Start your dream Food Truck with 10 Steps.
- Get licensed. Make sure your truck local and state licensing. It is different by state, and can also include the local city and county licensing as well.
- Get your cart or truck. If it was my opinion you need to invest in a use truck and build it out if you are keeping within a budget.
- Find a Niche. Keep within the Niche you can cook for. If you love cooking and are great at a certain type of cuisine stick with it. Finding a food also that can be made fast and tasty is another benefit for you when you stick with a niche you know.
4. Get Financed. If you have savings or some money set aside to start one try to get finance. Why? it is better if you're able to use someone else money the better! Keeping money set aside for that rainy day is GREAT, and if you need money to fall back on you will have it.
5. Create a Business plan around the idea! A business plan serves more than just asking for a loan from an investor. A business plan for your food truck will give you a "road map" and a better understanding of your business direction!.
6. Find the place to park your truck! Yes running a food truck sounds fun sounds great but in many states, you can't park one at your home. So you have to find parking for it. Most states require you to find a commissary and park it at the registered commissary.
7. get the right insurance! Yes you will need to be insured and make sure you have your self-cover. When getting the policy make sure you have enough because all it takes is that one customer who gets sick and you will have a problem. Many states require you to have a food business Insurance policy before you get inspected.
8. Have a presence on social media Twitter and Instagram are GREAT platforms because they are life and what's happening now. You can get customers to upload images of them enjoying food while they are there. Get followers to follow you buy offering coupon codes and specials if they are following you!
9. Use Social media throughout the day at events. Its one thing to start a social media account but it can be another to USE IT!!!! I can not stress this enough to create engagement.
10. GROW with food products. Do you have a secret sauce? Secret spice rub? Package it and sell it think of multiple sources of income! Sell food products online, retail stores, specialty food sites!