food truck business plan bplans

29 Proven Food Truck Business Plans (PDF, Word)

The food truck business has recently gained progress in catering for ordinary working folks. It’s really not that expensive to set up and it’s a cheaper alternative to starting your own restaurant . Of course, this doesn’t mean that food trucks are either free or cheap. To ask for financial help, you need to sell the idea to investors and for this, you can make a comprehensive food truck business plan.

• 1 Food Truck Business Plans
• 2 Why do you need a food truck business plan?
• 3 Food Truck Business Models
• 4 How to write a food truck business plan?
• 5 Food Truck Business Plan Templates
• 6 Starting your food truck business

Food Truck Business Plans

Why do you need a food truck business plan.

Just thinking about food trucks roaming around today makes you think that it must really be very simple to put up such business. But even this simple undertaking requires a lot of planning. Opening such a business without planning and investigating might lead to many problems. But if you do some market research for your food truck business plan, this can help you thresh out significant details and redefine your concept.

One of the most important factors of success for a restaurant is the location. People wouldn’t want to travel too far to get to a restaurant and if you have the wrong location, your long-term plans might not even last. This goes the same for food trucks as the location is a crucial component for success.

The most successful food trucks have a relatively consistent schedule on where they park and they spread the word through various social media platforms. There is also the fact that not every location allows food trucks to set up shop. For instance, school zones and public parks generally disallow commercial businesses . So, you need to consider this too when making your food truck business plan sample.

Food Truck Business Models

How to write a food truck business plan.

You need to have the answers to many questions when you are trying to learn how to start a food truck business. The best way to get all these into perspective is to make a comprehensive food truck business plan template. This helps you list all of the essential information about the business while assisting you in getting funding from investors.

The food truck business model is always the first step because you will use this to gain the funding needed to get your food truck off the ground. Here are some things to consider when creating your food truck outline for your business plan:

• Executive Summary This is the first section of your food truck business plan. Think of it as an introduction to whoever you will address on your final product. Don’t make it too wordy or lengthy. First impressions are the beginnings of something great. Make your executive summary interesting and concise without having to delve on details. This section gives you the opportunity to highlight what your company is, how you expect to grow your business, and more. Another good idea is to explain how your background and knowledge can benefit you in the pursuit of your goals of opening this kind of business. Although this will be the first item that potential investors read, this must be the last section you write.
• Company Description Describe in this section your planned food truck business. This is where you give an explanation of the details of your business and how its entry into the food truck business could be a crucial addition to the existing market. In essence, it’s here where you explain more in detail everything you have touched on in the executive summary.
• Market Analysis This section of your food truck business plan sample gives you the chance to detail and explain how your plans fit into the market. Remember that you will present this to potential investors. It is, therefore, important to do a lot of research on how to start a food truck business before composing this section. This demonstrates that you have enough knowledge about the food truck market and industry.
• Organization and Management Next, make a food truck outline of your organization and management plan where you explain the structure of your food truck business. This may not appear to be that essential if you intend to put up a food truck business manned only by two or three people. But if your plans go beyond a small enterprise, then you need an organization and management plan that includes: A complete profile of your team. Information regarding the business’ ownership. The salaries and benefits your employees will receive. Growth opportunities you plan to offer to your employees . One great way to show your business’ organizational structure is through a chart that illustrates how you have all the bases covered. It is in this section where you can let your passion shine through. This could leave a memorable impression on your prospective investor as they will feel encouraged to support your plans.
• Product or service line The next section in the food truck business plan template details the product or service line that your food truck business plan will offer. You need to display your creative ideas by making a description of your services or products and a plan to keep your customers coming back.
• Marketing and Sales You also need a marketing and sales plan for your food truck business that focuses on strengthening customer loyalty. Define your overall strategies. How you do this is up to you. Just remember that people appreciate originality, whether when adapting a cool truck design or coming up with an interesting selling point for your business.
• Request for Funding Although a funding request section isn’t included in every food truck business plan template, it is still something worth considering. It could be a challenge to make an estimate on how much a food truck would cost but you need to do this so you can determine where your funds will come from. If you have plans to request funding, you have to explain clearly how much you need, what you need the funds for, and how you will repay the money that you owe. You can explore other options for funding by checking out sites that can allow you to crowdfund by raising money from different sources. Just remember that some of these sites take a percentage of the amount you raise. Therefore, you have to do more research before accepting any offer.
• Financial Projections If you’re starting from scratch on the food truck business, it can be difficult for you to determine any realistic financial projections. It’s essential for you to analyze your target market then set specific financial goals so that you can allocate your funds more efficiently. As a newcomer, you need to estimate how much your business will potentially make over the next 5 years using realistic assumptions. You have to make sure that your projections are in alignment with the funds you requested in your funding requests.
• Appendix This section is optional for any food truck business plan but it can be the best place to add information that cannot fit elsewhere. These may include product photos, letter of reference , building permits, and more.

Food Truck Business Plan Templates

Starting your food truck business.

