running a 6, propane generator and could definitely use more power, and we are open to gas or propane.

Just wanted to let you know what our fans had to say about your generator! Everyone recommended propane, and mentioned that gas generators have to be filled too often.

There were 2 votes for the Generac propane generators, and one fan specifically mentioned that his Generac Propane generator is working out well for his truck. We actually just bought a Honda gas generator and have been pleased so far. We went with gas because we spent so much tome refilling our propane generator! I guess it has more to do with the size of the tank as well as quality of the brand than with gas or propane. Buying used is always a great way to cut costs and is definitely WAY cheaper than renting one.

I hope your Honda proves to be an upgrade long term. I am an authorized distributor of solar power for food trucks- would be happy to discuss your trucks suitability for a clean, free and renewable power source!

Wow, Greg just in begin g stages of getting a truck for use in Utah, solo would definitely be the way to go. Would love your insite. The cool thing is it completely closes up to look like a regular travel trailer. I customized an Airstream. Works like a charm. Also, I love the idea of setting out some stools and tables, and the music is a perfect touch. This is so helpful! No fryers because of environmental issues.

I did find a few general resources that might help you out though! This PDF outlines the guidelines for mobile food establishments in Florida: It deals exclusively with getting licenses and permits in order, and I think there should be a lot of helpful info there.

Hope some of that helps, Tamara — and please let us know how your quest to open a food boat goes! This article was very helpful! My next step now is getting more familiar with the permits and licenses that I will need. Does anyone have ANY advice or words of wisdom to prepare me better for this adventure?

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Anything would be greatly appreciated!! One thing I would suggest: It will be probably be helpful to do some research on the cities near you and see which one has the best opportunities for food trucks, and start there before moving on to other jurisdictions. There are some lessons specifically on finding the info on permits and licenses in your area that I think should be pretty helpful to you.

I just commented above, but in Florida our biggest challenge is weather. There is no way to prepare for it. Summertime here can be very slow for business-. So helpful to those starting out and a refresher for us in the business!

Since you mentioned you would love to hear responses from this article, I would love to let future food truck owners or those thinking of getting a food trucks some personal pointers… and some thoughts on what I wish I knew when I wanted to start my mobile unit. I really wish I had someone back in the day to guide me through the process.

Also, here are a few things you can expect. You think your ducks are in a row… they are NOT. Go over everything again. LISTEN to the guidelines on this website and other websites, you cannot get enough information. I cannot stress how important this step is. Almost every city has a Small Business Development Center of sorts… they can guide you through the entire process..

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FOR FREE… no need to be afraid, they are there to help you. Please do not let it stop you from your dreams but you must be prepared to hit a few brick walls.. Go over it again. To make a customer smile is pure happiness for me, to see them eat and love my food is very satisfying to me! I love them all dearly! Even when I get a hard to satisfy customer I accept the challenge to meet their needs.

Customers are the fuel for your business, and they deserve to be appreciated… if you cannot deal with unruly customers well, then find another business to get into before you spend the money. Thank you so much for your thoughtful response! This is all really great advice for FoodTruckrs, and we really appreciate you sharing your experience. Thank you for the wonderful insight.

How many people do you have on staff? For starting a food truck, you better just expect yourself to do most or ALL of the work! I designed her, I created her, I gave birth and implemented all the ideas. I create all recipes from scratch, I am face to face with ALL of my customers! Yes, there are trying moments but the payoff is huge!

For a partner to come in on that end, no way. It would be like someone else raising my child while I observed.. For the food truck my recommendation would be to keep it simple to start, YOU need to start the truck, YOU need to know the city, county, state, federal rules, YOU need to know every single aspect of your truck… e. How do I fix my generator? How do I fix my fuse box?

How many amps can my truck take on? What the hell is a watt exactly? What are my plans for when the transmission fails? Am I a mechanic or do I have one in my pocket? Where do I pay taxes? How much to they want to sqeeze out of me now? For the new business, I have someone whom had his own restaurant. He has a wife and kids, goals and projects, also another small business. I have my life as well, so we thought this would be a good match. I can say this, it is really nice to work with someone who has been in the food business.

