Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss? Do you have a
love for cooking and want to turn this passion into a business? If so, starting
your own lunch truck business might be the perfect start.
Check out this post to get an idea of
just what is needed to turn your dream into reality. Then, we'll walk you
through the steps that are involved in starting a lunch truck business,
including state laws about what type of food can be sold from these mobile
restaurants, how much money it costs to get started, and the best way to keep
up with health code regulations.
We'll start this post by looking at the
different types of food businesses set up as mobile units. Then we'll start on
the state laws that you'll need to follow and finally give you some tips on how
you can get your first truck off the ground.
Food Trucks By Type
Before even starting your own mobile
food business, it's important to understand the different types of food trucks
out there and what type of food they serve. Keep in mind that these are only
general labels; some "ice cream trucks" might actually serve hot
dogs, or some "Italian food trucks" could be more like Taco Trucks.
Food trucks are typically categorized
by the type of food they serve. The most common types are listed below.
Dessert Trucks – Also referred to as
ice cream trucks, dessert trucks serve frozen desserts, soft-serve, and hard
ice cream. In addition, these businesses also sell items like snow cones,
frozen drinks, and frozen fruit bars.
Hot Dogs – These are food trucks that
serve hot dogs or bologna sandwiches. Many of these trucks also sell various
toppings like mustard, ketchup, relish, and cheese. These trucks can be found
all around the country and usually serve breakfast as well as lunch fare.
Mexican –These cars typically sell
burritos and tacos along with heavy meals like rice and beans and other Tex-Mex
items. They can also be found serving breakfast items like eggs and potatoes.
Sandwich – These trucks sell sandwiches
that are made on-site. These can be hot or cold sandwiches depending on the
owner's preference. Popular sandwich items include turkey, ham, roast beef,
peanut butter and jelly, tuna fish, chicken salad, egg salad, and more!
Taco – As you might have guessed, taco
trucks sell tacos and other Mexican delights like tortas (basically a large
taco). The difference between this type of food truck and the Mexican truck is
that they often serve more than just tacos; they often serve tortas. Some may
even sell quesadillas or tamales.
There are many other food truck types
that you can find. Feel free to check out some of the others we've written on:
Looking into Opening a Food Truck
As we mentioned above, you can choose
to start your lunch truck business with many mobile food units, and each one
will require a slightly different set of licenses and permits. To learn more
about these types of business, visit the links below:
State Laws for Opening a Food Truck
Business
Once you've decided what type of food
truck to start as your own mobile fast food business, it's time to look into
the state laws that affect this type of restaurant.
For some states, mobile food business
owners don't have many regulations to follow. For example, for Colorado's
mobile food establishments, all you need is a permit to operate. The permit is
free and readily available on the Colorado Department of Revenue site.
However, some states like New York
require businesses selling food to register first with the local health
department. Then they must register with the state's Department of Agriculture
and Markets. The fee for this registration is $145 per year.
Other licenses that you'll need include
any permits for selling on private property or at special events .
Choosing a Food Truck to Buy
If you want to get into the mobile food
business, but you don't want to build the restaurant from the ground up,
there's another option available: buying a used food truck. Before purchasing a
used food truck, make sure that it is in good condition and cared for properly.
And remember to do your research; it's easy to find needed parts when you know
what to look for.
Another option is to start this
business with a friend and buy an older model together. This will allow you
both to spend less money upfront and split the operating costs over several
months.
How to start this business with a
friend?
Well, it depends on the type of truck
that you want to buy. Some are priced in the thousands, while others can be
found for under $2K. But before you rush out and buy your first truck, consider
these things:
Size – The larger the food truck, the
more expensive it will be. Older trucks are often harder to find parts for or
have special features that might be difficult to replace or maintain. The best
choice is probably smaller in size but still has enough capacity to handle your
specific menu items. Learn More about
the booming lunch truck business on our website.
– The larger the food truck, the more
expensive it will be. Older trucks are often harder to find parts for or have
special features that might be difficult to replace or maintain. The best
choice is probably smaller in size but still has enough capacity to handle your
specific menu items.
Cost of Fuel – The more a truck guzzles
fuel, the higher you'll have to pay at the pump. Truck engines are typically
larger than normal engines, which means they burn more fuel.
That's all for now! Check back soon for
more tips on how to own and operate your own mobile food business.
Are you ready to get your first food
truck off the ground? If so, visit our website today, and we will teach you
everything you need to know about getting your own lunch truck business up and
running!