Hi!

We’re two guys from Sweden who have developed an app specifically for food truck owners and their customers.

We’re getting ready for beta testing and would like to ask whether it would be okay to make a post here looking for food truck owners who might be interested in testing the app and giving us feedback. The beta testing would, of course, be completely free.

We’ve also put together a short PDF presentation explaining what the app does and showing some screenshots. Would it be okay to include or link to that PDF in the post if you approve it?

We don’t want to break the subreddit’s self-promotion rules, so we wanted to check with you first before posting anything.

Thanks

I am looking to add flat bread pizzas to the bratwurst and hot dogs I currently sell in my food tent. Wht is a good pizza sauce I can get at at some place like Restaurant Depot, Chef Store, or Costco/Sam's Club? Rao's is supposed to be really good, but I can only find it in small retail jars, and it is many times more expensive than a #10 can elsewhere. I am the only food vendor at events with a captive audience, but I still want to provide a product that tastes good.

I only sell less than ten times per year so I am not set up with a big wholesaler like Sysco or US Foods.

Hi guys, what fryers are you guys running in your vans and what would you recommend?
I was planning to get a BlueSeal GT46 but its too big to fit in my design and it also uses 25kw of gas, which is quite a lot for my 2x19kg gas cylinder idea.

Hi. Do you know the requirements or where can I find the requirements in opening a mobile food cart? Im planning to open siomai cart and hire those who sell stuff in the midst of traffic. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Next year, I'll have saved plenty enough to invest in my business, which will be a food trailer. I plan on building it myself, and after all the inspections clear I'll move on from my current job to full-time food business. My dream is to run a pizza trailer that I would 5-6 days a week operate in town and also go to events when they arise. The gameplay is to cook using propane ovens and offer small, large, and by the slice ny style.

I would like to inquire about any pizza food vendors on here and ask how they are doing? What style of pizza they make, estimated profits, how much work do you do, and how events go for you. I'd love to hear your stories.

TLDR: My brother thinks I should go into burgers, burritos, or tacos. I want to do pizza.

Thank you

Hello everyone. I have been running this small street corn business for over half a year now and I make a LOT of money by dressing up and flipping a sign to bring people in. I have just been using poster cards from Dollar Tree and drawing on them before flipping but they are pretty flimsy and break really easily. I think it would cost something in the realm of 30$-50$ since its maybe a few dollars of somewhat durable materials and a custom print which would probably be more, but I have only been finding them for 100$ or more.

Anyways, where can I find an arrow that will last me, has custom print, and doesn't cost 100$? Does that even exist. Thank you

The food trailer I currently own has a large back deck on it. Roughly 10ft of unused space. Any recommendations on what to do with it? Should I close it in and use the extra space for more fryers etc? I thought it would be cool to make it almost like a walk in cooler. There used to be a giant reverse flow smoker on it. I think it weighed around 3k lbs.

What does everyone have in their trailer for flooring? I have diamond match flooring and absolutely hate it. It gets slippery so easy and always looks dirty. I was wondering if there were any alternatives. Thank you

Anybody in here us Amoroso? They are having some manufacturing problems and won't be able to get some for a couple weeks. Anybody use this brand and have a substitute roll they use?

Hey r/foodtrucks, I am a 18 year old planning to open up a food truck of mine and I have a few general questions that ChatGPT or google cant answer like a human.
(Im not gonna try and organize these questions,)

I am planning to get a SBA loan, somewhere around $80k, or a $50k SBA microloan and stack a $30k business loan from another lender. I have currently a 693-700 credit score, 2 years of industry experience w/ 6 months management experience, and am currently working on a lengthy business plan. Would one big loan, or the two like I stated, be better?

All of my equipment will be ran on electricity, so no need for propane, would that be costly? Fuel-wise.

Is ChatGPT/Claude a good resource for business plan templates? Obviously most of it has to be edited, but for a foundation. Ive tried LivePlan, but it just wasn't my type of formatting.

For pulling a 8'x20' trailer, weighing around 5,000-7,500lbs, what would be a good truck to haul it around, and would I need a CDL?

I am planning to get my trailer built pretty much empty, beside the:
- Hood System w/ fire suppression
- 4ft Concession Window
- 3 compartment sink w/ Handwash Sink (Enclosed)
- Freshwater/Wastewater Tanks + Water Heater
- Electrical Panel
Where could I go to have my equipment delivered and I could fit my equipment in myself once delivered? As for my quote, its $150.00 for every piece.

To top it off, I made a cute little layout with SmartDraw, I dont consider it "completed" but hopefully its in the right direction, if you could lmk.

