If you’re thinking about becoming a food truck owner, you’re in good company. It’s one of the fastest-growing sectors in the restaurant industry, and there are lots of opportunities to start your own business—at least according to IBISWORLD. The research firm said that the industry grew by 8.2% on average every year over the last five years since 2017. But before you jump into this new venture with both feet, it’s good to know what you’re getting into.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of 14 tips for running a successful food truck business.
What Are the Origins of the Food Truck Business?
The food truck business originated in the early 1970s in Los Angeles as street food vendors who would set up shop on sidewalks or at events and sell affordable, quick eats. Over time, food trucks evolved into a more permanent fixture on American streets, with entrepreneurs across the country starting their own businesses.
Food trucks are perfect for small businesses who want to get their products in front of more customers. They’re also a great way for entrepreneurs to test their business model and see if it’s feasible.
The best food trucks often have unique flavors and recipes that appeal to a variety of consumers. Food truck owners can also make a lot of money by catering events, selling merchandise, and doing private catering.
Statistics About the Food Truck Industry in America
Food trucks have been around for quite some time now, and they’re quickly becoming a popular way to enjoy delicious food. In fact, there are now over 35,500 food trucks in the U.S., and the industry is expected to grow even more in the coming years.
Here are some key statistics about the food truck industry in America:
- The food truck industry is growing rapidly – there are now over 35,500 food trucks in the U.S., and that number is expected to grow even more in the coming years.
- The food truck industry is diverse – not only do different types of food trucks exist (e.g., breakfast, lunch, dinner), but there are also a variety of different cuisine options available (e.g., Asian, American, Italian).
- Currently valued at around $1.2 billion, the food truck industry is expected to grow 3.4% in 2022.
- 40,000 people are currently employed throughout the industry.
Is the food truck industry popular?
The food truck industry is popular, with many people eager to try a new dish from a different restaurant. This trend has created an opportunity for small businesses that can run food trucks. However, running a food truck can be difficult, as it requires careful planning and execution.
Is Opening a Food Truck a Good Idea?
Food trucks are a popular fixture on the streets of many cities. They offer a unique and delicious way to experience local flavors and explore new neighborhoods. However, opening a food truck can be costly and challenging. Before deciding whether or not to open a food truck, weigh the pros and cons carefully.
The benefits of owning and operating a food truck include:
- the ability to make your own schedule
- control your own hours
- and be your own boss
On the other hand, there are also downsides as follows:
- Food trucks often require significant investment in terms of equipment (such as an oven or stove), marketing materials ( signage, recipes), and customer service skills.
- There is also the risk that you may not be able to keep up with demand if you don’t have enough customers or if you don’t have the right ingredients or cooking methods.
How to Run a Successful Food Truck
Running a food truck can be a very lucrative enterprise.
Here are some tips for getting started:
1. Take your time to develop the concept; don’t be afraid to ask for help.
The first step in running a food truck business is to take your time developing the concept and menu. You may want to hire an expert or consultant to help you with this, or connect with other businesses in your area that are similar. Don’t be afraid to ask friends, family members and colleagues for their input as well.
Don’t rush into it! Take your time developing the concept; don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you find yourself spinning your wheels trying to figure out what direction you should head in, there’s nothing wrong with switching gears entirely and starting over on greener pastures (or chocolate-filled pastures). This can actually save money compared with trying different versions of one thing until you find something that sticks. It also keeps customers from getting bored if they’re always seeing one thing on the menu over and over again!
It’s okay if things don’t work out exactly as planned either – sometimes we can get so caught up trying not make mistakes that we end up making them anyway! Remember: being able to adapt quickly is part of what makes successful entrepreneurs great leaders – no matter how hard they might try not doing so at first glance.
2. Be reasonable about your budget and plan for unexpected expenses.
You’ve probably read that a food truck business will cost at least $40,000 to get started. That number includes the cost of a truck, permits and licenses, kitchen equipment, and other expenses. It’s true that it can be expensive to run a food truck—but it doesn’t have to be.
Here are some tips for keeping your startup costs low:
- Don’t plan on making much money from your first few months in business. This is because you won’t have any customers yet! You need time for people to find out about your new restaurant and become regulars before you start making real money. For this reason, don’t plan on paying yourself any wages for the first year or two (or more).
- If possible invest in something that will earn interest instead of spending it all right away on advertising or salaries—you’ll feel less stressed later when things aren’t turning out as well as expected!
