Breaking Down the Cost: What to Expect When Investing in a Food Truck
Many entrepreneurs are aiming for the flourishing business of food trucks. Food trucks have been recently on the up and up, making it a great business path for cuisine entrepreneurs. Although this business has great potential, it cannot be achieved without initial investments. This blog will go over how much food trucks cost to help you get a rough estimate of what you’re going to need to put in for this business plan.
How Much Does a Food Truck Cost?
First things first! How much does a food truck cost? The simple answer is: about $100,000 on the low end (in California). The complicated answer is: it can cost you more to get the business off and running than to get the actual food truck. Depending on where you’re at, your personal standing, and your goals, the cost of food trucks can vary.
Food trucks have been a massive source of interest for entrepreneurs in the food and restaurant industry, and for a good reason! New entrepreneurs will find a lower barrier of entry for food trucks compared to a traditional restaurant planted on a location. The costs are significantly lower, and not much experience is needed in order to start this business. The food truck path is an excellent consideration for all types of entrepreneurs looking for their next big thing. To start planning for your food truck business, it is necessary that you get an idea of the components and costs you’ll need to face first. Below we’ll talk about the costs associated with this business, along with things you’ll need to get your business up and running.
Business Plan
An essential aspect of starting a strong food truck business is coming up with a solid business plan. Although many think this is just necessary for restaurants, successful food truck owners have a business plan. Creating future objectives and strategies for achieving them can make a huge impact on your success.
Truck
Of course, the actual food truck is essential for getting your business started. So how much will it cost? The cost widely varies across the United States; however, you should expect to pay about $100,000 on the cheap end. That number can rise all the way up to $400,000 for a fully-equipped, wholly customized, brand new, pimped-out food truck. To get exact numbers, you should get quotes from local food truck manufacturers to get an idea of how much they cost in your area. Luckily, San Diego Food Trucks Pros offers the lowest prices in food trucks in the area! To get exact numbers on your food truck, click here.
Commercial Kitchens
Needs vary from one mobile kitchen to another; however, most modern food trucks operate out of a commercial kitchen. A commercial kitchen is a shared place where food is prepared. When the food truck is ready to serve, everything is picked up for the commercial kitchen and taken to the food truck. Having one makes it easier to operate a food truck business. The estimated costs of commercial kitchens are around $20 to $30 per person per hour.
Truck Commissary
Comparably, you will need a secure place to park your food truck. You’ll need essential things like:
- Power to store your food overnight
- Freshwater
- Propane to fuel up your truck
This is where the truck commissary comes in! It’s another potential start-up cost that will need to be taken into account. Some cities have commissaries and commercial kitchens in the same place, making it convenient for food truck owners. However, in less developed cities, they can be in separate locations. Be sure to check on this in your area. The estimated costs for truck commissaries are around $1000 to $3000 per truck per month.
Health Permit
Getting a health permit is one of the very first things you do as a food truck operator. This will determine where it is legal for you to serve. It will determine many elements of your service, such as:
- Your location
- Hours
- Audience
- Other street food vendors you may partner with
Your health permit will be important as it will give you an idea of your available options. The estimated costs of a health permit can be around: $90 to $150.
Purchasing the food truck alone isn’t the only cost you need to take into account. There are many different things that will need to be paid for before you get to commence your long-awaited food truck business. We hope this blog helped you get an idea of how much a food truck costs and what factors you’ll have to account for. At San Diego Food Truck Pros, we can build a fully-customized food truck that will fit your exact needs. If you’re looking for the best quality food trucks available at the best prices available, give us a call at (858) 221-3095 or click here to get a free quote!
