Write this down and add up the cost to get the most precise estimate of startup cost possible. If you’re selling burgers, you’ll need a grill. If you want to open a French fry truck, you’ll need deep fryers. If you’re starting a coffee truck, you’ll need an espresso machine, coffee grinders, refridgerator and coffee maker onboard. Then figure out how much each piece is going to cost.Įvery food truck requires different equipment. Sit down and think about each piece of equipment you’ll need to make whatever. If you don’t own a truck already, you could end up spending about the same to get started either way.Ĭooking Equipment: Write down the list of cooking equipment you’ll need to make the menu. But keep in mind, you’ll still need to find a way to pull the trailer if you go this route. With either of these options, you don’t get an engine so that really cuts down the total cost. With a small food cart, you might be able to get started for less than $20,000. With a food trailer you can expect to invest $20,000 – $60,000 depending on equipment and wrap. Join Now: Sign Up For The Food Truck Business Kit (Includes 20 page guide + business plan)įood Truck VS Trailer VS Cart: If you want to save money, the simplest way to do it is to buy a food trailer or cart instead of a food truck. The only situation I recommend renting is if you want to test out the business for a month or two before going all in. As you can see from the estimate above, you can get a loan on a new food truck for less than you can rent it. Most food truck operators decide to buy their own food truck. You can expect to pay $3,000 – $5,000 per month to rent a truck. Unfortunately, renting a food truck is usually pretty expense. The advantage to renting is that you don’t need as much money for a down payment. Renting VS Buying: Some food truck owners decide to rent their food truck instead of buying it. You will need to pay for business insurance and vehicle insurance to legally operate.īuying a used food truck can save you money. Insurance: You’ll also need to pay for insurance that can easily run from $2000 – $5000 per year depending on the coverage level and the frequency you plan to operate the truck. Commissary costs can run from $400 – $1,500 per month depending on the services that are provided and location. Take a look at my license and permit checklist here to find out how much it will cost in your area.Ĭommissary or Commercial Kitchen Requirements: Depending on the regulations of your city, you may be required to use a commissary or commercial kitchen. In general, if you live in a large coastal city, expect to pay more to get started than you would in middle America. Fortunately, most places in the United States only require a few hundred dollars to a few thousand per year to legally operate and serve food. But if you plan to operate a hot dog cart in New York City near the zoo you can expect to pay a fee of $289,500 per year to operate. Here are some items to understand when trying to figure out how much it will cost to open your business. These costs will differ depending on where you live and plan to operate the business. There are all sorts of variable expenses to understand before becoming a food truck owner. Most food truck operators manage social media accounts themselves at no cost. Varies greatly depending on location and services provided by commissary.ĭepends on food cost and frequency of operation.
Plan for some unexpected expenses here and put it into the budget. Varies a lot depending on where you operate.Ĭan also use an iPad and an app for credit transactions. Food Truck Start-up Costsįeel free to add your personal notes here. This spreadsheet is a great way to get you in the ball-park for a cost estimate. Remember that every city / state will have different laws and requirements so your cost will vary. We encourage you to download the food truck cost spreadsheet to estimate how much starting your vehicle would cost. Variable Expenses You Need to Know About.