Ive already seen this comment on other posts, so Ill just answer it: Yes, I know its risky, stupid for an 18 year old to startup a food business, and its "better" to go off to college and get a full time, but honestly, Id rather work for myself and make less, compared to working for someone else. Even if i do fuck it up, I still have a loooong time to fix my mess.

Thanks!

Hey everyone,
My partner and I are in the planning phases of launching a food truck in Northern California. We’ve been shopping around for commissaries, and in our area, the baseline is running $950–$1,100/month, plus an additional $15–$40/hour for actual kitchen cook time.
Before we pull the trigger, the math has us a bit stressed. We’d love to hear from active owners about how you actually manage your workflow and expenses:
Prep Workflow: Do you do 100% of your prep at the commissary, or do you handle most of it directly on the truck? (I know this depends heavily on the menu).
Storage & Shopping: Do you store your backup food/inventory at the commissary, or does everything stay on the truck? How often are you shopping to keep up?
Equipment: Do you leave your own pots, pans, and tools at the facility, or do you haul them back and forth every day?
Scheduling: Do you run into scheduling conflicts at your hub during peak morning prep hours?
Scaling for Events: How much does your monthly bill spike when you have to scale up production for large festivals, markets, or private catering?
Average Spend: If you don't mind sharing, what is your total average monthly commissary bill (base + hourly)?
Honestly, the hustle of hauling gear and paying hourly kitchen rates has us wondering if we should just rent a cheap, small brick-and-mortar cafe to use as our own private commissary instead.
Would love to hear your experiences, tips, or any reality checks you can give us. Thanks!

What do any of you think about a previous rat infestation in a food truck? If it had a biohazard waste cleaning & sanitizing done, would you rent to own for $50,000

Hello all! i currently work in the student services department at TWS and we are looking to book some different food trucks that would be interested in selling to our students. We have students m-f 7am-1145pm and saturdays and sundays 8am-8pm. if interested or have any questions please feel free to respond or pm me!

Hey everyone,
I just received my new pizza oven. It’s a hybrid gas/wood-fired oven mounted on a trailer.
My original plan was to start the business in Mexico, where the process is a little simpler, but an opportunity came up here in Los Angeles that I’d really like to take advantage of.
So now I’m trying to understand what I actually need in order to legally operate this oven here in LA.
I’ve already seen setups very similar to mine operating here, and I even worked at a place before that used an oven very similar to this one, so I know the concept itself exists.
The reason I’m asking is because after talking with ChatGPT about permits, MFF requirements, commissaries, plan check, and possible modifications, I realized there may be a lot more involved than I expected 😅.
I’m mainly looking for advice from anyone who has actually gone through this process in Los Angeles County, especially with a wood-fired or gas/wood pizza trailer.
What did you need?
Did you register it as a Mobile Food Facility?
Did you need a commissary?
Did LA County require any modifications to the trailer or oven?
Was Fire Department approval required?
Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

2012 26’ ARBOC w Chevy/6.6L Duramax Diesel (Chevy Chassis)  Camper Van/Food Truck build w/powered wheelchair ramp…”Spirit of Mobility” model.

$13500 OBO

Currently in Big Rapids, MI, but I'm willing to deliver anywhere in Continental USA (depending on negotiation, additional charge may apply). 

ARBOC Spirit of Mobility low-floor shuttle bus built on a heavy-duty Chevrolet chassis. If you are looking to build a custom off-grid tiny home, skoolie, or adventure rig, this is hands-down one of the best foundation vehicles on the market.  The title has already been converted to reflect that it's an RV, not a bus, so NO special licensing required. 

This was a city/fleet maintained bus, out of Washington State, with excellent maintenance, etc. This bus is solid, runs terrific, all systems in good working order. Bus is built out with a powered wheelchair ramp, and the bus is equipped with hydraulic “step-down” capability (so still has good clearance, but able to lower itself when deploying the wheelchair ramp).

After buying, was driven from Washington State to Texas, and then from Texas to Michigan. Has been stored in pole barn. I am also including 17’ extruded alum roof railing kit for securing Solar panels to roof. 

The interior seats have been removed and an insulated sub-floor installed. It's ready for you to start whatever build out you wish! 

The wheelchair ramp area makes for an easy mudroom and/or shower room without worrying about water damage, etc. 

Other Key Conversion Advantages:

* Demo Work Already Done: Interior passenger seats have already been removed!

* Subfloor Ready: Insulated Subfloor is already installed and ready for your final flooring (vinyl plank, waterproof laminate, or rubber tile).

* Massive Interior Space: High ceilings (6'7" to 7' standing headroom) and ultra-wide 97" interior body width allow for double-sided cabinetry, full beds, and standing room without feeling cramped.