Surprisingly, what were once often referred to as “roach coaches” have already become some of the most sought-after and popular eateries in the biggest cities across the nation. If you want to start your own small business without referring to traditional offices or storefront routines, you may consider starting a food cart or truck business. You need to create first a food truck business model or plan then consider the next steps:

• Get your licenses Entering this business is not as simple as it may seem. To begin with, you cannot just set up stall anywhere to conduct your business. There are various requirements by the city including certificates from the health department, parking restrictions, and truck permits. Every city has its own policies so you should get in touch with your local government to get the requirements.
• Get the best vehicle for your business A food cart would suffice for the meantime if you’re working on a tight budget. The health department has the same rules for food trucks and restaurants. This means your cart will require special equipment that’s usually expensive. Before choosing either a cart or a truck, you should know exactly what you need to operate the business. For instance, if you intend to sell pizzas or other hot foods that you prepare on-site, then you will need a big truck. On the other hand, if you can prepare your food in advance, either at home or in a commercial kitchen, then a cart or a smaller truck will do just fine to keep your products warm.
• Find a niche Surprisingly, many food trucks today are already serving gourmet cuisine and delicacies from other countries, sweets like designer cupcakes and exclusive sweet treats, health foods, and more. They have gone a long way since the times when what they had were just cold sandwiches and hot tacos. One of the keys to success in this relatively new and improved business is to find your own niche and become an expert on it. To keep up with the demands of the business, you have to constantly do research to find out what’s already covered in your area then come up with your own creation.

Related Posts

39 free account plan templates [excel, ppt, word], 17 voided check templates [free], 40 professional construction budget templates (excel).

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

• Investor Business Plan
• SBA Business Plan
• L1 Visa Business Plan
• E2 Visa Business Plan
• EB-5 Visa Business Plan
• Strategic Business Plan
• Franchise Business Plan
• Call our business plan experts:

• Schedule Free Consultation

Crafting the Perfect Food Truck Business Plan

In the ever-evolving landscape of the culinary world, the food truck industry has carved out its own delectable niche. It’s a realm where passion for food meets entrepreneurship, and the aroma of innovation wafts through the air. But before you hit the streets with your culinary creations, there’s a crucial recipe for success you must follow: crafting the perfect food truck business plan.

 Why a Business Plan is the Secret Ingredient

A food truck is more than just a set of wheels serving tasty dishes. It’s a full-fledged business, and like any business, it needs a solid plan. Here’s why a well-crafted business plan is the secret ingredient to food truck success:

• It Defines Your Culinary Identity

Your food truck business plan is your opportunity to define your culinary identity. What makes your dishes unique? How do they tantalize taste buds and stand out in a crowded marketplace? In this plan, you’ll put your flavors into words, creating a mouthwatering narrative that sets you apart from the competition.

• It Maps Your Journey

Just as a map guides you to your destination, a business plan maps your journey to food truck success. It outlines your business goals, strategies, and the steps you need to take to reach them. With a clear path ahead, you’re less likely to get lost along the way.

• It Attracts Investors and Funding

Whether you’re seeking financial support from investors or applying for loans, a well-prepared business plan is your golden ticket. It showcases your vision, demonstrates your market research, and outlines your financial projections – all elements that instill confidence in potential backers.

 Key Ingredients for Your Food Truck Business Plan

Now that we’ve established the importance of a business plan, let’s dive into its essential ingredients:

• Executive Summary: The appetizer of your plan, offering a brief yet enticing taste of your food truck concept, mission, market analysis, and financial projections.
• Market Research : Dive deep into your target market – who are your potential customers, and what are their preferences? Understand your competition and identify the gaps you can fill.
• Menu Magic: Describe your menu in vivid detail. Highlight your signature dishes, unique offerings, and the culinary delights that will keep customers coming back for more.
• Operational Blueprint: Explain the nitty-gritty of running your food truck, from staffing and suppliers to permits and health regulations.
• Marketing Strategy : Detail your plan for building a brand, attracting customers, and keeping them engaged. How will you leverage social media, events, and promotions to grow your customer base?
• Financial Projections : Lay out your financial forecasts, including start-up costs, revenue projections, and a break-even analysis. Investors want to see a roadmap to profitability.

 Introducing bplanwriter: Your Recipe for Success

Creating a business plan that combines all these ingredients into a delectable dish can be a daunting task. That’s where  bplanwriter  comes in. We specialize in crafting business plans that not only impress but also serve as your roadmap to culinary entrepreneurship.

Our team of experts understands the unique challenges of the food truck industry and can help you:

– Define Your Culinary Brand: We’ll assist you in articulating what makes your food truck a must-visit destination.

– Market Research : We’ll conduct in-depth market research to ensure your menu aligns perfectly with your target audience.

– Financial Projections : Our financial experts will create realistic projections that give investors confidence in your venture.

– Marketing Strategy Crafting the Perfect Food Truck Business Plan

Why a Business Plan is the Secret Ingredient

• Executive Summar y: The appetizer of your plan, offering a brief yet enticing taste of your food truck concept, mission, market analysis, and financial projections.
• Market Research: Dive deep into your target market – who are your potential customers, and what are their preferences? Understand your competition and identify the gaps you can fill.
• Operational Blueprint : Explain the nitty-gritty of running your food truck, from staffing and suppliers to permits and health regulations.
• Marketing Strategy: Detail your plan for building a brand, attracting customers, and keeping them engaged. How will you leverage social media, events, and promotions to grow your customer base?

– Define Your Culinary Brand : We’ll assist you in articulating what makes your food truck a must-visit destination.

– Market Research: We’ll conduct in-depth market research to ensure your menu aligns perfectly with your target audience.

– Marketing Strategy: We’ll help you develop a marketing strategy that sets you on a path to culinary stardom.

Ready to embark on your food truck journey with a winning business plan in hand? Visit [bplanwriter.com](https://www.bplanwriter.com/) to learn more about our services and get started today.

In the world of food trucks, success is a dish best served with a well-crafted business plan. With bplanwriter by your side, you’re one step closer to turning your culinary dreams into a delicious reality.

: We’ll help you develop a marketing strategy that sets you on a path to culinary stardom.

Ready to embark on your food truck journey with a winning business plan in hand? Visit  bplanwriter.com  to learn more about our services and get started today.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Get a Free Consultation Now

For free Consultation, please make an appointment with us by filling in the details here and Clicking on the “Submit” button. We will contact you within 24 Hours.

