Food Truck Business Ideas: Where to Start?

Getting behind the wheel of your first food truck business? There are a lot of things to think about that can put a roadblock on the whole business venture, such as what food to serve and how to serve it. 

To spark some inspiration and help you on your food truck journey, here are some of the best ideas that will make the process a lot easier - and unique!

We’ll uncover examples of those who have already taken the creative leap and have become successful food truck businesses because of it. After you’re bursting with inspiration, we will explain key details you should know about food truck operations, such as startup costs and parking permits, to ensure there are no bumps in the road. 

Decide Which Type of Food You Want to Serve

Here are a few ideas for types of food you could sling from your food truck window:

Barbecue Food Truck 

There’s no better way to attract new customers than the smell of smoked meats and curated sauces. 

Barbeque food is a huge hit in America, so if it aligns with your target customers, then serving it is a great business idea.

Example: Oink and Moo BBQ

Fusion Food Truck

From Korean-Southern BBQ to Filipino food with a Mexican twist, the world is your oyster. Creating a fusion menu allows you to make an impact in the food truck industry, as there's likely already an existing market for your delicious food that just hasn’t been taken advantage of yet. 

Example: White Rabbit

American Regional Food Truck

Do you love the idea of perfecting the Philly Cheese Steak or a New England Lobster Roll? In the U.S., there are so many different cuisine styles to inspire you. Earn the hearts of the local community by focusing on regional cuisine while offering new variations. 

Example: Bred’s Nashville Hot Chicken

Waffles Food Truck

Is your target market on their way to work? Your waffle food truck would be the perfect place to stop by for breakfast. 

Waffles are a well-loved treat that can be served sweet, savory, or both. What’s more, they are versatile and relatively easy to make, allowing you to save ingredient costs regarding inventory management. 

Example: Waffle Amore

Burger Food Truck

You can’t go wrong with this American classic. While some may find them simple, with the right amount of creativity, you can easily make burgers unique to your food truck. 

Think outside of the box, add a twist or a secret ingredient here and there, and wait for new customers to flood your food truck business in no time. 

Example: Macho Burger

Ice Cream Food Truck

It can be argued that the ice cream truck was the one that paved the way. While debatable, it’s certain that it has a big place in all of our hearts - as soon as the chime rings, the local area lights up with excitement. 

Don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to soft serve! There are loads of unique food truck ideas that can be done with ice cream such as novelty popsicles, unique flavors, or gourmet ice cream sandwiches. 

For more inspiration, research other business owners to see what they offer and how you can outperform them by either doing it better or offering something they don’t. 

Example: HipPOPs

Smoothies and Juice Food Truck

Many food truck owners go down the road of street food, which is traditionally not the healthiest. Therefore, offering healthier options can tap into a huge target market. 

Smoothies and pressed juices are healthy, refreshing drinks full of fresh ingredients. If you wish to serve food, opt for acai and pitaya bowls with homemade granola on top for an added bonus.

Example: Bowl’d Acai

Pizza Food Truck

Take your pizza oven along for the food truck journey! You don’t need a lot of kitchen equipment, just a mobile oven to cook the pizza, some grills, and, of course, storage for the ingredients. 

Pizza food trucks are very cost-effective as they typically make numerous pizzas and sell them per slice. Master the classics, such as margarita and pepperoni, or be bold and explore new combinations. 

Example: Pyro Pizza

Panini and Sandwich Food Truck

Gourmet grilled cheese, BLT, and vegetable medleys are all big stars in the panini and sandwich world, which are ideal for grabbing and eating on the go. 

They are incredibly versatile, too! Get creative with your own sandwich combinations, or let customers choose their own fillings. 

Example: Ms. Cheezious

Baked Goods Food Truck

Another great business idea for your food truck is to cater to those with a sweet tooth, as it’s not often you see a food truck dedicated to serving deserts. Fill that hole in the market by offering a selection of baked goods such as cakes, pastries, cookies, and whatever else you feel belongs in your truck business.

Example: Mannino’s Cannoli Express

Know Your Target Market

It’s no use starting a taco truck when your target market wants smoothies. No matter what marketing strategies you try, it just won’t click, which is why you must think about your target customers.

Food truck owners of all kinds find the most success when they focus on a specific market to provide center the majority of decisions around.  You may get new customers outside of your market (which is always welcome), but the main priority should be the target market. It will become clear as to who they are in the initial business planning stages.

Use the products you want to sell - in this case food and drinks to serve as a guiding point as to who would want it most. It takes time, but it’s worth doing as it creates an effective marketing plan and earns you a place in competitive food truck industry.

Discover your target market by considering the following:

• Who will be most interested in your food truck concept?

• Where do you plan to park your food truck?

• Who lives in the local area you will be serving in?

• How would you like to market your business?

• What will be your main operating hours?

Need some more help? Read our article on how to find your target market.

Decide on a Location

One of the great advantages of having a mobile business instead of a brick and mortar location is that you have the freedom to up and leave if the local area isn’t quite doing it for you. 

Having said this, it’s easier said than done. There are things like zoning restrictions and parking permits which makes setting up shop in some locations difficult and even impossible. This is why some other food truck owners prefer to have a permanent spot such as a food truck pod or public park. 

