If you have finally decided to start up a food truck business, then you might be wondering where to start. To help you out during this journey, we have mapped out five basic things to look into when starting your food truck journey, and they can be found below.
While everyone’s path is different, these ingredients are must-haves for the mobile kitchen industry.
5 Basic Things To Look Into When Starting Your Food Truck Journey
5.) Your Food Truck Concept
This, more likely than not, is the reason why you are starting up a food truck in the first place. After all, it’s all about the food, and your passion is cooking. While this might not be the case for every single owner out there, because some food truck owners are entrepreneurs and see a great opportunity right in front of them, everyone should be able to agree on this: The food is the most important part.
Yes, customer service, business knowledge and other factors are going to be rather important during your food truck journey, but the food is the product, making your food truck concept essential.
While many folks likely already have the concept down for the simple fact that they have been cooking for a while, and they might also have some great family recipes, it’s important to really think this one through. You can’t (or at least shouldn’t) change your concept once your shop is set up, so you only have one shot to get this right.
Many food truck owners have unique concepts and mix and match ideas, but this is your passion, so going a more traditional route is perfectly fine if that’s the path you want to take.
4.) The Location Of Your Truck
The good thing about the food truck industry is that your business is mobile, so you don’t necessarily have to stay in the same spot. With that in mind, permits, regulations, rules and laws do come into play, so it’s not like you can park wherever you want.
Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean you can’t start looking into destinations for your food truck. Typically, it’s best to set up shop in areas with a lot of foot traffic, which could include downtown areas, places where outdoor attractions are, business districts, etc.
As a friendly reminder, you can find more than one location for your food truck, and you can also travel to food truck events and put on catering gigs, meaning you aren’t stuck in one spot, which is typically the case with sit-down restaurants.
3.) What Other Owners Are Doing
Why is this important? Simple. No matter what industry you are trying to conquer, it’s essential to learn from the greats, and from the not-so-greats. See what other food truck owners (and restaurant owners) are doing right and wrong at their businesses. Apply what you learn to your future food truck.
This might sound basic — which it is — but it’s a step that so many people are likely skipping because they are so focused on jumping right into the food truck industry.
If you want to be a success, then you have to constantly be learning from your mistakes, your successes and from your competition. Not to mention, you won’t become an expert of the food truck industry until … well, you become one, and that process can be shortened if you start learning from other owners before you even step foot in the food truck industry.
Never stop the journey that is learning.
2.) How To Create A Business Plan
This is a must — there is no way around it. You have to create a business plan, especially if you are wanting to get investors (whether it be through the bank, family members or whoever it might be).
A business plan is going to map out your entire business, which is not only a good way to show your investors you have the ultimate plan mapped out but it is also going to make your life easier.
If you don’t know how to make a business plan, then you are in luck, because there is plenty of information online detailing that process. Plus, whether you have the money to buy a food truck right now or not, you can start this search today.
Just remember: You don’t typically enter the food truck industry overnight — it’s a very detailed process, and the more research you do now, the better off you will be once you finally do become a mobile kitchen owner.
RELATED: How You Can Break Into The Food Truck Industry In 2018
1.) Where To Buy A Food Truck, And How Much It’s Going To Cost
This is one of the most important steps. Luckily, you came to the right place.
Prestige Food Trucks will not only help you every step of the way but we specialize in building high-quality food trucks. Not sure what your food truck kitchen all needs? We can help you out with that process. Prestige is certified to build in all 50 states, so we can help you pass local health and fire codes.
Food trucks vary in price. It all depends on the bells and whistles you decide to go with, and you can get your custom quote here.
Nevertheless, it’s important to figure out where you are going to buy your truck, and how much it is going to cost. While so many people contemplate taking the cheap route, and then actually buy a cheap food truck, this is the foundation of your business we are talking about, and you shouldn’t be taking shortcuts in this department.
We hope the ingredients above can help get your food truck journey started. While there are many steps when it comes to entering the food truck industry, the five steps above are essential.
Interested in getting into the food truck industry? Request a quote from us today to get going!
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For more food truck advice and inspiration, check out the rest of our blog here.