Are Food Trucks Really a Low-Cost Alternative to Brick and Mortar Restaurants?
There is no doubt that food trucks have become something of a sensation in the restaurant business, with chefs of all different levels offering all different types of cuisine from food truck kitchens. It is a far cry from the food trucks of the last generation, which seemed limited in their offerings and not only lacked variety but were assumed to offer poor quality food. Food trucks have become so ubiquitous and popular that many chefs look to them as a viable business alternative to a restaurant when thinking about opening their own commercial kitchen. New Jersey chefs like the mobility that food trucks offer, giving them the ability to have a roving restaurant that services the tri-state area. Some chefs also see it as a stepping stone to the restaurant business, which not only provides a way to get fans from a broad area, but is also less expensive than opening a traditional restaurant.
Start up costs for a food truck business vary dramatically.
It is difficult to assess whether starting up a food truck will actually be less expensive than a brick and mortar location, because start-up costs vary dramatically depending on the type of food truck one wants to have. On the low end, a food truck might cost $40,000 to start up, while a high-end truck could cost as much as $250,000. The greatest area of variation is probably the costs of the actual vehicle; a used vehicle suitable for use as a good truck may only cost about $5,000, but a new vehicle designed with the possibility that it will be used as a food truck in mind will cost around $125,000. Bringing the truck up to code and retrofitting it for use as a kitchen can cost anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 depending on the shape of the truck when you get it, the improvements it needs, and the type of food you want to serve. A generator is another $1500 to $10,000 and the cosmetic costs for the truck like paint and truck wrap can run from $3000 to $8000. Another few thousand for initial food costs, paper goods, legal consulting fees, and gas make it clear that while a food truck may be less expensive to start than some brick and mortar locations, it is not an inexpensive alternative.
At Automatic Ice Maker, we have generations of experience in outfitting commercial kitchens. While the food truck trend may be new, food trucks are not, and we have the equipment you need to outfit your commercial kitchen, whether is stationary or on-wheels. We also offer high-quality used equipment to help you shave some of the expenses of a start-up business.
>Categorised in: Restaurant Equipment