When choosing your food truck location, consider these questions. 

• Are there places where you can legally park and operate? What's the permitting process like for those spaces? 

• Is there enough foot traffic to sustain your business?

• Does the area have enough people in your target market?

• What will your fuel costs be?

• Where will you park your truck between opening hours?

• Where will you do prep work? Many states require prep to be done in a commissary kitchen but check your local laws before you proceed.

• What will your fuel costs be?

Evidently, there are a few things you’ll need to consider before choosing a location, but as we mentioned, the great thing about having your own food truck business is that you can travel around and experiment with what works best for you.

The Competitors 

We all know comparison is the thief of joy, but in this instance, it will make you stronger. As you create your business plan, have a good look at other food truck owners selling a similar product to you and what you can learn from them. 

For example, are they offering loyalty programs or event booking? You can incorporate these elements into your food truck business, too. Keep in mind that not every other truck is necessarily a competitor, there’s a thriving community in the food truck industry where people support one another. 

Let’s say you open a taco truck. You could be competing with two other taco trucks in town, a taco window in a nearby area, and multiple Mexican restaurants in the local area. All of these businesses offer something similar to you and thus have leverage over your target market, too.

Consider Food Truck Branding

Having a unique brand will separate you from competitors and is a vital part of your food truck marketing plan.

A brand encompasses things like the name, color scheme, and messaging of how you advertise yourself. Creating a cohesive image will earn trust among customers as they know they can rely on you to deliver what you promise. 

Your brand also heavily influences your marketing strategies, such as your tone of voice and how you use social media accounts. There are many different ways you can showcase your delicious food, let your creativity and passion shine through, and the right people will resonate with your brand.

To get you started, here are some things to consider when branding your food truck business: 

• Color scheme

• Logo

• Type of food

• Tone of voice and marketing collateral

• General atmosphere and culture

• Visual elements, e.g fonts, and images

Develop Marketing Strategies

Is cash flow sluggish no matter where you park or what you serve? The problem isn’t your food truck, it’s the marketing. 

Now that you fully understand your brand, it’s time to promote it and let people know what they’re missing. Having a thorough marketing plan will ensure you advertise yourself in the right way to the right people.

Not thinking about these things can lead to your content falling into the social media abyss. All that time and effort for nothing! Well, the fix is quite simple, but first, carry out market analysis and go from there. By doing this, you will know what social media accounts competitors use, what they post, and when they post it. 

Once you establish where you’re going wrong, implement these changes and keep track of your engagement on each post. Perhaps your target customers prefer it when you share photos rather than case studies - whatever it is, you must cater it into your marketing strategy going forward.

By successfully getting your name out there and connecting with your target market both in the local area and in other states, a loyal customer base will form and continue to spread awareness for you.

Make It Unique

You have delicious food and a rock-solid marketing plan, but so do many others in the food truck industry. It’s time to find your niche. 

Let’s use the hypothetical taco truck we mentioned earlier as an example. There are a lot of things you could do to make a taco truck unique, including:

• Vegan taco truck

• Taco fusion (i.e. Filipino tacos)

• Unique taco construction (i.e. All of your tortillas are stuffed with cheese)

• Build your own tacos (no set menu; customers get to design their own taco creations)

Get creative and think of ways to offer something unique to set your food truck business apart. 

It could be anything from a themed menu or hosting community events. Don’t get too outlandish, it has to be relevant to your target market to be effective. 

Check for Availability

All of your unique food truck ideas are up and running, but uh-oh, your company name has already been taken! 

Instances such as this show how important it is to do administrative work throughout the whole process. As soon as you land on a food truck name, check to see if it’s available, and check the website domain and social media accounts. 

If your dream name is already taken, don’t panic. It may just require a bit of creativity to make it work. For the best marketing tactics, choose a name that is simple enough for people to remember yet gives them an idea of who you are. 

Inspired by These Food Truck Business Ideas?

As you are now bursting with creative food truck ideas, you should read through our guide on how to start a food truck business to turn them into a reality. If you want to build your own food truck, we have an informative guide on that, too. 

Finally, once you've considered your options and decided it's time to set up your cooking equipment, choose a food truck POS system that's portable, easy to update, and will help you get started on the right track—destination success!

FAQs

What type of food trucks make the most money?

There are more factors at play when deciphering what leads to a food truck’s success, but there is no denying that barbeque trucks are frequently among the most successful. This is due to the affordable ingredients and customers who are willing to pay a bit more for the delicious food they know and love.  

Is a food truck business risky?

Every new business venture is risky, no matter the industry. Even though it’s easier starting a restaurant with a brick-and-mortar location, having your own food truck business brings lots of challenges.

Being a mobile business means you must always be aware of zoning restrictions, parking permits, and lawsuit complications. Even the weather can be a huge hit to your business due to damage or the inability to travel to the next location. 

Is a food truck a good investment?

There’s no guarantee that your food truck will make a profit. There are a lot of startup costs to consider that, for most people, are not possible to cover if they don’t secure funding. 

As long as you take all the necessary steps and implement the advice in our guide, you will be on the right track to having a successful business with strong financial projections.

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