Of the long lists of perks involved in working at One Fat Frog, one that sticks out is the fact that I get to learn about more than just restaurants. One other type of business I’ve been learning more about is the ever-expanding food truck business. For those interested in starting their own similar business, one of the most important things to consider is pretty obvious: what kind of vehicle you want. As I’ve learned, there are more options than originally thought:
-A truck: getting a truck that’s about the size of a standard delivery truck is about the best option possible. There’s plenty of space to build a kitchen, they’re easily the most mobile, and they can park just about anywhere.
-A cart: food carts are much smaller than trucks obviously, and also have to be towed by another vehicle. Depending on what you choose to make and sell, the cart may be all you need, but it’s still going to be tiny.
-A trailer: similar to the cart, you’d have to tow this with another vehicle, but they also tend to be much larger and can fit more equipment in them. But it’s also harder to find places to park with the trailer.
-Being creative: I just read mere moments ago of buses that were converted to mobile restaurants in Los Angeles and Saratoga Springs. Now that’s pretty sweet, but they have their own problems as well. I’ve also read of other kinds of vehicles being converted to food trucks, so feel try to try something new.
Of course, once you decide the best type of vehicle for you, you also need to choose how you’re going to get that vehicle. Again, there are options:
-Leasing: this is the better option for the food truck pioneer with less start-up capital than they’d prefer. It’s easier to pay the lease, but be aware of when the lease is up. Then you have three options: pay it off, sign another agreement, or give it back.
-Buying or building a new one: This is probably the most preferred method, albeit the most expensive as well. There are a host of advantages from getting a warranty to finding the perfect vehicle for you, but it’s just like buying any other vehicle. Do your research and make sure you’re getting a fair price.
-Buying a used one: most economically sound, buying used is easy if you find the right size with the right configuration of equipment (or close to what) you want. But again, just like any vehicle, make sure you have a certified mechanic do a check-up on your purchase.
No matter the route you take, make sure you’ve got a good concept and good people to run the truck with you. Food trucks really have become a bit of a phenomenon, so enjoy being a part of the new movement in food service.
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