Confidentiality of your information is our foremost priority.

I Agree to get e-mails from BPlanWriter.

• Start free trial

Start selling with Shopify today

Start your free trial with Shopify today—then use these resources to guide you through every step of the process.

How To Write a Food Truck Business Plan (+ Template)

With the increasing popularity of food trucks, it’s essential to prep your operation before you start prepping your mise en place. A solid food truck business plan puts you at the front of the grid when the race begins.

The US street vendor sector was valued at $2.49 billion in 2022, up from the previous year’s total of $2.29 billion. The market is expected to grow another 1.7% in 2023.

For those with aspirations of culinary greatness, a food truck is the perfect setting to develop new recipes while building a fan base, or even an online business, without the expense and risk of opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant. 

There is even a street food chef in Singapore with a Michelin star, proving that you don’t need a giant kitchen and 50 sous chefs to build a reputation for quality, innovation, and deliciousness.

How to write a successful food truck business plan, step by step

• Set aside a page for your executive summary
• Write an overview of your company
• Conduct a market analysis
• Lay out your products and/or services
• Create customer personas
• Put together a marketing plan
• Create a logistics and operations plan
• Write out your financial plan

Starting a mobile food business is subject to the same challenges and pitfalls as any other startup operation. But there are special considerations for food trucks to address before you open the window to start slinging sandwiches (or tacos, or barbeque, or …).

You may want to open up our handy business plan template so you can take notes, or jot down your brilliant ideas as they come to you. We also talked to seasoned food truck operators and entrepreneurs Natalie Basile and Mikey Wheeler-Johnson of Eats Amoré Mobile Italian Cuisine , who share their knowledge and experience throughout this guide.

From the executive summary to the financial details, we’ll show you how to build a food truck business plan for savory success.

1. Set aside a page for your executive summary

Even though this is the first section in your business plan, it’s the last section you should write. Your executive summary captures all the highlights from the rest of your business plan, so get those sorted out first.

This is Shopify’s business plan template. You can download it below.

When it’s time to write this section, think about your audience. If you’re writing a business plan for yourself as a way to stay organized, motivated, and focused on your goals, this summary can be quick and dirty.

Free: Food Truck Business Plan Template

Business planning is often used to secure funding, but plenty of business owners find writing a plan valuable, even if they never work with an investor. That’s why we put together a free business plan template to help you get started.

If your business plan is meant to secure a bank loan or impress potential investors, your executive summary will need to focus on profit, reliability, and the fact that you know what you’re doing—so your food truck feels like a safe bet.

While it’s important to mention what makes your food service model unique, spend plenty of time showing that you also understand the realities of running a small business.

2. Write an overview of your company

This section is your opportunity to explain what is going to make your vehicular vittles different and more successful than every other food truck on the road. 

As part of this section you’ll need to tell your audience what makes you capable of running a profitable food business. 

• Do you have professional cooking experience? 
• Have you managed a commercial pantry before? 
• Do you have an existing reputation for creating delectable meals? 

Lenders might invest in you based on the strength of your new business idea, but experience will improve your chances.

At Eats Amoré, even though neither Mikey nor Natalie has professional cooking experience, they do have a proud family history of producing delicious food. “Natalie learned to cook from her grandmother, who’s from Naples, Italy. And then her mom is an organic farmer, so she learned traditional recipes with fresh ingredients, which is the backbone of Italian cooking,” says Mikey.

In addition to your own position in your food truck business, this section is the place where you’ll outline the types of employees you have or will need to hire. Food trucks are small, so chances are you won’t need a lot of staff or a management team, but you could consider hiring prep staff, cleaners, etc.

The company overview is also the best place to set some goals. As a short-term goal, most food truck owners (and restaurateurs for that matter) aim to pay off the bulk of their startup costs (licensing fees, insurance, supplies, food, website, branding, etc.) within the first year, though this will depend heavily on your anticipated margins.

Other short-term goals may include building a social media following, finding predictable parking spots to encourage repeat traffic, or securing a spot at a big event.

Your largest capital investment is, of course, the truck itself. Although food trucks cost a lot less to set up compared to brick-and-mortar locations, they can still set you back between $50,000 and $175,000 , depending on what kind of food you’ll make and the equipment required to do it.

Paying off your food truck is likely to be your major long-term goal, which you can fulfill with your own funding or Shopify Capital .

3. Conduct a market analysis

A huge factor in setting your business up for success is understanding the target market where you will operate.

Restrictions

Since food trucks are mobile, you’ll enjoy some flexibility compared to a restaurant, but many cities still restrict where, when, and how you can serve your customers as part of the license that allows you to operate (which costs an average of $1,800 ).

If your ideal customers live in an area or work at a time when you can’t sell to them, you could be in for some difficulty. For example, if you were to open a food truck in Vancouver, you would find that restrictions include:

• Not operating during nighttime hours
• Avoiding certain neighborhoods
• Staying 100 meters away from brick-and-mortar restaurants
• Staying outside park boundaries
• And plenty more

In some cases, you may find that food trucks have not yet been considered in city regulations, and you may have to blaze a trail for your business, like Mikey and Natalie did. “We had very limited locations that we could pick from,” Mikey said. 

“The zoning in Kamloops was absolutely terrible. We were not looked very favorably upon. So after many council meetings and lots of emails with counselors and going back and forth, we finally got the city to give us a pilot project location in the downtown core.”

Every city has different restrictions that affect food cart and truck owners, so be sure to consult the city hall website in your area. And start early—licensing can take time, especially in locations with high demand.

Local conditions

Beyond the restrictions imposed by municipalities, each city is subject to conditions that could help or hinder your business. 

