A Food Truck Idea

Yesterday, my friend and I went to the Food Truck Event, expecting to see various food truck vendors and enjoy some free food. However, most of the participants were suppliers and consulting management services. Our purpose shifted from researching the market to gathering essential resources and contacts to build our food truck business.

The problem is, I have so many ideas, and the editing of the two podcast interviews is still on hold. I’ve already started thinking about another business. There’s nothing wrong with exploring different things, but I need something that can support me financially. None of these ideas will give me immediate profit, and they all require some initial investment. I’ve been considering changing my full-time job for a while, but I haven’t made any progress yet. Today, I talked with my friend about registering on more websites for part-time or project-based job opportunities.

We did learn a few things at the event. Ordering a food truck or van takes about six months, with a normal price of £20k or more, depending on the type. If you serve food from inside, you’ll need more space, but if you serve from the outside, you can just open the back of the truck, which saves space. Electricity seems more complicated than using gas, and a van doesn’t require a special driving license. We also checked out second-hand vans, which are much cheaper, but there’s still the risk of needing renovation.

Another point we looked into was POS machines. I was surprised to find that DOJO, which I see everywhere, is the most expensive, charging over 1% for credit cards, while others charge only 0.5%—more than double the cost. The cheapest option is £10 a month for rent, including all fees. All these services require monthly payments, but the costs range from £10 to over £40. Finally, we checked out packaging and exchanged contacts with a few Chinese suppliers. Most of them deal only in wholesale, but they can recommend companies that sell smaller amounts.

So far, it seems the van will be the biggest investment, while packaging and the payment machine are more manageable expenses. Accepting cash could also be a solution. The registration process seems lengthy, so we’re contacting the council to understand how it can proceed.

I really hope we can create a smooth, step-by-step guide for anyone who wants to start a food truck business like us, so they don’t have to waste time figuring out all the paperwork.