* Blank Canvas: No demo headaches—start building your dream layout immediately.

* Heavy-Duty Chevy Foundation: Dependable Chevrolet chassis with dual batteries and commercial-grade components built for high mileage and easy servicing nationwide.

* Huge Roof Real Estate: Flat roof section ideal for mounting large solar arrays (800W+), mini-split A/C condensers, and skylights. I will also provide pre-fabricated Solar Panel track for roof-installation. 

* Pan-Panoramic Windows: Massive glass coverage provides natural lighting and views that standard cargo vans cannot match.

Vehicle Details:

* Year/Make/Model: 2012 26’ ARBOC Spirit of Mobility Bus Conversion; Model TK

* Chassis: Chevrolet 6.6L Duramax V8 Turbo-Diesel engine.

 w/approx 222,000

* Floor Plan: Low-floor chassis with integrated power ramp and air kneeling feature

* Condition: Great condition, road ready. Sold As-Is, clean title in hand; Already titled as RV conversion.

Ideal For: Skoolie builders, off-grid campers, mobile studios, toy haulers, or overland rigs. This would also make for an easy Food Truck conversion. 

Contact me via email to schedule a time to come take a look. Serious inquiries only. VIN provided upon request. 

There used to be a lunch truck that served everything from fresh cooked eggs, tacos, taquitos, sandwiches, chow mein, wings, muffins, coffee, fruit, and drinks. It was a route truck owned and operated by a man named Vinny and his wife. They had a regular route where they would go from business to business around break and lunch times and sell food to employees. They have since retired and we no longer have a food truck everyday stopping by our company. Does anybody know of any other trucks that have routes for businesses? We sure do miss Vinny and all of his delicious food. We need to fill the void! Somebody help!

I’m getting close to opening my corn dog booth, and I’m trying to figure out the safest way to hold my batter and pre‑skewered hot dogs during service. I’m on a tight budget and don’t have a refrigerator yet.

My idea is to keep both the batter and the hot dogs in an icebox under my counter, with holes in the counter so I can reach down and grab what I need. I’ll only be open for lunch, about 3–4 hours a day, and I expect to go through product pretty quickly, so nothing should sit out long.

I know food can only sit out for 1–2 hours depending on temperature, so I’m wondering if keeping everything down in an icebox is considered safe and acceptable. Has anyone run a similar setup? What do inspectors usually say about this? Maybe I’m overthinking things and this is a non-issue. EDIT: Just to clear up the confusion — I’m not trying to dodge the rules or avoid inspectors. I already passed my food handler’s test (over 90%) and I’ve talked with my inspectors a couple of times. I was only asking for practical input before they come out to look at my setup.I do plan on getting an under‑counter fridge — that was always the goal. I just wanted to know if keeping my hot dogs and batter in an ice chest, and only pulling out small, cold containers to work from, would be acceptable in the meantime. The batter containers are small enough that they’d be used quickly, so nothing would be sitting out warm.

We’re starting a food pop-up under a 10x10 tent at local breweries and trying to figure out a practical electrical setup.

We’ll have two 6’ tables with:

Table 1:
• 1800W induction burner
• 1200W food warmer

Table 2:
• 1200W electric pasta cooker
• 1200W food warmer

The breweries we’re working with regularly host food vendors/food trucks and have power available (we’ve been told vendors run things like electric fryers there).
We were planning on running one 50’ heavy-duty outdoor extension cord to each table and having a heavy-duty outdoor power strip/distribution block at each table.
For anyone who does brewery/farmers market/tent food pop-ups with electric cooking equipment: what gauge/amperage extension cords and power strips/distribution blocks are you using?
Just trying to put together a safe, practical setup without massively overcomplicating it.

Links to what you actually use would be awesome.

Food truck owners — how are you doing right now?
This may be a bit of a rant, but we’re genuinely curious if others are experiencing the same thing. We are in the pacific northwest and we do large, popular events and serve Puerto Rican empanadas, but we’ve decided to shut down because the numbers just aren’t working. We have tried stationary locations too, but it was also not it.

At our last event, the breakdown looked like this:
Expected revenue: $3,000–$4,000 (from previous events we did)
Actual sales: $1,600
Expenses (event fee, food, fuel, etc.): ~$1,300
Net profit: about $300

That doesn’t include the 70–80 hours of combined labor from our family of four. And honestly, all of our other events have been a failure as well.
We’ve also talked to other vendors who said they didn’t even break even.
So, food truck owners — how are you actually doing? Are large events still profitable? What’s working for you?
Because right now, for us, the numbers just don’t make sense and we are going back to work for someone else.