If the notion of having your own food truck empire intrigues you, do you have thoughts on how to put such a plan in motion? When looking at how to start a food truck empire business plan, it is key to know more than what food you will offer. From where you will set up shop, how you will meet all local regulations, and, of course, marketing your brand, there is much to do. That being said, profits could taste pretty good if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.
According to profitableventure.com, it is not unheard of for some food truck businesses in prime locations and with more than standard food offerings to make in the range of $20,000-$50,000 each month. This tends to be those food truck operators with a higher end of food selections for starters. As for the prime locations, these can be in a busy downtown area with a lot of businesses and workers. Given those workers need to eat at times of the day (notably lunch) the potential for business is good.
While that can be an exception to the rule, less trafficked areas and typical food items can still mean profits. One can potentially pull in somewhere in the area of $5,000-$16,000 in such settings.
So, what will make your food truck empire business plan taste good to potential investors and the public?
Know what you must do to legalize your business
There is no sense in putting the cart before the horse. You don’t want to show up in a busy area with a food truck to serve people and not have the proper paperwork to operate. Your priority before you ever cook or make a sandwich is having all the licenses and permits necessary to operate.
Keep in mind that not doing so could lead to you being shut down in no time at all. It is not uncommon for cities and towns to send out code violation enforcement people, especially with businesses selling food and drink. You could get a surprise visit and be fined or even shut down before you know it.
To get going on the selling of food and drink on the streets, make sure you have things like:
- A business license
- A driver’s license
- A vehicle license
- A permit from the local health department to handle food and more.
Even missing one of these items or others could cripple your ability to sell food and drink to others. It’s not a bad idea to talk to food vendors you know in your area or go online in regards to what your state requires of food production and sales.
It is also wise to do some research online on both successful food truck stories and some who’ve failed over time. Knowing some facts about their stories can prove educational to you.
Once you have all the proper paperwork in place, there is still much to be done. For example, where would be the best place around town to station your truck? Depending on mobility and what the competition may look like, you might decide to visit many sites in a day. Doing so could increase your revenue. This would be if certain areas of town are busier than others at the lunch hour, for example.
Of course, what types of food and drink you decide to offer will also be a big decision to check off your list of things to do. If you’ve passed by or bought food from a food truck vendor over the years, you likely have a sense of what is available. Typical offerings can be hot dogs, sandwiches, pizza, muffins, soda, bottled water, and more.
How the inside of your truck is made up will go a long way in deciding what you can offer the public. For instance, not having cooking facilities to make items like hot dogs and pizza will limit you. You may end up offering sandwiches and desserts that do not need anything, other than being wrapped and ready for sale.
Even with all the paperwork in place and the right foods and drinks to offer, the work is still not complete. It is important you do everything to get the word out about your food truck empire business. One of the best ways of course to do such a thing is to satisfy your customers. Satisfied customers tend to tell others about a business or businesses they like and would recommend.
That will mean not only serving tasty and affordable food and drink but also getting the items to them on time. In the event that a customer has an issue with what you have to offer and/or the service, address the matter with them in a timely and professional manner.
You will also want to use various social media platforms to spread the word. Being active on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and more can be beneficial to your brand.
If you do not have a small business app, now would be a good time to consider getting one. Having that app can not only spread the word, but you can also make it possible for people to order food and drink ahead of time through the app. They show up at your food truck, pay for the food and drink they ordered via the app, and on their way they go.
When you want a food truck empire, know that the potential for success is definitely there, as long as you do your research and enter the food truck game prepared.
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