- Be reasonable about your budget and plan for unexpected expenses (like repairs). As with any new business venture there will always be unexpected costs involved so make sure you account for those as well; otherwise they could end up sinking everything before its even begun!
3. Consider your offerings, do you specialize or are you a generalist?
It’s important to consider what you want to offer. Do you want to be a generalist, offering something for everyone? Or do you want to specialize in one or two items so that customers know exactly what they’re getting when they see your truck?
Consider too what your customers want. If they’re looking for something specific, such as gourmet burgers or vegan tacos, it may make sense for you to specialize in those items.Think about your budget. If there aren’t too many unique ingredients required and the food itself is easy enough that it doesn’t require much prep time (and therefore money), then it might make sense for you to offer something more generalist than specialized if that means saving some cash on food costs overall.
Finally, think about where people are most likely going to buy from their trucks:
- at festivals or sporting events where vendors line up outside the venue
- during special events like concerts
- on the streets of urban centers where foot traffic is high but competition might be stiffer (if operators are nearby); etc.
4. Look at other food trucks and see what they’re doing right and what they’re doing wrong.
Look at other food trucks and see what they’re doing right and what they’re doing wrong. The best way to learn is by observing the mistakes of others.
Look at the menu, branding, structure of their truck and social media presence. If you see something you like, give it a shot! Don’t be afraid to try new things or incorporate elements of your favorite trucks into your own business plan. Do not copy directly from another truck though, because that would be illegal (and probably bad karma).
5. Think about where you’ll park, as well as where your customers will park.
Parking is a big issue, and it can be costly. Where you park depends on where your customers are. In some areas, there’s street parking or paid parking spots (if there are any). If this is the case, make sure that you know where the most appropriate place to park is so that your customers don’t have to walk too far to get their food.
Also remember that when it comes to street parking, some cities require food trucks to pay for permits in order to operate there—so while it may seem like an easy choice at first glance, it might not be as simple as just finding a spot!
In addition, if there aren’t any suitable spaces nearby where people will want to spend money on food from your business (and you don’t want them walking across town), consider delivering instead of setting up shop somewhere else entirely! However if this does happen then make sure all delivery drivers wear company uniforms so people know who they’re ordering from!
6. Find ways to make yourself memorable, whether through your brand, your menu or something else.
To stand out from the crowd, you need to do more than just serve food. You can use your brand and menu to make yourself memorable.
You can also use social media to promote your business with a catchy name, slogan and logo that sticks in people’s minds.People don’t just want to eat at your restaurant, they want to be part of the experience. You can do this by offering a menu that’s unique and memorable. It doesn’t have to be a gimmick like all-you-can-eat pancakes or pizza all day long; it could be something as simple as serving specialty items from different cultures.
7. Think long term
One of the most important aspects of owning a food truck business is thinking long term. Do you want this food truck to become a brick and mortar location? What skills will you need to achieve that goal? If so, how do you plan on getting those skills? The answers to these questions can help guide your planning for the future.
If your business is going well and growing, consider hiring people so that all the tasks don’t fall on one person’s shoulders. This will allow them to focus more on the creative aspect of running their business while delegating some other tasks like bookkeeping or payroll.
A good business plan should include all relevant information about starting up an enterprise such as: revenue projections, marketing plans (e-mail marketing campaigns), product returns policy (if applicable), start up costs and monthly expenses budgeted over time period which includes supplies needed per week/monthly basis (i.e., paper towels).
8.Stay focused on the big picture while taking care of day-to-day operations.
You have to stay focused on the big picture while taking care of day-to-day operations. As your business grows, you’ll be tempted to get caught up in the details and lose sight of your goals. That’s not a good thing!
Always remember that there will always be something small—a menu item, a promotion idea, an order that needs to be picked up—that needs doing right now. While it is important to keep everything running smoothly (and growing), don’t forget about the little things that can easily go overlooked if you don’t pay attention.
If you find yourself running behind schedule or overwhelmed by all there is left to do, take some time out for yourself until you feel better prepared for tackling any new tasks at hand with confidence and optimism!
9. Start with a manageable plan, then grow from there.
A common mistake food truck owners make when they start their business is that they try to do too much, too soon. They get overwhelmed and soon the stress of running the truck outweighs any joy it brings them. This can lead to burnout, quitting, or worst of all—failure.