IF you choose to get a partner, them having a food service background IS CRITICAL for success! Also, you and your partner must both have the numerical skills it will take for success.. With my partner so far it is gold… we understand each others schedules, each others OTHER businesses and what has to be done. Great article, thanks for all the info. I used to cater private events…but this food truck stuff seems way more complicated. Any advice for newbies?

Our comment notifications somehow got turned off, but we wanted to be sure to give you some advice on starting a truck. Running a food truck is definitely pretty complex, but there are a few things you can do to start off the right way:.

Come up with a concept for your truck and outline a sample menu to guide you along the way. This series is our guide to opening a food truck, and it takes you step-by-step through the entire process. In the meantime, be sure to let us know if you have any more questions! I already know what vehicle will give me what I need to do so, as much as I love stepvans wanted one since I was a kid, eapecially a ups custom , one would not be big enough.

I will be starting with nothing, getting a truck, getting it up to my operational standards, pricing needed appliances, storage, painting the truck, planning out my hybrid energy system, room for five plus driver.

A slew of other things before even getting paperwork and foodstuff. You can find the series here: I have a trailer available to me that is in a permanent spot and I was wanting to do a very limited menu. Basically wings with my homemade sauces, chips and drinks.

My two questions I have are —1— can I get people to come to me since the trailer is permanent? Hard work and long hours are no problem, so long as the reward reflects it. I think this sounds like a great idea! As far as the menu, I would recommend having a few additional options besides the sauces and wings. Great to see how willing you are to put in the work and long hours — that will go a long way toward your success! A limited menu is the way to go. The most successful food trucks and restaurants focus on one or two items and perfect them.

Also, when you have a line you want the food out as quickly as possible. You want the items made to order as quickly as possible, and it needs to be consistently good. Also, the brewery should become your best friend-.

Hello all I admire what you all are doing and am looking into doing the same. So any information where to start what to expect cost etc would be greatly greatly appreciated. I would caution that taking the truck from state to state will require a lot of additional licenses, permits, and expenses.

Every city has its own unique laws, so most food truck owners already have to get a number of different licenses and permits simply to travel to different locations in their own metropolitan areas. Crossing state lines and trying to figure out the requirements for each city and each state will complicate the process significantly.

Please let us know if you have any other questions, and best of luck as you get started researching! Right now he and his wife are running a BBQ restaurant out of a Holiday Inn. They food is spot on, especially their sides. The restaurant that they are running is more for the guests of the hotel and they really do not cater to the general public.

I myself am already the owner of a very successful small business. My concerns are mainly about profit margins. I will be financing the truck and supplies and as well as doing the marketing and promotion while he and his wife run the truck.

For a moderately successful business what kind of profit margins should I expect. I also want to gauge how long before the truck becomes profitable to be self sustaining. Thanks in advance for your time. Those are great questions. Unfortunately, there are simply too many variables and very little industry trend data available for us to really give you any kind of a concrete answer as to what type of profit margins to expect and to estimate how long it will take your truck to become profitable.

I will do my best to point you in the right direction though! Have you written out a formal business plan yet? Here are the links: I would also suggest talking with a trusted financial advisor who can help you figure out the general trends in your area for new start-ups particularly those in the food industry.

I can tell you the 10 day forecast every Monday morning. We get heavy rain and thunderstorms most afternoons in summer, and many of our food truck events are dinnertime events in open parking lots, apartment complexes, etc. People plan dinner after lunch. If it looks bad they will not be bringing umbrellas to eat soggy food from a food truck. We have had weeks here in summertime when all of our events have been cancelled. A solution to this is opening for lunch and working office parks where you can sell from , then get out before the weather turns.

I love your idea to focus on working lunch and office parks when you know that the afternoons are usually filled with rain. I am recently seriously considering starting a food truck. My husband will graduate with a business degree in and I have the passion for food that is necessary to run a successful food truck. I am ready for the hard work and risk it will take to become successful at food trucking.

There are already a handful of food trucks in Cincinnati so I know it can be done. I have two questions.

First, will current food truck owners in my city be helpful, or will they see me as competition and be unwilling to help? My other question is, my husband and I plan on having children within the next three years.

Is starting a food truck and getting pregnant within the first two years a realistic goal? Thank you in advance for any advice and I loved this article and commentary. It has given me two pages of notes!!! Having more food trucks around is good for everybody, as it legitimizes the business in the eyes of new customers and the government making it easier to get better laws in place.