If you’re planning an ice cream truck for Edmonton, you might only have the warm, sunny weather you need for four months of the year, severely limiting profits. Conversely, the same ice cream truck in San Diego, with 266 days of sunshine on average, might be a sensation with lines around the block.

You should also take into account population in your city, demographics, foot traffic in your preferred neighborhoods, and the number of events that host food trucks, in order to establish an estimate of how many days per year you are likely able to operate.

Competition

Lastly, run a competitive analysis. 

• What’s the food truck market like in your city? 
• What do other food trucks offer? 
• What’s your competitive advantage? 
• Is there a robust restaurant scene driven by owners who don’t want food trucks diverting their customers ? 

Too much competition and you might have trouble finding customers or a place to park. Too little and you may find that there is a reason no one is running a new food truck.

4. Lay out your products and/or services

This section is your opportunity to outline your creative food vision, so keep in mind that there are some limitations and considerations when it comes to the meals coming out of your truck.

• Food should be easy to eat in a variety of settings, such as on a bench, standing on the sidewalk, or at a crowded concert, without spilling down the front of a CEO’s Brooks Brothers shirt.
• Keep it simple: While you may be able to make complex individual dishes, trying to offer a broad, complicated menu with limited space, staff, equipment, and storage could prove to be difficult or impossible.
• A long menu can be intimidating or time consuming for those trying to order quickly during their lunch break.
• Try to fill a niche in your city. If there are already a lot of pizza trucks but no Thai food, make som tam instead of a margherita pie. Or, for example, if you live somewhere with plenty of trucks making mediocre burgers, your ultra-high-quality version might corner the market. You can also differentiate your offerings based on overhead and food cost.

Go out and study the existing food truck scene in your area to get an idea of what might work. 

Alternate revenue

This section is a good place to consider additional revenue streams such as online sales of things like bottled sauces, spice packs, baked goods, etc. Selling online can be a lifesaver during quiet winter months, when festivals aren’t happening, or even during a global pandemic.

Eats Amoré has found that online sales and catering bookings via its Shopify website are becoming increasingly important to its bottom line. “It’s to the point where we have to turn it on and turn it off because it’s so busy,” says Mikey.

"We came up with this idea called the Ravioli Club, which is essentially a membership that you buy from our online store, and you get three mystery deliveries of ravioli delivered to your house every two weeks."

Mikey wasn’t always an ecommerce expert. “I was very green in learning how to do all the online sales, and I’m still learning a lot,” he says.

“And even with the small increments of learning that I’ve done, sales are going up exponentially. Not only has it boosted our sales, but it decreased the amount of time that I have to spend doing back and forth work with people. Because once you have all your information laid out on the website, you get a lot less tire kickers and you get a lot more people that call you and want to hire you [for catering].”

5. Create customer personas

This area of your food truck business plan is where you’ll outline your ideal customer. 

• Where do they live? 
• How old are they? 
• What kind of foods do they like? 
• How much disposable income do they have? 

You’ll need to do some serious demographic research to fill in this section, since every city and neighborhood is different. Then use it to inform your menu and pricing. 

If you plan to set up outside rock concerts and baseball parks, caviar and foie gras could be hard to sell, while home-cooked barbeque might not do well on the street in front of your local opera house. Ask questions to determine what your potential customers want.

6. Put together a marketing plan

You can make as much delicious food as you want, but if no one knows about it, you’re going to have a hard time making a profit. Your marketing strategy is essential to the success of your business and this section is where you’ll outline it for yourself or your business loan officer.

Branding and communications

Start by detailing where you’ll park and what your truck will look like , since these are the two biggest factors in attracting walk-by customers. Next, show how you’ll raise the profile of your business beyond passersby using traditional marketing techniques and, especially, social media.

If you intend to park in different locations on different days, having dedicated followers on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook is a great way to let people know where they can find you. Social media is also the perfect place to update your followers on new menu items. Remember to take great photos of your food for maximum impact.

The food truck marketing and sales portion should also account for what makes your offerings different from everyone else on the road. In the Products and Services section, we discussed how your menu should fill a niche, whether it is the type of cuisine, quality, or cost.

In this section, you’ll need to provide details on how you plan to communicate those differentiators to your target customers.

Online ordering

Speaking of technology, this is a good time to explore the possibility of having your customers interact with you via smartphones and computers.

You may want to offer online ordering with delivery or pickup, which can be accomplished using third-party services like DoorDash , Skip the Dishes , Uber Eats , or any number of apps preferred in different markets around the world—be sure to find out which app most restaurants and delivery services use in your area.

A less obvious facet of your marketing plan is your start date. If you plan on opening right when the good weather hits, you’re likely to be too busy to spend a lot of time building a brand identity and online presence, though your cash flow will probably be in good shape.

“A huge mistake that we had in our first year’s business plan was that we were going to work through the winter,” says Mikey. “But what I forgot was that the people in Kamloops are very fair weathered. They’re used to nice weather. So a little bit of cold and they’re like, No, we’re out of here. It wasn’t until last winter that we actually did become a year-round business when we opened our Shopify account."

7. Create a logistics and operations plan

This section is where you’ll need to dig into the nitty-gritty day-to-day operations of your local food truck.

Supply chain

You need ingredients in order to sell food. But where will you get them? Let’s look at your options.

RESTAURANT WHOLESALERS

• Example: Sysco
• Pros: Reliable and cost effective.
• Cons: Large volume-packaged products could be hard to store on your truck.

WHOLESALE CLUBS

• Example: Costco
• Pros: Convenience—shop whenever you want.
• Cons: Prices may be higher than restaurant wholesalers.

