Are you thinking about starting your food truck business? Then the first, most obvious thing you’ll need is a food truck. While finding food concession trailers for sale isn’t a big deal, choosing the right one will be!
For instance, you must decide whether to go for a trailer, truck, or cart. Each variant has distinguishable qualities and benefits for different mobile cuisine businesses. You’ll also have to consider the perks of purchasing or leasing, the kind of food you’ll be serving, and storage.
Knowing your options
As mentioned above, food trucks, carts, and trailers are the primary options for folks willing to start a mobile food business. Below you’ll find the differences between the three vehicle types.
- Trucks – They offer more space and room for flexibility. These vehicles usually measure fourteen to thirty-four feet. As you can guess, you’ll have a lot of space at your disposal to cook meals and serve them.
- Trailers – Trailers combine the features of trucks and carts. They bear a few similarities with food carts as you’ll have to tow them to the destination. Trailers also have plenty of space, like trucks.
- Carts – Beginners usually start their business with a cart, as they’re small and require little to no maintenance. They’re simple enough to operate. You can attach them to a vehicle and tow them to the designated location.
Things to consider
Now, it’s time for you to consider the aspects of a small food trailer for sale. It’s the only way to make the right choice.
The food you’ll serve
First of all, you need to think about what you’re going to add to the menu. Go through the process, including chopping the ingredients, grinding the condiments, and cooking.
Apart from that, you’ll have to create a list of the tools you’ll need to operate, such as tongs, bowls, spatulas, measuring cups, etc. You can’t underestimate storage options, either. You’ll need to keep your tools, equipment, and ingredients somewhere, after all.
If you want to start small and expand later, think about everything described above to make an appropriate menu and storage-related plans.
Food preparation
There are two options – you can prepare the food at home or do so on-site. You have to make the perfect choice depending on your menu. It’ll dictate whether you can cook at home or at the location where you’ll operate.
Some cities have health-related laws against food trucks cooking and storing food items in your automobile. If such norms apply to your city, you may consider hiring a commercial kitchen.
In doing so, you won’t have to outfit the food concession trailers for sale with too much equipment. At-home meal preparation is a good idea for you if that’s your forte. It’ll save time and money from having to go to the commercial kitchen to prepare the meals.
If you choose to do so within the truck, remember that you’ll need the right appliances and storage capacity to do so.
Truck price
Before you buy a small food trailer for sale, make sure you have the necessary capital for the purchase. You can opt for a new one, but if you choose a second-hand automobile, you must select a well-maintained one.
The appeal of the truck and the way it sounds will dictate your business. That’s why you have to make sure it’s worth the money you spend.
You also have to be ready to pay for the maintenance and care of the vehicle. You won’t be able to do business the day it sustains a mechanical issue.
The location
Running a food truck is all about choosing the right location. If you make a perfect choice, you’ll never go wrong. Research various places and select the ones that’ll draw people to your mobile business.
Small carts are more mobile than others, and they don’t require too much space to set up, either. Larger trucks, on the other hand, need more space and planning to operate. You can’t park them just about anywhere.
Remember to check your city’s regulations and laws regarding food truck parking and permits so that you can find the best spot for your business.
Customers
Apart from everything else described above, you have to know who your customers are. You must determine your patrons long before you get your food truck, trailer, or cart.
The task should be easier if you consider the people your menu will appeal to, the demographic you’re going to target, and the location where you can sell to them.
The information you’ll come up with after pondering these points will help you pick the vehicle.
Other permits
Here are a few other licenses you may need depending on the city you operate in.
- Seller’s permit – This permit is necessary for some states to allow the business owner to buy ingredients and supplies at wholesale prices without paying sales tax.
- Fire certificate – There are a few counties where you’ll need to get your vehicle inspected by the fire department. Only then can you sell your food truck food.
- Parking license – You must check with your regional county clerk if you need parking permits in the areas where you plan to operate. After all, some of the streets may be off-limits to business owners.
- Commissary letter of agreement – The city where you’ll run your company may need you to store your materials and prepare the food in a commissary kitchen. Only then can you set out for the day to do business. To do that, you’ll need this license.
- SOP document – SOP stands for standard operating procedures. While it’s rare, you’ll need the SOP document to be able to open your business to the public.
Final considerations
Well, there you have it – all the licenses you may need to operate your food truck business. You’ll need some or all of them. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t forget to research what permits you require.
Endnote
If you achieve success, you may serve hundreds of people daily. However, to do that, you’ll need to know where to store your equipment and ingredients. You must plan ahead by purchasing a large truck with enough storage space to meet the demands of feeding many people.
