Running a Food Truck For Dummies. Richard Myrick

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builder can help speed up the health department’s review of your truck’s floor plans and your final inspection.

      Here are a few companies that can help you build the truck of your dreams (or at least get you started with one that will deliver your concept and cuisine):

      ❯❯ AA Catering Truck: www.aacatertruck.com

      ❯❯ Bens Carts: https://store.benscarts.com

      ❯❯ Creative Mobile Systems: www.cmssystem.com

      ❯❯ Cruising Kitchens: www.cruisingkitchens.com

      ❯❯ Food Cart USA: www.foodcartusa.com

      ❯❯ Northwest Mobile Kitchens: www.northwestmobilekitchens.com

      ❯❯ Prestige Food Trucks: www.prestigefoodtrucks.com

Purchasing a previously owned vehicle

      Buying a used vehicle is by far the most economical way to purchase your rolling kitchen (costs range from $15,000 to $99,000), but at the same time, it carries the most issues. If you decide to purchase a used truck, be sure to have a certified mechanic conduct an inspection. Your vehicle is the largest investment you’ll have when starting up your business; you can’t afford to purchase one that’s consistently in the shop. In addition, even if a vehicle meets the health department codes in one area, it may not meet them elsewhere. When you buy a truck, you’re responsible for bringing the vehicle up to all current standards of the cities you plan to be licensed in.

      Check out the following for dealers that sell used vehicles:

      ❯❯ eBay: www.motors.ebay.com

      ❯❯ craigslist: www.craigslist.com

      ❯❯ Commercial Truck Trader: www.commercialtrucktrader.com

      ❯❯ Road Stoves: www.roadstoves.com

      ❯❯ Used Vending: www.usedvending.com

      

Although you can find a used vehicle on sites such as eBay or craigslist for under $10,000, your investment price can skyrocket the minute you start installing vending windows, lined walls and floors, electricity, hot running water, and a retail payment system. Also, while online purchases of food trucks and other mobile vending units have increased over the last few years, some people and companies are taking advantage of this trend. More than a dozen consumers were left out in the cold when they spent thousands to order hot dog carts on eBay and received nothing in return. If you’re planning to make a purchase of more than $500 from an online auction site, I recommend using an escrow service. The service receives the item from the seller before sending the seller your payment. eBay recommends Escrow.com and warns consumers of many fraudulent escrow companies, so if a seller suggests another company, investigate that company first. Also avoid paying for online auction purchases via wire transfers, which carry few – if any – fraud provisions compared to credit cards.

      Naming Your Food Truck

      Although your food truck’s name may not make or break your business, having the right name can have a huge influence on your success, especially in your business’s early stages. Coming up with a memorable name is one of the first steps in branding your mobile business, and a great name is the beginning of a great brand. Your food truck’s name should be memorable and create a certain feeling in those who hear it.

      The name you choose is truly the first impression people have of your mobile business. If you’re new to the area and people don’t know anything about you, they may decide whether or not to frequent your service window solely on the basis of the name you select.

      In the following sections, I explain how to create a list of name options for your business; you can then research those names to see whether you can use any of them legally. If you find one that works, you can then register it.

Coming up with name options

      So how do you choose the right name? Although opinions differ regarding how to come up with the right name for your truck, the following steps steer you in the right direction:

      1. Brainstorm.

      Think about how you want people to feel when they hear about your truck or cart. Write down these words on a legal pad and then categorize them by primary meaning.

      2. Relate.

      Think about related words and phrases that evoke the feelings you want. Hit the thesaurus and find all the synonyms for the words and phrases you identified in Step 1.

      3. Relate more.

      Find out the Greek and Latin translations of your words or translate them into the language of the country your cuisine is based on. Figure out what colors, gemstones, plants, animals, and so forth relate to your words.

      4. Experiment.

      Start playing with combinations of your various words and partial words. Don’t be judgmental now – just make your list.

      5. Reflect.

      Review your list and give some thought to each name. How does it make you feel when you hear it?

      As you sort through the names you created with the help of the preceding list, keep in mind that your business’s name should be a reflection of who you are and what you do. It should give your customers an idea of what to expect when they walk up to your service window. For example, don’t call your truck “Ocean Breeze” if you don’t have any seafood on the menu. Certain names conjure up certain images. You want those images to lead your customer base to you and your rolling bistro.

      

One way to test an idea is to tell the name to your family and friends and have them tell you what image comes to mind. If they heard that name, what would they expect when they walked up to your cart or truck? Ask them to visualize everything from mood to menu items to what the employees are wearing. The more details they can give you, the better idea you’ll have about the effectiveness of the name. Do this with several names and get rid of the ones that conjure up the wrong image.

      You want your name to be easy to remember. Make it as easy as possible for your customers to be able to tell their friends and family about the great new truck they found. Even if they can’t remember exactly where you were located, if they can remember the name, they can always look you up online. Your name should stick with them long after their meal has ended. (Likewise, the name should be easy to spell. If it has an unusual spelling, people will have a hard time looking it up.)

      Selecting the right name from your list is largely a matter of personal preference. Some people want to include

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