We love this advice from real food truck owners, as so many of the people featured here have really worked hard to achieve the success they have today. It is literally a 1 minute walk to the front door. I am in the real estate investment business and although I would like to own a restaurant, I know how much work and time is involved. My property has a building that I am renovating as well as corner lot that I can build a covered patio.

All of this very visible from the outside of the Casino that is next door. I would like to get a restaurant tenant but we all know the difficult and expensive part is building the kitchen. I thought it may be a good test to bring in a food truck to the property for a very busy 3 day weekend. Just would like some opinions? I think it sounds like a GREAT idea! I would just spend some time researching the local laws and restrictions in your area to make sure your plan is viable.

Be aware of phoney bad reviews. We had a competitor who from day one put up horrible reviews on every review site out there. There are nasty nasty people out there. The other thing you need to do is not to take food service advice from people who have NEVER been in the food industry, your neighbour, your former boss, the nice guy who leans in the window of your chip truck and tells you that boy you sure would make a killing if you just added organic this or fresh caught that, no, none of these will make you money.

My husband believed that people would drive 50 miles out of their way for a gourmet made from scratch burger with different authentic cheeses and bacon etc. Nope, we found that people just wanted a basic burger, with a Kraft slice on top which costs under 50 cents to build. We sell thousands of these monthly and people really really enjoy them. Well we realized if it works for Mcdonalds and they sell billions who were we to re-invent the burger.

DONT LET YOUR EGO get in the way of making a living for your family. There is a reason Mcdonalds sells so many burgers, PEOPLE LOVE THEM. THIS IS THE BEST advice I can give anyone starting a chip truck. MAKE IT QUICK, CHEAP and get it out in under 4 minutes. Just do basic, decent, meant for the masses food and you will make a very good living. Dont waste your time doing silly fru fru stuff, you wont make any money and it is all about making a living for you and your family.

A family of 6 in a park for a day just wants to spend 20 bucks or under and wants Mcdonald style food. They dont want your chef ego food. Buy a pack of no name weiners and buns at McDonalds for 2 bucks a pack and sell for 2 dollars made. They will be extremely happy and you will be spending winters relaxing on a beach.

I like your ideas keep it simple, quick and convenient. Take that menu, add more items that are quick,simple you will many a good living on a food truck. Yes, but the American way is cheap and fast, without looking at the ingredients. I do agree with you fully and I am the same way, but the majority does not care at all.

I am doing my truck now and start this dec. I will sell coffee, donuts and other similar simple stuff. No fru fru stuff. People are tired of fancy foods, they just want to eat what they are familiar with. Same thing goes with chili. THANK you so much for this advise. I tried to figure a sophisticated menu for weeks and I decided to stay with simple pressed paninis. How much does it cost to start up the business? How much do you earn a week? How long does it take to make back the money to start up?

Those are all great questions! We had interviewed a guy named Chad over at our blog http: You basically live in your truck most of the day selling food, then you go home and prep for the next day. I now have more respect than I ever did for food truck owners. Another thing that has come up, is tipping food trucks. Does anybody do that? These are really committed, passionate business owners and they deserve so much more respect than they receive!

So absent of that, tip away! So I live in Lake Havasu City Arizona and am in the process of building a food truck. I have a great source for refurbished equipment such as my range, fryer, reach-in etc. But I have no idea on where to start with the truck. What size, how to make everything fit, what type of truck, what should already be in the truck? I should be securing the loan by the end of next week and will need to purchase the truck and get it up and running as soon as possible.

Any help or resources in this are would be greatly appreciatede. Can any of you tell me where I can find the market size for this industry? I just need specifics for my business plan such as yearly average sales and many other statistics. Thanks for your help! Though there are a ton of variables that go into your annual sales and profits, location is one of the biggest determining factors, so they may be able to give you some insight as to what you can expect in your first year.

No pain no gain. It is still worthwhile to go through all the miseries because you establishing a business for yourself and perhaps for your sons and daughters. Thank you all so much.

Can I be linked up to some manufacturers please? Will be so grateful. I noticed GA was represented as the most regulated states.

We are in GA and any advice on where to start in regards to the red tape licensing would help. The are few resources for us on the first steps. How does one recommend setting up a iPad POS kiosk for the food truck?