GROCERY STORES

• Example : Trader Joe’s, local greengrocers, specialty markets
• Pros: The greatest variety of ingredients, including local, organic, and specialty items. Smaller package sizes.
• Cons : High prices.

Many food truck operators use a combination of suppliers to achieve their goals, so look at what is available in your area that fits into your menu and budget. 

Also consider your menu: If you have a fixed set of meal offerings, will you be able to reliably get the same ingredients throughout the year? If your menu rotates frequently, will you have time to source new ingredients on a regular basis?

Your truck is your facility. So think carefully about what kind of vehicle you decide to buy.

Mikey says, “We got this HandyDART bus for a steal, and we spent the beginning of 2013 turning it into a food truck. We learned so much. It’s a fiberglass vehicle, which wasn’t ideal compared to a big stainless truck. But we made it work.” 

Retrofitting a vehicle that isn’t perfect may be an option considering your budget and skill set, or you may want to purchase a vehicle that was purpose-built to be a food truck.

This is the place to outline the physical equipment and maintenance requirements for your business, such as:

• Specialized cooking equipment
• Fuel (cooking and engine)

Many cities also dictate that some aspects of food preparation, such as chopping vegetables, making soups, baking bread, or preparing other ingredients, be done in an off-site commissary kitchen outside of sales hours, rather than in the food truck or in your home. This is to ensure food safety, and you’ll need to factor the cost and logistics into your plan.

It’s also a good idea to determine if you can store additional ingredients at your commissary kitchen location.

Production capacity

How long does it take to make an item from your menu, on average? This is a major consideration that could limit how many customers you can serve in a day. 

How do you intend to cope with changes in pace and demand over the course of a day, week, month, or year? Mikey says, “I go home and do dishes for two hours. It’s far more labor intensive than people realize.” So don’t forget to factor in how much work you can realistically do yourself.

If you plan on offering products for sale online, you’ll need to sort out a plan to ship them to customers. Fortunately, shipping can be accomplished quite easily at reasonable prices .

8. Write out your financial plan

Like most businesses, yours will likely live or die on the strength of your financial plan. You have to know how much money is coming in, how much is going out, and how those numbers are likely to change in the future. 

So be sure to dig deep into your prospective balance sheet to truly understand how profits and costs will affect your operation. 

Manage your money where you make it with Shopify Balance

Shopify Balance is a free financial account that lets you manage your business’s money from Shopify admin. Pay no monthly fees, get payouts up to 7 days earlier, and earn cashback on eligible purchases.

Profit margin

Fortunately for you, startup costs on a food truck are a lot less than a brick-and-mortar restaurant, so your break-even point could come a lot sooner. That said, your profits could be limited by the food truck model.

Food trucks can expect to average about 8% profit , which means they are a volume business. You’ll need to work fast to serve a lot of customers in order to earn a profit.

You’ll also need to outline your cash flow scenario . Since food trucks can’t store a lot of inventory (ingredients and supplies), you’ll need to sell and restock more frequently than a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Additional costs

This section is also the place to factor in other costs, such as licensing, maintenance, and staff wages, if you have employees. And if you don’t plan on hiring help, remember that you probably can’t work 16 hours a day, seven days a week, which will limit your profits too. Be sure to write accurate financial projections so you get a good idea of how much you’ll earn.

Turn your business idea into a savory reality

The food truck industry is growing. Now that you’ve had a chance to think about how your food truck dreams will shape your food truck business plan, it’s time to actually sit down and write it.

Need a little push in the right direction? Check out some business plan examples , then start filling in your template once you’re inspired.

• 17 Unique Business Ideas for You To Try This Year
• Product Ideas: 17 Places To Find Profitable Products
• Selling Like Hotcakes- 13 Profitable Food Business Ideas for 2024
• What is DNS? A Complete Guide to How DNS Works
• 4 Major Advantages of a Sole Proprietorship
• How to Write a Bakery Business Plan- Your Recipe for Success
• How to Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name
• Business Valuation- Learn the Value of Your Business
• Equity Crowdfunding- Is It Right For You?
• What is a Vertical Market and Why Should You Care?

Food truck business plan FAQ

How profitable is a food truck, how do i start a food truck business plan.

• Create customer personas 
• Put together a marketing plan 
• Write out your financial plan 

How much does a food truck cost?

Is a food truck business a good investment.

Keep up with the latest from Shopify

Get free ecommerce tips, inspiration, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.

By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from Shopify.

popular posts

The point of sale for every sale.

Subscribe to our blog and get free ecommerce tips, inspiration, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.

Unsubscribe anytime. By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from Shopify.

Latest from Shopify

Aug 30, 2024

Aug 29, 2024

Learn on the go. Try Shopify for free, and explore all the tools you need to start, run, and grow your business.

Try Shopify for free, no credit card required.

How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for food truck businesses who want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every food truck business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Food Truck Business Plan Template

What is a Food Truck Business Plan?

A food truck business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Food Truck Business Plan?

A food truck business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Food Truck Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful food truck business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a food truck business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your food truck company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast, among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your food truck business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your food truck firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen food truck business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a food truck business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the food truck industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the customers of a food truck business may include:

• People who work in the center of the city and are looking for a quick, healthy lunch option
• Students who are on a budget and are looking for a filling meal
• People who are attending events at the convention center and are looking for a variety of food options

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or food truck services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your food truck business via partnerships or by participating in food truck events.

Operations Plan

This part of your food truck business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a food truck business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new menu items, or expanding your territory to new neighborhoods or cities.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific food truck industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Food Truck

Balance Sheet

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Food Truck

Cash Flow Statement

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup food truck business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Food Truck

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your food truck company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Use the tips and templates in this article as a starting point, and you’ll be on your way to putting together a strong plan that will help you get the funding and support you need to succeed.  

