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Starting a food truck. Any advice? (1 Viewer)

RokNRole

Footballguy
My girlfriend has been encouraging me to start my own food truck and leave the drudgery of the office rat race.

Obviously the coming winter wouldn't be the best time so I have until next spring to make preparations if I'm going to go this route.

Has anyone ever made this transition and could offer some advice? What are things I should consider that wouldn't be obvious to a newb? What am I looking at for an initial investment?

any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 
What type of food are you going to be serving, if it something that any other food truck can offer than i wouldnt even bother. Too big of a risk. 

 
Hygiene - it pays off

Prep - it pays off

Consistency - it pays off

Be very very conscious of food cost and waste

Smile to your customers

No offensive stuff on clothes or truck

Work hard, when you get tired, work harder

GL

 
nothing to add other then let me know if you need a designer to do the logo, truck wrap, breast tattoos...etc.

G man!!

 
I don't know anything about running a restaurant or food truck but based on what you said initially about leaving the office rat race I would suggest start by working the truck on weekend while keeping your weekday job and see how it goes, how you like it and how well you do.  Good luck.

 
Don't take too long to get the food out. Cardinal sin of any food truck, no matter how good the food is. 

 
Go with Poutine or Banh Mi.  Get a prime location around bars.  Work nights. Have a gimmick, like insulting the customer or calling them stuff like "sizzlechest" or "rubberneck" or "liver lips".  YWIA. 

 
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1. Make good food.  If you don't have a product people will want to eat, the rest of this is moot.

2. Before setting food prices, count your costs....and I mean ALL of them.  Taxes, licenses, insurance, maintenance, repairs, staffing, inventory loss, discounts/promotions, advertising, etc.  Cash is king and the majority of small businesses fail because they run out of cash flow.  Make sure you are selling your product at a profit.  High sales volume at a loss just means a bigger loss.

3. Have a plan because you need to have something that sets you apart.  Quality, price, experience, location, etc.  Something needs to be "your thing" that makes people want to come there and buy and ultimately make you money.

All that said, it sounds like fun, so good luck! 

 
There's been a food truck boom in Baltimore over the past year or two. Over saturated. Can you secure a good location in this giant metropolis of yours?

 
Go with Poutine or Banh Mi.  Get a prime location around bars.  Work nights. Have a gimmick, like insulting the customer or calling them stuff like "sizzlechest" or "rubberneck" or "liver lips".  YWIA. 
Hmmm... Being outside a bar late after their kitchen has closed (around last call) could be something. I would have hit up a food truck late night. Maybe places have these now, I'm going back 8-10 years. 

 
is the mother in law doing the cooking?

considering the proliferation of food trucks here and the huge range of foods covered, I'd wonder what you think you'd bring to the table that all of the others don't have? type of food seems important, price... but mostly location. and quality, of course. 

it does seem that a lot of trucks here have successfully segued into having a successful b&m presence- big gay ice cream, dos toros, souvlaki gr.. off the top of my head.

do you have a type of food you're thinking about? location?

 
Watered down market. Everyone who cooks now a days think they can open a food truck. Just like anyone who enjoys beer thinks they can start making craft beer and open a brewery. 

 
I don't know about where you live but around here there are so many food trucks already offering all different kind of food. Like someone else said, you need to stand out or forget it.

A lot of people think the food business is so easy and the road is paved with gold. Maybe you have a restaurant/small business background and if so then this is something you can try part time. I sure as hell wouldn't quit my job to find out if it can be successful though. 

 
Watered down market. Everyone who cooks now a days think they can open a food truck. Just like anyone who enjoys beer thinks they can start making craft beer and open a brewery. 


I don't know about where you live but around here there are so many food trucks already offering all different kind of food. Like someone else said, you need to stand out or forget it.

A lot of people think the food business is so easy and the road is paved with gold. Maybe you have a restaurant/small business background and if so then this is something you can try part time. I sure as hell wouldn't quit my job to find out if it can be successful though. 
:hifive:

 
Have your kid take a second long video a day when you drive from Miami to LA and post it when you get back.

 
Just be sure you'd prefer spending a minimum of 16 hours a day in the confines of a food truck over the 8ish hours a day in the office "drudgery". 

 
Just be sure you'd prefer spending a minimum of 16 hours a day in the confines of a food truck over the 8ish hours a day in the office "drudgery". 
Not to mention, You will probably be working weekends too, picking up special events, concerts, horse tracks, tailgating...

 
My girlfriend has been encouraging me to start my own food truck and leave the drudgery of the office rat race.

Obviously the coming winter wouldn't be the best time so I have until next spring to make preparations if I'm going to go this route.

Has anyone ever made this transition and could offer some advice? What are things I should consider that wouldn't be obvious to a newb? What am I looking at for an initial investment?

any insight would be greatly appreciated.
What kind of food are you offering?

Are there similar business offering this food?

What prices are you offering at in relation to similar businesses?

Where will you be located? Do you need permits or permission to park and serve in various locations?

What hours will you operate?

 
Don't know if it's the case with food trucks (and if there's 3 of em in my Vt village, i can only imagine how many there are in population centers) but i know, with restaurants, if it's not the thing you absolutely live to be dealing with every minute of every day, you're not going to make it. Next to racehorse folks, food service people are the most obsessed & committed i know. That's why i won't eat in chains unless i ab have to (travel, time concerns & such). - can't insult real foodfolk by giving my dough to people who don't care

 
Where are you planning to prep the food ? Most of the "big name" trucks in the Boston area prep at the same community kitchen . You say you are in a big city , find the cost of this in your area. A bunch overnight park in that area as well. All $ that have to be accounted for. Good luck

 
Every time I go to a food truck the people look like hot death and miserable. Must be 170 degrees in there in the summer, no shtick. Why would anybody want to do this?

 
My concept that I kick around is the IToT truck . International Truck of Tacos.  It's basically any food in a taco . Corned beef & cabbage dinner , in a taco. Spaghetti & meatballs , in a taco . Chicken fingers & fried rice , in a taco.

 
My concept that I kick around is the IToT truck . International Truck of Tacos.  It's basically any food in a taco . Corned beef & cabbage dinner , in a taco. Spaghetti & meatballs , in a taco . Chicken fingers & fried rice , in a taco.
Better have a big truck. 

 
I would probably put my entire net worth and any sort of credit I could into it, but also don't really put much effort in.  Try to make it so if you fail, you are screwed for the rest of your life, to the point where you won't ever be able to afford a computer or internet access again.  

 

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