Food Trucks 101: How to Start a Mobile Food Business

A new generation of street food lovers are lining up at food trucks and food carts. Though the idea is a long-standing part of American and world culture, the street food industry has never enjoyed so much popularity or publicity.

Chefs can open up shop for much less than a restaurant, and develop simple menus that focus on particular cuisines or ingredients. Fans can follow their favorite trucks on Twitter and sample an assortment of dishes at large gatherings of trucks. Even the Food Network has leapt on the trend with The Great Food Truck Race, which features gourmand trucks like Roxy’s Grilled Cheese; Seabirds (vegan cuisine); Spencer on the Go (authentic French foods like escargot); and the season one winner, Grill ‘Em All, a heavy-metal themed truck from Los Angeles that serves gourmet hamburgers.

The industry is booming with approximately 3 million food trucks in the U.S., more than 5 million food carts, and an unknown number of kiosks, which have appeared in malls, train and bus stations, airports, stadiums, conference centers and other locations in recent years.

Food industry observers claim that the increase in food truck business is largely in response to the slow-growing economy. People are seeking inexpensive breakfasts and lunches. Also, more employees are often pressed for time, with more work and shorter lunch hours. With new gourmet trucks, foodies can also sample unique dishes for less than a restaurant meal.

From an entrepreneurial standpoint, mobile food businesses have a lower overhead and require fewer employees than restaurants and can be easily moved if one location does not generate enough business.

Here’s a quick rundown of nuts and bolts of the food-truck business, including the basics for getting started.

Going Mobile: Your Options
Even before you decide what foods to sell, you’ll want to consider how you want to sell them. There are several options, including the ubiquitous food truck; food kiosks (small, temporary food stands in malls, stadiums, airports and other locations); food carts that sell pre-prepared or easy-to-prepare food like hot dogs and ice cream; and catering trucks. A new option is “bustaurants,” refurbished double-decker buses where patrons dine on the second level.

A decision on how to sell your foods will depend on:

• Your startup budget and potential for returns
• Your commitment to the business: part or full time
• Your creative ideas and what it will take to fulfill them
• The type of food you wish to prepare
• Your experience at running a business
• The size of the business you want to start
• Your ideal demographic

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