Finish Your Food Truck Business Plan in 1 Day!

Other helpful articles.

Developing a Mission Statement For Your Food Truck

How to Start a Food Truck

Lisa Furgison

8 min. read

Updated July 3, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Food Truck Business Plan Template

Wondering how to start a food truck business?

We can’t blame you—the food truck craze is sweeping the nation. From thriving cities to small downtown areas, food on wheels is a growing trend. It’s not just drawing a new crowd of eat-on-the-street customers, it’s bringing in big bucks too. The food truck business pulls in an estimated $804 million in revenue every year, according to an industry report from IBIS World.

If this knowledge has your entrepreneurial spirit in high gear and you’re interested in learning how to start a food truck, we’ve got the tips and tricks to help you start selling must-eats from the streets. We asked two food truck owners to offer some insider secrets to get your business up and running,  who can tell you what starting a food truck is all about.

• Starting a food truck: Learn from the experts

Leigh Ann Tona rolls through the Delaware streets in her “I Don’t Give a Fork”  truck, which as the name implies, specializes in food that does not require utensils. Her menu consists mainly of sandwiches.

Anthony Fellows takes the Southern Florida streets by storm in his “HipPops”  truck, which is a micro creamery on wheels that offers homemade gelato bars.

With their help, we’ll explore whether or not starting a food truck business is right for you. We’ll go over the licensing and health inspection requirements, offer tips for success, and a list of resources to get you started.

• Is a starting a food truck business right for you?

Before your create a menu and design your truck, consider whether starting a food truck business really is the right fit for you. Ask yourself these four questions:

How well do I know the business?

Before taking the food truck plunge, there’s a lot of research to be done, Anthony says. He spent hours online reading guides and articles about successful businesses. He also toured “food truck cities” to watch traffic flow and speak with owners.

Figure out how many other food trucks specialize in the kind of food you plan on offering. If there are already three sandwich trucks that frequent the business district, is there room for yours too? Try to soak up as much information as you can before making a decision.

Like any other business, you’ll need to create a business plan , find startup funds, and handle all of the administrative tasks that come with owning a business.

Brought to you by

Create a professional business plan

Using ai and step-by-step instructions.

Secure funding

Validate ideas

Build a strategy

How will I find the right vehicle?

Both Anthony and Leigh Ann say that finding the right truck for your business is crucial. You’re not going to head out to your local dealership and buy a brand new 2014 food truck fresh off the showroom floor. Most food trucks are custom made. Leigh Ann’s truck, for example, was an old Entenmann’s delivery truck. It was gutted and fitted to meet her needs.

This process will take time and money, Anthony says. Plus, you want to find the right partner to build your truck because prices and workmanship can vary. Go in with a plan. To give you a few layout options, here are a few links:

• Food truck schematics with pictures
• Interior food truck video

Can I handle the schedule?

Your workday starts long before you pull into your lunchtime parking spot. You’ll need to buy food and prep it before you start putting everything together for your customers. While the weekday lunch crowd could be your main source of income, there are a lot of weekend events that could bring in some money too. Are you prepared to put in these hours?

Am I prepared to make money a few bucks at a time?

Anthony says his return on investment is based on nickels and dimes. In other words, if you’re selling a five dollar sandwich, your income will come in slowly. You’ll want to sit down and do the math. Figure out food costs, truck maintenance, and marketing expenses and see just how many items you need to sell to make the business profitable.

The technical side of starting a food truck

Creating a menu is the fun part, but there are plenty of not-so-glamorous aspects of the food truck business that you’ll need to tend to, like getting permits and setting up inspections.

Prepare for health inspections

Food trucks come with their own set of health inspection codes. These codes will vary depending on your business and its location, so you’ll want to check with your local department of health to get a complete list of rules.

While the codes can vary, here’s a look at an inspection checklist from Alameda County Department of Health in California to give you an idea of what an inspection consists of:

Equipment check:

• Are refrigeration units, steam table, and warming oven turned on and working properly?
• Is there hot and cold water inside the truck and is there adequate water pressure?
• Is there soap and paper towels available?
• Is there a working fire extinguisher on board?
• Is there a first aid kit on board?
• Does the truck have the correct signage?

Documentation requirements:

• Approved application documents from local government
• Food safety training certificate
• Current DMV registration
• Valid drivers license
• Seller’s permit

Other possible requirements:

• You may also need to provide a business plan,  menu, standard operating procedures, sampling plan, example of labels, and proof of current liability insurance.

Scheduled and random inspections:

• When you’re first starting a food truck business, you’ll have a scheduled inspection to make sure everything is up to code before you start feeding the lunch crowd. After that, most health departments require an annual inspection. In addition, you should expect random inspections from time to time.

Get a license

Before you park your truck in the downtown district to feed the masses, you’ll need a license. Go to your city website or visit the office building in person to understand how the process works. Each city is different, but expect to fill out an application and pay several fees.

To give you an idea of what’s required, here’s a look at the process in Rochester, New York.

• Fill out an application and attach proof of liability coverage, New York State sales tax certificate, New York State Health Department permit, and a list of all employees along with a photocopy of their ID.
• Complete a fire safety training class.
• Pass an inspection conducted by local city and fire officials, which could take up to 30 days to schedule.
• Pay fees. In Rochester, owners can pay $750 to set up in and around the City Center or $250 to set up outside the City Center. As with most cities, food trucks are only allowed to set up in designated areas and between certain times in Rochester.
• Tips for success

To succeed in this fast-paced food world, you’ll need a few pointers. To help make the process easier, here are a few tips from Leigh Ann and Anthony on starting a food truck business.

