The popularity and ubiquity of food trucks across major U.S cities and states have increased rapidly over the past few years. Consumers have shown immense demand and interest in food trucks as they offer a wide range of cuisines as quick bites that can be purchased on the go. The food truck market in the U.S is also really healthy. As of 2018, the number of such food truck establishments was estimated at around 6000 by the Census Bureau’s County Business Partners report. This number has doubled from around 3000 in 2013. The number of people employed by the food truck business has also reached over 16,000 with an annual payroll of over 300 million.
Over 95% of food truck owners are sole proprietorships, owned and operated by a single-family or a couple of business partners. The success of food trucks is also a testament to the success of American small businesses.
The advent of new technologies such as custom food truck delivery apps has also made it easy for food truck owners to reach new customers who live far away.
Research the Food Truck Scene in Your City/Town
This is a process that is extremely important to get your cuisine and your food truck investment right. Depending upon your goal, which may be to either serve local delicacies or exotic foods from your culture, surveying the market for demand of your style of food is important. Look at the existing competition and what works for them, and then try to carve out your little niche.
Build The Finances to Purchase/Build a Food Truck
With an average cost sitting between USD 70,000 to USD 130,000, food trucks and their features will vary a lot depending upon your requirements. Additionally, legal fees and paperwork, custom cooking installations, and even the state in which you’re operating can impact how much you end up paying for your truck.
Carve out a concept that is unique in the area you will operate in
Your food truck offerings must keep in mind the culture and cuisine of the space you want to operate in, while also incorporating your flavors and styles into the dishes. Also, the look of your food truck and your banner will play a huge role in grabbing customer attention. What you should aim to be is:
- Out of the Box and Instantly recognizable
- Be creative with your branding to be neither too vague nor too specific.
Invest In Technology that Can Keep Your Growth Going
The pandemic had put a stop to most outdoor food joints and even food trucks felt the pinch when all businesses were asked to shut down. To stay ahead of the curve, it is advisable to invest in food ordering apps for food trucks. These apps are custom made to your liking which helps you incorporate your menus, have an online POS system built-in, and even run promotions from time to time. Instead of relying on third parties like Uber Eats which charge hefty commissions for your orders, you can help pass on the savings to your customers instead of with food truck delivery apps.
Get the requisite licenses and permits
The last thing you want to deal with is legal problems due to improper permits and missing documents. Food truck permits and licenses differ significantly from state to state and even within cities in the same state. It is best to visit your local commercial governance offices like the Chamber of Commerce, The Food Safety Department, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office to note down their specific requirements for food trucks.
Purchase the right kind of equipment that fits your cuisine and truck
Depending upon how big your truck is and what is the space allocation inside, you will need to figure out how you plan to cook your dishes and clean up afterward. Some of the things that you must buy include:
Cooking Wares – Grills, fryers, toasters, microwaves, spatulas, casseroles, etc.
Refrigeration – Meat and veggie chillers, ice makers, ice-cream storage.
Cleaning Equipment – Handsinks, sinks, mats, sanitization, garbage bags, recycle bins, floor care products.
Conclusion
If you are a budding food truck entrepreneur and are looking for a food truck delivery app for your business, you may want to consider OrderUp. OrderUp is a custom food truck mobile ordering app that integrates menus, POS, and offers from your food truck and makes it easy for your customers to reach you. Invest in a food truck app for your business today.