I was told that Maclocks is the best http: Swipe Up allows you to transform your phone into a portable mobile card processing unit. Get money on your bank the very next day and pay one of the lowest rates in the market. Only with Swipe Up. This was a a good article with helpful advice. Learn how to perform general tune-up, too.

Before starting a food truck you might want to take a few auto mechanic classes at your local community college or get a part-time job at a mechanic. You can also become friends with a mechanic and you might even be able to park at their shop and sell food!

It definitely helps to either know or know someone who knows about basic truck maintenance, for sure! Thanks for the comment! Am I glad I stumbled on this site! I have a bit of a unique situation: I recently learned that there are a lot of new mobile boutiques starting up, so I suggested to my sister that she may want to go that route since there is less investment risk upfront.

Then she can transition to brick and mortar later if all goes well. Anyway, my question has to do with marketing. Do any of you go the extra step to build your own email contact lists? So what do you guys recommend? Should we get contact info from customers, or just rely on social media? I am planning on starting a Food Truck but my first question is, where in the US is the best place to start, where is it easier, I read the article above and I live in Georgia but I just looked at the application all 17 pages, and the other requirements that are required and it is almost impossible to start a food truck here so I would like to know where is the best and easiest state to start the business out of?

Hello everyone, thank you for the great article and insight on the mobile food industry. What I should look out for, if I should buy it fitted with a kitchen or customize it myself. ANY advice on this matter would be wholly appreciated, I would love to be able to see the inside a few vans to get a better idea. Thank you and keep up the good work!

The neat thing is that the mobile food industry is changing and innovating. Recently we had a podcast episode about Metrofiets. They are using cargo bikes to deliver food! Hi Non, 1 question! I am a very beginner. I battled with the same questions. I had to weigh out my options.

I sat down and figured out how much it would cost me to do a complete build out and is it worth the energy? I looked at Sprinters, step-vans, trailers and old box trucks. I spent a month or so retro-fitting it and installing the wrap. I also needed to upgrade the suspension once I added weight to it. My next task is to put a heavy duty truck tires on it as well.

When all was said and done, I bought the truck and retro-fitted it for the price of a used Sprinter extended wheel base. I searched for several months for a truck that was in my price range and met my needs.

They are definitely out there, you just need to dig. I got super lucky and found a truck that was only an eight hour drive away. I flew down, drove it home and the rest is history! If at all possible I would specifically like to know about food trucks that specialize in deserts. My wife and I plus one partner are trying to decide between a food truck or brick and mortar. We are both excellent cooks. She is Chinese and brings Chinese cooking to the mix. The beauty of this is that most dishes consist of just 3 ingredients or less plus seasonings.

The partner is also Chinese and specializes in dumplings. Taste great and are fancifully made not just flat pinched together I am a lover of all Asian foods and have a unique ability to be able to taste out exactly what seasonings, spices and other condiments are in any dish and replicate it at home.

Due to that ability I can take ordinary classic American foods and really kick them into something with a unique Asian flair Asian Fusion? There was a ton of great information regarding food trucks in this article, especially with regard to the legal hoops and truck maintenance expenses. Not so much for a truck. Is there anyway to find this out? I would just like to know what to expect as an average net profit after all expenses for a truck in an average not ideal or exceptional location and not doing events.

If I can just get this average number we can make the decision. And you pose a great question. But you can check out our post on calculating profit margins here http: Hi, Im a food service passionate with the interest in starting up a food truck, funds are limited, and the start for me is hard; not knowing anyone in the industry.

Is there a mentorship program or book I can buy to help me out. Hi Nicole and everyone else at foodtruckr. I learned a lot. Thank you very much. I am planning to get into the food truck business myself. I am in Tanzania, East Africa and the food industry is doing quite well and is on the rise over here. A food truck would be something a new eating out experience for the people over here. Surely it is going to be tough in the beginning but I am confident that it will work out.

The permits and the licenses are turning out to be a very tough to get as this kind of business is new and thus there are no exact regulations to fit this model. Most of this will be cooked earlier and properly packed for take away. This way most of the job will be just giving out the packed food and collecting the cash which can be done by maximum 2 people.

Dinner is a bit of a long shot as many people here prefer to have that meal either at their homes or at the pubs. I was thinking of using gas fryers, gas flat top grill so to avoid putting a power generator. I am planning to put all these things Body mounted on a Suzuki Carry Truck. I know, the truck is quite small but I have seen it in action in the Philippines and trust me if done properly this is a great food truck.

