By Arina Smith
No doubt, one of the businesses that will always be around food businesses like restaurants and custom food truck businesses. This is because, without food, we cannot survive. In fact, according to the world bank, the food industry is estimated to be $8 trillion, which is 10% of the global economy which was valued at $80 trillion in 2019.
This proves that the industry is incredibly important and no doubt crucial to our survival as a species. For entrepreneurs with a knack for cooking, this means good business.
When you look around your vicinity, you can easily spot several restaurants that offer a variety of recipes to hungry customers. In busy office districts, many restaurants thrive as loads of orders are placed during lunch hours and rush hours at the end of each working day.
Traffic like this is great for food businesses, which is why many food entrepreneurs work hard to open a restaurant in these busy places. But the cost of opening one is in no way cheap, let alone in office districts that are premium real estate environments. Rent in these places scares many entrepreneurs away. Click here to learn more about the challenges restaurant owners face.
However, thanks to custom food trucks, people don’t have to break the bank to live out their dreams. These trucks are basically kitchens on wheels, from which chefs can cook and serve customers on the go. They cost much less than traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants and as a result, are becoming increasingly popular among food-loving entrepreneurs.
What are Custom Food Trucks?
Like we mentioned, these are kitchens on wheels. They are regular trucks that have been customized and fitted with basic kitchen equipment that are necessary to operate a mobile restaurant. Many chefs are turning to this alternate restaurant for several reasons. One of the main reasons, however, is that the cost of making and running one has been found to be much less expensive than brick-and-mortar restaurants.
According to Sage, a reputable accounting software, the average cost of starting up a restaurant is about $275,000 for a leased building.
If you wish to own the property, the price rises steeply to around $425, 000. In contrast, custom food trucks can be made from as low as $28,000 with more sophisticated ones costing as much as $114,000, according to Business News Daily. Visit https://monpellier.co.uk/5-reasons-use-sage-accounting-software-business/ to learn more about Sage.
When other expenses like insurance, permit and licenses, payment processing, and so on are factored in the price goes up a bit. Ideally, one should expect to spend between $150,000 and $170,000 to get a food truck business off the ground. While it certainly is pricey, we can all agree that when compared to traditional restaurants, these numbers have no weight.
The relatively low cost of owning a mobile kitchen isn’t the only benefit that most entrepreneurs find appealing. There are several others that we will get to see later in this article.
Starting a Food Truck Business
While it is true that some businesses are easier to start than others, the fact remains that no business is easy to start. Each has its unique set of challenges that entrepreneurs must navigate to become successful in that chosen field. You’ll find that the same is true for a food truck business.
To set yourself up for success, there are several things you should do before opening your own mobile restaurant. However, one is incredibly crucial to the success of your business. This is:
Drafting a detailed business plan:
For any business to succeed, it must have a road map, a blueprint that will guide it in every stage of its growth. Without a business plan, it is difficult to make strategic decisions that will benefit the establishment in the long run.
A business plan contains all the important steps an entrepreneur must take to grow the business. Aside from acting as a guide, it is the one thing potential investors would look at if they are to invest in your idea. The plan should tell them that you have done your research and that you fully understand the market you are entering.
Important information that should be present in your business plan includes market analysis, your company description, your product or service, marketing strategy, financial projections, and funding request, among others.
Once you’ve acquired funding, the next step is to buy the food truck or have one custom-made to suit your specific needs. There are several companies that specialize in making mobile restaurants and finding one that you can work with should be easy. You can run a Google search to get started.
For instance, if you live in San Jose, California, you can simply search custom food trucks in San Jose, California, and instantly find several companies you can choose from.
Benefits of Operating a Food Truck Business
Like we said earlier, the considerably lower cost of running this business isn’t the only thing that attracts chefs to this business. Other benefits include:
1. Becoming your own boss:
Many people dislike working for others, but they do because there are bills to be paid. Unlike working at other restaurants and taking orders, you get to be your own boss when you operate a food truck. You can make your own recipes and try out many different food combinations to see which ones people are willing to pay for. You get to create your own marketing strategy as well as work anywhere and anytime you want.
2. Mobility:
While it is true that this industry is an evergreen one as people eat every day, there are some days that sales are low and not many customers come around. With a mobile restaurant, you can eliminate this disadvantage since you simply drive to where demand is high.
Usually, most custom food trucks work around business districts and office areas where there are lots of people that come out to eat during lunch hour. You also have the option of catering events like concerts, parties, rallies, and so on. There are so many ways one can make a profit on a regular basis.
Final Thoughts
Getting funding is one thing many startups struggle with. While you can consider taking out a loan or seeking help from friends and family, there is one way that not many people looking to run this business think of. This is starting out first under another restaurant.
One can approach an established restaurant and pitch the idea of running a mobile restaurant in their name. if they like the idea, they may fund the business and allow you to run it. Of course, they’ll take a cut from the profit, but you’ll also get to save a lot.
This way, assuming this was part of the initial agreement, you can save up and later buy off the truck from the restaurant. Now, you not only have your own truck but have also built a reputation and customer base.
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