I would have liked to know how much regulation would change over time with the general acceptance of our industry. I believe there needs to be a central place for all food truck vendors to look at the laws and regulations of every county in California and eventually every state. Hello, MJP! It really depends on the location. Take a look at our latest article on parking here? foodtruckr.com/2014/02/start-food-truck-find-prime-parking/ Hi, Sharlyn! Totally good question. It`s great that you`re thinking about starting your own food truck! We`d love to think of the FoodTruckr blog and podcast as some sort of mentorship program 😀, but if you want something more substantial, we have our book How to Start a Food Truck! foodtruckr.com/book/ I also suggest talking to a trusted financial advisor who can help you understand general trends in your field for new startups (especially in the food industry). If your partners have records of the deal they`ve already made, this data is also very useful for figuring out what you need to charge to make X profit and how quickly you can expect the truck to start making a profit. Pros and Cons of Business Partners ~ Since this post, I have also started another business, this one with a partner. For my food truck, it was all me. It`s my baby. I designed them, I created them, I gave birth and I implemented all the ideas. I create all recipes from scratch, I face ALL my clients! Yes, there are difficult moments, but the victory is huge! For a partner who comes for this purpose, no way. It would be like someone else was raising my child while I watched.
uh uh. No. For the food truck, my recommendation would be to keep the start simple, YOU need to start the truck, YOU need to know the city, county, state, federal rules, YOU need to know every aspect of your truck. Like what. What type of generator do I need? (BTW bite the bullet and get a Honda) Where / What is my supply line? How do I repair my generator? How can I repair my fuse box? How many amps can my truck hold? What exactly is a watt? What are my plans if the transfer fails? Am I a mechanic or do I have one in my pocket? Where do I pay my taxes? Do I exceed the city/county tax limits? How much do they want to get from me now? etc. No one can compare to knowing every square millimeter of your business. For the new business, I have someone who had their own restaurant. He has a wife and children, goals and projects, and another small business. I also have my life, so we thought it would go well together.
I can say this, it`s really nice to work with someone who has worked in the food industry. When choosing a partner, food service experience is crucial to success! Plus, you and your partner both need to have the digital skills to succeed. Everyone needs to know the cost of products, what your margins are, and how much profit you need. With my partner, it`s gold so far. We understand each other`s schedules, other companies and what needs to be done. We both work in business, we don`t just delegate someone else to do everything. We both got 🙂 our hands dirty if you need a partner, the above information is as well. Maybe it`s not good to work with your best friend.
If you can, choose someone very wise that you may not be too close to, but just enough to do the business and not hang out with them all the time. I`m sorry, this may sound crazy, but the partner must have a purpose to help you and you. I wish I had known how anti-trucking the New York government is. If I had known that there was no way to legally have a permit for my business, that it was illegal to occupy my truck as I run a restaurant, and that it would suddenly be illegal to sell from a paid parking lot, whether I pay the meter or not. When disaster strikes, you are convinced that no one is doing so badly. Then, by talking to other homeowners, gaining the knowledge along the way, and building an incredible arsenal of repair staff, you feel empowered to have earned your place every day. There is nothing we would prefer to do. We love our truck! Want to start a food truck business? This commercial enterprise is not for the faint of heart. Many novice chefs think it`s easier to start a food truck business than to start a physical restaurant. While the food truck industry mitigates some of the concerns and responsibilities of physical restaurant operations, they present unique challenges.
With any business, big or small, there are pros and cons to starting a business and keeping it afloat. It was a good article with useful tips. I don`t own a food truck yet (in the planning phase now), but as a diesel mechanic and army car enthusiast, I can say that it helps to have a general knowledge of engine maintenance and knowledge of key components such as powertrain and transmission systems. Also learn how to organize a general vote. Before starting a food truck, you may want to take a few auto mechanics courses at your local community college or get a part-time job with a mechanic. However, remember, just because you can doesn`t mean you still have the means to perform certain tasks. You can also befriend a mechanic and maybe even park in his store and buy groceries! One thing I wish I had known before starting this business is how much work goes into it. I mean, I didn`t think it would be easy, but most foreigners just think, „Oh my God, your job is so easy, you cook on your truck for 5 hours and you`re done.“ I`m not the kind of person who asks for a refund, that would be wrong, but once I know you`re selling, you don`t get a deal. One-time start-up costs include expenses such as the purchase of your food truck, a registry or point-of-sale (POS) system, a truck slide, website design, office supplies, advertising and public relations, as well as professional, legal or consulting fees. While this list is not exhaustive, it does give potential food truck owners an idea of some of the initial tastes. Hey, guys! Excellent article, thanks for all the info.
I want to get into the food truck business, but I think I don`t know where to start 🙁, I`ve done a lot of research and gathered ideas for menus. I used to organize private events. But this food truck thing seems to be much more complicated. Any advice for beginners? Great article! This trend is booming now and I don`t think it`s going to stop. I recently interviewed a few food truck owners. They share their tips on how to succeed; If any of you were inspired by this article, I`m happy to share the interview: www.shopbox.com/blog/how-to-run-a-successful-food-truck-tips-from-the-owners The only thing I wish I had known before I started is how long it takes to make a truck a success. I`m sure it`s the same in every store, but I didn`t know it would be seven days a week, 11 hours a day. Although food trucks are all about fanfare and good food, managing a truck is hard work with many challenges and pitfalls (as clearly described in your article). Among the trucks I`ve worked with, the common indicator of success is passion.
It must be a true lasting passion. I thought people were honking at me because I was driving slowly, but as soon as they stood to the side and in front of my vehicle, they took pictures, waved at me and gave me a thumbs up license. It took me a while to get used to it, especially when I was shy about driving a big truck. If I buy a hot dog from you and try these nameless $2 Walmart hot dogs, I`ll never come back to your food truck. They are disgusting. The same goes for Chile. If you serve chili hormel on your hot dog, I can say, and I won`t be coming back. The flexible locations of food trucks offer great marketing opportunities.