Since I have not even started this business, I would like you and all the readers on this site to please give me ideas, suggestions and alternatives in regards to anything that I have written here. Once again, thank you for the great article. Sorry, what do you mean by register?

These trucks are plenty over here. Car dealers have them in good stock as they are in demand. You cal also import them for the suppliers in Japan at reasonable prices. I searched and found one, but the guy said it would have to be used as an off road vehicle…No paper work to be able to register it to make it road legal!! Apologies for the tardy response! The answer is that it depends on the event and the type of food truck. It really depends on the location. Mind taking a look at our recent post on parking here?

What are the best places to store the food truck over night if you can not provide your own place??? I would like to sell cinnamons and cracking chicken,burgers, hotdogs, coffee , so I think I need something to keep the buns very warm and a grill for the chicken, burgers. What else do I need? What size do I need? This is great information. My name is Angie, and I want to start the food truck business. I have over 20 years of restaurant experience, but food truck is trickier I assume.

I have a question, I have a commercial kitchen to prepare my food from, besides the sink s, generator, greasetrap, water supply, etc I am thinking that if I only use electrical appliances, like an electrical fryer, ventless, do you think I could save money on a hood ansul system? And which generator will give the best results?

I really wish I could go with green energy! What about solar instead of generators? I loved this article so much, I read it more than once! We are trying to start a bbq truck in San Francisco, EEK!

Currently we are selling our food from a convenience store. All of these regulations are completely unnecessary and stifling. If your truck is unsanitary or your customers get food poisoning, you will not stay in business. There is no profit in killing your customers. Here is a question. Not sure where best to ask it, so here goes… I am considering getting into something like this, but more along the lines of a stationary location, like a trailer. And is there a more accurate read for someone like me who is interested in such an operation?

Well, in my opinion food truck will be better because you can change a place if you see that nobody is interested. Also you can go to ivents to earn some extra money. I know any business you are into brings challenge every day but wow! Any advice greatly appreciate. Can somebody please help me with some advise or any advise. Thank you so much. Hi my name is Haydee I have a question I am from mexico and I am going to start a food truck coffee but I am having problems on how I will get electrical power , my husband and I have thought about a power inverter and adapting a car battery to it, one that can provide watts.

Can someone help us. We have been asking around and nobody has ever done this type of work and the generators are too big. It is avaiable in Europe so I am not sure if it is available in the usa.

I am planing to open mobile coffee too and I wanna buy this maschine. I am thinking about doing this, so I want to know as much as I can in order to succeed.

I just need them to fill out a simple document that said I would or could however the commissary I did find charged a month and as a bootstrapper and new comer to the food truck world that is not feasible and especially when Im not storing anything there because Im doing donut and coffee. The other road block Im running into that is not talked about much is the required HACCP plan this is required by almost every state and county health dept.

Both the commissary and the HACPP plan are required before can do anything with your truck and they are the two most daunting things to get done…for me personally. Any comment or advise would be great. Hey, the Tamanny Hall building ousted our fave deli on 17th and Park Ave South, on Union Square East, NYC.

My biggest concern is: I loved the article and looked it up because I am contemplating starting a food truck. I already had a good idea about all of the permit, certificate issues, etc. Do food truck owners make a profit? I was wondering if anyone has experience or knowledge about trucks that only sell drinks. This idea is at the very beginning stages, but I was just curious if it is possible for a drink truck to do well or would it be better to make it a mix of simple foods and drinks?

Do you think is a good idea? I am starting with a non traditional ice cream and muffin cart. The company is a vegan allergy sensitive brand. Organically Yours , check us out on FB is starting trading in the UK. We have designed the cart out of recycled materials and cast off products, keeping with our ethos of helping the environment.

Our food is organic, seasonal, healthy and delicious! We are trying to get an app. For advanced orders… See you on the street. I will be serving only sodas, floats arms similar items, no hot food.

My question is how does one figure out how much water storage I need, and anyone have experience with ice in a food truck? One guy turned the truck into an eventual brick and mortar in the same location he had the truck. I guess he bought the land and then built the building.

