Running a Food Truck For Dummies (2^nd Ed.)

While food trucks may not be the new kid on the block anymore, it's a segment that continues to swell?and there's still plenty of room for growth. If you have your sights set on taking your culinary prowess on the road, Running a Food Truck For Dummies, 2^nd Edition helps you find your food niche, follow important rules of conducting business, outfit your moving kitchen, meet safety and sanitation requirements, and so much more.

Gone are the days of food trucks offering unappealing prepackaged meals, snacks, and coffee. In today's flourishing food service industry, they're more like restaurants on wheels, offering eager curbside patrons everything from gourmet tacos and Korean BBQ to gluten-free pastries and healthy vegan fare. Whether you're the owner or operator of an existing food truck business looking to up the ante or a chef, foodie, or gourmand interested in starting your own mobile restaurant endeavor, Running a Food Truck For Dummies has you covered.

• Create a food truck business plan to set yourself up for success
• Stay profitable by avoiding the most common operating mistakes
• Harness public relations and social media to build your following
• Grow from one truck to multiple trucks, restaurants, or a food truck franchise

Packed with the latest information on legislation and ordinances, securing loans, and marketing to the all-important Millennials, this one-stop guide helps you cook up a well-done food truck venture in no time!

Introduction 1

Part 1: Rolling into the Food Truck Industry 5

CHAPTER 1: Food on Wheels: The Lowdown on Food Trucks 7

CHAPTER 2: Deciding What Kind of Food Truck Is Right for You 17

CHAPTER 3: Understanding and Researching Your Local Food Truck Market 39

Part 2: Getting Your Food Truck Ducks in a Row 53

CHAPTER 4: Writing a Food Truck Business Plan 55

CHAPTER 5: Securing Financing for Your Food Truck 79

CHAPTER 6: Understanding Business Structures, Licenses, and Other Legal Stuff 93

CHAPTER 7: Parking and Presenting Your Food Truck 111

Part 3: Preparing to Open Your Service Window 125

CHAPTER 8: Creating Your Food Truck Menu 127

CHAPTER 9: Finding a Commercial Kitchen for Your Food Truck 143

CHAPTER 10: Purchasing and Managing Supplies 155

CHAPTER 11: Hiring and Training Your Food Truck Team 169

CHAPTER 12: Setting Up Your Office and Managing Money Matters 195

Part 4: Keeping Your Food Truck Running Smoothly 209

CHAPTER 13: Running a Safe, Clean Food Truck and Keeping It on the Road 211

CHAPTER 14: Evaluating the State of Your Food Truck Business 237

Part 5: Generating Buzz and Growing Your Food Truck Business251

CHAPTER 15: Mastering Food Truck Marketing and Public Relations 253

CHAPTER 16: Handling the Art of Social Media 269

CHAPTER 17: Attracting and Retaining Your Customers 291

CHAPTER 18: What’s Next? Determining the Future of Your Food Truck Business 305

Part 6: The Part of Tens 319

CHAPTER 19: Ten Myths about Food Trucks 321

CHAPTER 20: Ten Tips for Preventing Food Truck Failure 327

CHAPTER 21: Ten Tips for Dealing with Food Truck Health Inspections 335

Index 341

Running a Food Truck For Dummies, 2^nd Edition is for the nearly 3 million owners and operators of existing food truck businesses as well as those chefs, foodies, and gourmands interested in starting their own mobile restaurant endeavor.

Richard Myrick is editor-in- chief and founder of Mobile Cuisine Magazine (mobile-cusine.com), a central source for mobile street food information. Since its inception, Mobile Cuisine has been teaching aspiring culinary professionals how to create successful food truck businesses by providing valuable information that can help anyone build a food truck business.