If this sounds like something you might be tempted by, consider starting small instead. Start with a plan that’s achievable and sustainable for you now, even if it means having fewer customers and locations than you may eventually have once your business has a better footing. You can always expand later—but only if it makes sense for your current needs and goals!
10. Keep up with the latest trends in the industry and understand your local regulations.
Staying up to date with trends in the food truck industry is essential to maintaining your competitive edge. If you want to be a successful food truck owner, you must be aware of what’s happening in your market and how you can use that information to grow your business.
For example, if there are a lot of new restaurants opening in your area, this could mean that consumers are looking for something different from their usual lunch options. You may want to consider offering unique menu items or focusing on an aspect of your business that makes it stand out from other trucks (like offering gluten-free options).
In addition to staying up-to-date with current trends, understanding local regulations is also important when running a food truck business. Regulations can vary significantly depending on where you’re located. For instance, some cities require licenses while others don’t allow trucks at all!
11. Plan on working a lot of hours if you want to be successful; it’s not easy!
A food truck business isn’t easy. You have to plan on working a lot of hours and you need to be prepared for long days. It takes time to get the word out about your business and it takes even more time to build relationships with customers.
If you want your food truck to succeed, then don’t think that you are going to make a ton of money right away; this just isn’t realistic. With hard work, patience, and perseverance though, there is no reason why your food truck couldn’t become as successful as some of the other local businesses in town!
12. Make sure you’re passionate about what you’re doing!
You need to be passionate about what you’re doing. You need to be passionate about your customers. You need to be passionate about your employees, and you need to be passionate about the suppliers that are providing the food for your business. If you don’t have that passion, it’s going to show in everything that you do, and no one will want to hire you or support your business.
13. Find ways to stand out in a crowded field
Whether you’re opening a food truck or a brick-and-mortar restaurant, branding is important. And that extends beyond creating the logo for your business.
Think about the types of people you want to attract and what kind of ambience you want them to experience when they visit your establishment. This will help guide the design process—not just in terms of how you want the finished product to look, but also what kind of menu items are offered and even how much it costs for customers to eat at your establishment.
For example, if most people who work on Wall Street tend to be conservative dressers with little time for hobbies outside their jobs, then think about how this might affect how they perceive themselves as consumers: They’ll likely be more interested in eating at an upscale restaurant than one offering $5 hot dogs (even though there’s nothing wrong with hot dogs).
You could also use these insights when marketing your product online by connecting with other social media users who share similar values—for instance, posting articles related to finance on LinkedIn or ads on Facebook that appeal specifically toward working professionals.
14. Build relationships with other small businesses
When you network with other small businesses in your area, it’s important to remember that the key is to be friendly and supportive of them. If someone has a problem with their food truck, offer to help them out. In return, they’ll do the same for you if something goes wrong on your end.
In addition to creating relationships that will benefit your business, being a good neighbor means being respectful of the environment around you. For example: don’t park in front of other food trucks or restaurants unless there are no other options available; keep noise levels down so as not to disturb residents or nearby businesses; clean up after yourself every night before heading home (or at least make sure someone else does).
This isn’t just about helping others out—it’s also about protecting your own interests as well! By being friendly and cooperative with other truck operators in town, they’ll be more likely to share information with each other when times are good and bad alike. And if anything happens along the way (like an employee quitting), everyone involved will know exactly who needs an extra set of hands while they figure things out themselves without having any downtime whatsoever.
Why is it Better to Open a Food Truck Than a Regular Restaurant?
If you’re thinking about opening a food truck, there are a few reasons why it might be a better option than starting a regular restaurant as follows:
- Food trucks can be much more flexible – you can open up pretty much at any time of day or night, which is great for convenience.
- They also tend to be less expensive to operate than regular restaurants, since you don’t have to pay for rent or staff salaries.
- Food trucks offer a lot of opportunities for creativity and individuality – no two restaurants are ever going to look exactly the same!
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid the common pitfalls many food truck operators face. It’s important to remember that this is a long-term business and you should be ready for the challenges it brings. You’ll have to work hard and be willing to put in long hours if you want success. But it’s also fun—the camaraderie between food trucks is incredible!
If you’re passionate about your product and service, then anything is possible! If you are in Houston, Texas and looking for more information about food trucking, contact FeedWagons. We are ready to help anyone start their food truck business from choosing their food truck, creating their menu, to marketing their food business.