As nice as having a truck you are able to drive, it seems to come with a lot of additional headaches. Seems like getting a nice sized trailer that I can tow behind a vehicle would be a better option. Brand new as well. I am a college student doing BBA course. So I am looking for someone to help us with the project as in guide us about we should go about it We have to make report on it.

If you are owner of a food truck please help us and in return we will help promoting you. Hi there, first a big thanks to this website. I am currently emerging myself in all things food trucks to learn as much as I can to be as prepared as I can when it comes time to go through the process.

Boston has a great page dedicated to food trucks and all of the necessary things you need to consider in order to do business in the city of Boston. They are also the strictest when it comes to getting the necessary permits and inspections to serve food from your truck. Since I wanted to know what the city health inspector looks for, I went to the page that lists all of the trucks that have been inspected in the city of Boston.

When you click on each truck it tells you if they passed or failed inspection and why they failed. This gave me some great insight as to what the Boston health inspectors look for when inspecting a truck for service. Food trucks in your city. Also I think that if you have your truck built out to the specifications of your main city in which you live, you will then be more likely to obtain permits in other cities and towns without much issue if everything is in order.

The website for Boston is: I have recently interviewed a couple of food truck owners. They share their tips on how to be successful; if anyone of you got inspired by this article, I am happy to share the interview: Having seen so many great articles and suggestions about food trucks, it actually now bothers me why no one runs food truck business where I live.

Question for someone just getting into the business…what about partnering with someone? My partner is a finance whiz, has a passion for food and is great with people. I want to see our business relationship balanced out. Ok, so I was thinking of buying an ice cream truck not soft serve and this has me questioning the decision.

Can some one comfort me about buying an ice cream truck. I was considering moving to Tuscon where my brother and sister in law moved to. Is the hot weather good or bad people stay inside for such a business? For a comprehensive guide on how to start your business, read here: The work is in the Republic of Tajikistan.

I had a few questions to follow up on: Where can I look up regulations and permits in my area needed for food trucks? How do I know if I have all the ones I need? However, I had a few more questions: FoodTruckr How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business. Home About Blog Podcast Contact Resources RSS. Regulations and Permits Hands-down, navigating all the regulations was the most consistent external source of frustration we heard.

Bollywood Zing I wish I would have known what all went into the permitting process and how involved it is so that I could have been more prepared and ahead of the game. Chuy from Mariscos Jalisco I wish I would have known how much the regulations would change over time with the general acceptance of our industry.

Roy from Champion Cheesesteaks The biggest thing: Peter from Organic Oasis I wish that I had known about the bathroom letter requirements for parking more than one hour in Los Angeles. Planning the Business Food trucks may seem like fun, but they require serious business planning to be profitable and sustainable. Food Truck Branding Build a Brand That Rocks. About the Author FoodTruckr is the 1 online destination for current and aspiring food truck owners looking to succeed in the mobile food industry.

Are your hotcakes selling You know what you just gave me a business idea….. Do you know of any cheap marketing strategies other than facebook? Best, Nicole at FoodTruckr HQ. Whoever mentioned mechanic and electrician forgot about plumber! Ah, very true… we know plumbing issues can be a struggle for many FoodTruckrs, too! Once Upon a Thai. Here are a few suggestions: All the best, Nicole at FoodTruckr HQ. Hi Kimberly, Just wanted to let you know what our fans had to say about your generator!

Hi Kimberly, I am an authorized distributor of solar power for food trucks- would be happy to discuss your trucks suitability for a clean, free and renewable power source! That sounds like an amazing option! Is it very noisy? Anybody have any ideas? All thought would be appreciated! Hi Marie, Thank you so much for your thoughtful response!

Thank you so much, and hope to hear from you soon! Nicole — I would be happy to! Ye, I am curious too. In my truch it will be me only. I hope I can do it. You can do it! Great advice, simple and sweet! That was some great advice for people who want to start in the business! Hi Christopher, I think this sounds like a great idea! Thanks for the advice and encouragement! You are awesome for providing both. Thank you Stephanie V.

Hi William, Those are great questions. Hey Barney, I think it sounds like a GREAT idea! Let us know if we can help out with any other questions! Kenneth Joseph Collins Jr. Hi CC, Those are all great questions!

Thanks so much for reading our site! Hope that helps, and please let us know if you have any other questions! Hey Carl, Great question!