
Food truck layout process
Setting up a food truck requires careful organization and compliance with certain standards. To transform your truck into a real mobile restaurant, you’ll need to
Are you looking to get into mobile catering or itinerant commerce , but don’t know where to start? What’s the budget for buying a food truck? ? Any pitfalls to avoid? Here’s everything you need to know before buying a new or used food truck.
Converting a truck into a food truck is a complex process, requiring excellent preparation upstream. That’s why it’s important to work with professional fitters like Ecomag to design your mobile kitchen!
The success of a mobile restaurant depends to a large extent on the location(s) you choose.
In fact, it’s essential to choose strategic locations that will enable your food truck to be highly visible andattract a large number ofcustomers.
What’s more, each location has its own specificities and formalities, depending on whether it’s a private place, a public space, a market, etc.
Catering is a strictly regulated activity, and your mobile kitchen is no exception.
To carry out this activity in compliance with regulations, you must take a food hygiene and safety training course run by an accredited organization.
Your truck must also have a VASP (Véhicules Automoteurs Spécialement Aménagés) registration certificate.
Before transforming a truck into a food truck, you need to select a vehicle that’s suited to the needs of your business. To make the right choice, you need to assess a number of criteria, such as your budget, the space available, and the truck’s size ( heavyweight, lightweight, etc.).
There’s also the choice between buying a new or used food truck, both of which have their own advantages.
When investing in a food truck, it’s essential to think long-term.
A key step in this planning process is the renewal of your itinerant merchant card.
Find out all the steps you need to take to renew your card, and make sure your new purchase runs smoothly over time.
Buying a new food truck allows you to customize your vehicle as you see fit, by choosing the design, equipment, size and layout of the workspace…
In fact, a food truck manufacturer like Ecomag can tailor-make a store truck to suit your needs and constraints.
You also benefit from the advantages inherent in the purchase of any new vehicle, namely a much lower risk of breakdown or defective parts.
On the other hand, a truck with several thousand kilometers on the odometer can give you some nasty surprises.
Last but not least, buying a new food truck usually means you’ll benefit from a warranty in the event of breakdown, as well as more extensive assistance.
What kind of insurance do you need for your itinerant business?
Of course, the question of price is central to the purchase of a food truck. That’s why it’s important to study the various expenditure items and to anticipate their amount according to your project and your needs.
Buying a food truck is a crucial step in launching your business. As well as choosing the right vehicle for your needs, it’s essential to think about the safety equipment you’ll need for your operation.
To ensure the safety of your mobile restaurant, find out which extinguisher to choose and how to install it properly.
When setting up a mobile restaurant, the main investment you’ll need to make is undoubtedly thepurchase of the food truck itself. However, the price of a vehicle can vary considerably depending on its condition (new or used), its size, its fittings…
For example, it’s possible to buy a light truck, second-hand and without equipment, for around €20,000. However, you’ll need to add the cost of converting the truck into a food truck, which can range from €10,000 to €20,000, depending on the size of the vehicle, the fittings to be fitted, the equipment to be installed, etc.
How do I draw up a forecast for my food-truck?
You can also find used food trucks already fitted out and ready to use, for a slightly higher price. Expect to pay at least €30,000 for a light vehicle and up to €50,000 for a heavy-duty store truck.
Finally, if you’re looking to buy a new custom-built food truck, the price will largely depend on the options you choose: paintwork, decoration and general design; kitchen appliances and equipment; storage space; electrical and/or gas installations…. The cost of a new vehicle therefore ranges from around €50,000 to €100,000.
The last important point to consider is the cost of renting the sites on which you’re going to set up your food truck. The rent you pay depends largely on the municipality or owner of the site.
To launch your mobile catering business, it’s not enough to buy a truck. You also need to get the word out about your food truck to attract your first customers and build your reputation!
To communicate effectively, you can start by using physical media such as flyers or posters, which will help generate word-of-mouth about your restaurant. However, the design of a brochure by a professional graphic artist has a cost that you need to factor into your budget.
How can you promote your food truck?
To gain notoriety, it’s essential tobe active on social networks like Facebook or Instagram, but also to create a website. This is an expense not to be overlooked, although the price of a site can vary considerably depending on the number of pages and features required.
To operate a catering business, it is essential to take HACCP training in hygiene and cleanliness standards at an accredited center. The cost can range from €700 to €1,200, depending on the organization chosen.
A business license is also required if you plan to serve alcoholic beverages in your food truck. In which case, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of this license.
In order to identify your various expenses and compare them with your sales forecasts, it’s essential to create a business plan before buying a food truck. This document will also help you to convince your banker or potential investors: hence the importance of backing it up as much as possible by detailing your costs precisely and justifying them.
Whether you’re looking to buy a new or used food truck, Ecomag can help you every step of the way: vehicle selection, space optimization, electrical installations, bodywork and paintwork… We take care of everything! Don’t hesitate to contact us for a personalized quote.
Setting up a food truck requires careful organization and compliance with certain standards. To transform your truck into a real mobile restaurant, you’ll need to
Setting up a food truck requires careful organization and compliance with certain standards. To transform your truck into a real mobile restaurant, you’ll need to
Setting up a food truck requires careful organization and compliance with certain standards. To transform your truck into a real mobile restaurant, you’ll need to