Specialize in a certain kind of food

For Leigh Ann, her specialty is sandwiches. For Anthony, it’s gelato. You can’t offer a full menu from a truck, but you can offer several high quality items that people crave. Pick a specialty and stick with it.

Market your business

Like any business, you need customers. To get customers, you need to market yourself and your food truck.  Both Anthony and Leigh Ann use social media to let people know where to find them. Anthony says at least four hours a day are spent monitoring and updating social sites. Sites like RoamingHunger also offer interactive maps to help customers find your truck.

Schedule routine maintenance

Let’s not forget, your restaurant is on wheels—so this means you have to handle routine vehicle maintenance. From oil changes to tire rotations, don’t overlook these chores because they will become a problem if left unattended, Anthony says.

Find a good mechanic

Along with routine maintenance, you’ll want to find a good mechanic, Leigh Ann says. When your generator fails on site or your truck won’t start, you’ll need the number of a trusted mechanic who offers service on location.

Get to know your customers

As with any restaurant business, you’ll start to see some of the same faces stop by. Get to know your customers.  If you have an extra minute, ask them how their day is going. One of the best ways to keep your loyal fan base coming back for more is to engage with them.

Watch your food prices

One of the expenses you’ll need to watch is your food cost, Anthony says. You want to find a balance between affordable and fresh ingredients, which can be tough. Anthony says he buys in bulk as much as possible to maximize his profits.

• Helpful resources

Here are several websites that offer additional information on how to start a food truck business:

• Mobile Food News:  A site dedicated to food truck headlines.
• Specialty Food Association:  A non-profit that promotes creators and entrepreneurs who sell specialty foods.
• Mobile-Cuisine.com:  A site that offers news and tips to promote and grow your food truck business.
• National Food Truck Association:  An 11-state group of food truck owners that provide resources and support for members.
• The Cost of Starting a Food Truck:  Forbes article that looks at startup costs.
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting a Food Truck Business:  A book that covers the many facets of the business.

Lisa Furgison is a multimedia journalist with a passion for writing. She holds a graduate degree in mass communications and spent eight years as a television reporter before moving into the freelance world, where she focuses mainly on content creation and social media strategies. Furgison has crisscrossed the U.S. as a reporter, but now calls Key West, Florida home. When she's not conducting interviews or typing away on her laptop, she loves to travel.

Table of Contents

• The technical side of starting a food truck

Related Articles

7 Min. Read

Risks of Starting a Subscription Business

8 Min. Read

How to Start a Small Web Design Firm

4 Min. Read

8 Questions to Ask Before Launching an Online Store

16 Min. Read

Starting a Travel Business: How to Become a Travel Agent

The LivePlan Newsletter

Become a smarter, more strategic entrepreneur.

Your first monthly newsetter will be delivered soon..

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy .

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

Food Truck Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Food Truck Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your food truck business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their food trucks.

Food Truck Business Plan Example & Template

Below is a template to help you create each section of your food truck business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck is a new food truck located in Portland owned by local critically acclaimed chef, Zane Benedict. The menu will consist of popular food options that consist of burgers, sandwiches, gyros, and tacos uniquely made with the creativity and uniqueness that Chef Zane can offer. Chef Zane’s eclectic style and consistency make him a favorite among Portland foodies and his food truck will garner a loyal following amongst young professionals and college students.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be located in the immensely popular food truck pod known as Cartopia. Chef Zane will receive lots of exposure by being a part of this community as there are plenty of neighboring food trucks, bars, nightlife, and entertainment options nearby. With the popular location of Cartopia and an impressive Instagram social media following, Zesty Zane’s Food Truck is destined to become a local go-to dining destination for anyone craving delicious, interesting fare at an affordable price.

Products Served

The following are the products to be offered by Zesty Zane’s Food Truck:

• Sandwiches & paninis
• Assorted non-alcoholic beverages

Customer Focus

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will target customers in Portland who live, work, or socialize near Cartopia. This area is frequented by numerous young professionals, college students, and the late-night crowd who regularly eat at food trucks. Anyone seeking trendy dining options are the target customers of Zesty Zane’s Food Truck.

Management Team

Chef Zane has worked in the culinary industry for over ten years and is accustomed to the long, demanding hours of operating a kitchen. He attended culinary school in San Francisco and returned home to Portland to be a part of the world-renowned food scene that Portland has built for itself. After working under three award-winning chefs, Chef Zane is ready to venture out on his own and start his own business as a food truck.

Chef Zane Benedict will be the food truck owner and operator of his food truck. He will operate the food truck Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 am until 1:00 am. Chef Zane will also employ two part-time cooks to assist him during peak hours of operation.

Success Factors

The following success factors will set Zesty Zane’s Food Truck apart from the competition:

• Exceptional cuisine made fresh with locally sourced ingredients.
• An eclectic menu that is unlike any other in the Portland food scene.
• Convenient location: Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be located in a highly-trafficked food truck pod that is frequented by college students, young professionals, and night-life regulars.
• Delicious food at a good price. Zesty Zane’s food items will be cheaper than other food truck dishes without sacrificing quality.

Financial Highlights

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck is seeking $40,000 in debt financing to open its food truck. The funding will be dedicated for the purchase of the food truck, cooking supplies and equipment, working capital, three months worth of payroll expenses and opening inventory. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Purchase of food truck – $20,000
• Food truck kitchen supplies and equipment – $10,000
• Opening inventory – $2,000
• Working capital (to include 3 months of overhead expenses) – $3,000
• Marketing (website design and management) – $5,000

The following graph outlines the pro forma financial projections for Zesty Zane’s Food Truck:

Company Overview

Who is zesty zane’s food truck.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck is a startup food truck business located in Portland, Oregon. The menu offerings are eclectic, made-to-order, bistro-type dishes served fresh and fast in the entertainment district of Portland. The ingredients are locally-sourced from independent food growers and artisans in and around the Portland region. The dishes are incorporated with an ingenious twist to commonly known popular food menu items. The menu options are simple dishes commonly seen at food trucks, but Chef Zane adds his own spin to the typical fare – sandwiches, gyros, burgers, and tacos all made his way unlike any other food establishment.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck is owned and operated by Zane Benedict, a local Chef classically trained in culinary school and under the most prestigious chefs in Portland. Chef Zane is known for his creativity, consistency, and quickness in the kitchen and his dishes receive multiple positive reviews in the restaurants Zane has been employed. Chef Zane specializes in fine French, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisine with a creative twist not typically found in other restaurant establishments.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck History

After graduating from culinary school in 2008, Chef Zane Benedict worked as a sous chef in three different restaurants in Portland. All of the chefs Zane worked under were award-winning, locally-acclaimed chefs that frequently trained their apprentices to prepare dishes up to their expectation and standards.

Chef Zane learned a great deal from these chefs and garnered a reputation himself for his creativity and consistency. Now that Zane feels he has learned as much as he can from the senior chefs, he would like to venture out on his own and start his own business. Due to the large amount of capital required to open a full-scale restaurant, Chef Zane decided a food truck business was the most cost-effective option for his operation.

Since incorporation, Zesty Zane’s Food Truck has achieved the following milestones:

• Developed the food truck’s branding image, social media, and website.
• Has a soft hold on a used food truck that recently went out of business.
• Developed and finalized the menu of the dishes Chef Zane will serve.
• Obtained a food permit license to be able to prepare and sell food and drinks in Portland County.
• Obtained a sales and use tax permit for use in Portland County.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck Products

The following are the types of menu items Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will produce:

Food Truck Industry Analysis

Food truck vendors will continue to perform well over the next five years, benefiting from consumers with deeper pockets who are able to spend on pricier gourmet food options. Revenues are expected to increase to $1.4 billion during this time period.

Food Truck industry operators are expected to continue to experience growth, as generally positive economic conditions and momentum from the gourmet food movement propel growth.

Consumers nowadays demand higher-quality food, a wider variety of styles and tastes, better presentation and, most importantly, more healthy menu options. Therefore, operators that include healthy options on their menus will be best situated for success over the next five years. Vendors that continue to offer unique food options will also be in a strong position by carving out a niche and developing a loyal customer base.

The food truck industry will also benefit from an increase in the urban population, which is expected to comprise the majority of the US population in five years. The food truck industry benefits from agglomeration because it relies on high foot traffic. Additionally, urban dwellers are also more likely to purchase meals rather than cooking at home due to their above-average incomes and limited spare time.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will target the population of Portland that frequently dines in the entertainment district. There is a large food truck area of Portland known as Cartopia, where Chef Zane will set up his business. This area is home to numerous dining establishments, nightlife, bars, clubs, and food trucks. The target market of this area are usually young professionals and college students who have disposable income.

The precise demographics for Portland, Oregon are:

Customer Segmentation

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will primarily target the following customer profile:

• Local residents of Portland who partake in late-night activities such as socializing with friends or bar-hopping
• Business professionals that work and reside in the Portland Cartopia area – law offices, hospitals, clinics, insurance agencies, retail, and schools
• College students who are in search of fast, cheap, and trendy eats

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be competing with other food trucks in the Portland community. A profile of each competitor is below.

Potato Champion

Potato Champion is a local favorite of Portland foodies that is also located in Cartopia. Started in 2008, Potato Champion quickly established itself as a fan favorite for late night food. Potato Champion serves a limited menu of hand cut, twice fried Belgian style fries, a variety of dipping sauces, and their own version of the Canadian classic Poutine, as well as other fry related dishes. They pride themselves in using the highest quality ingredients and focus on an inventive menu that combines tastes from all over the world with one of the most popular foods found on the globe, the french fry.

Potato Champion is open for lunch, dinner, and late-night. They are available for catering and delivery through Postmates. Followers of Potato Champion are also able to purchase swag from their store that includes music, bags, pins, and hoodies.

Started by John Eads in 2009, Pyro Pizza was built out of a 8’x16’ food cart that he custom-built with a cast iron wood fire oven. Aside from wood fired pizza, John also makes his own sodas using all real ingredients and natural cane sugar. John’s belief is that good ingredients make good food. His crew makes many components in-house and sources regional flour, pepperoni, sausage, blue cheese, soda ingredients, and seasonal produce all from Portland businesses and farms. In 2015, Pyro’s expanded to a new sandwich cart, Pyro’s Wicked Wiches – a scratch-made sandwich, soup, chips and cookie food cart.

Pyro’s serves an assortment of wood fire pizzas made from scratch. Their choices are margherita, marinara, arugula and mushroom, pepperoni, quattro formaggi, fennel sausage, veggie bianca, breadsticks, salads, and sodas.

Chicken and Guns

Chicken and Guns is another local favorite among Portland foodies. Also found in Cartopia, Chicken and Guns serves up Latin American chicken, wings, tacos, salad, soup, and their “guns” are crispy seasoned potatoes. The chicken is served by the quarter, half, or whole bird. Another item they are acclaimed for is their peruvian aji sauce, habanero carrot sauce and chimichurri sauce. They have been named the best fried chicken in Portland by the PDX Eater.

Chicken and Guns is open everyday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm for takeout and delivery options. With a large Instagram and social media following, there is always destined to be a line at the Chicken and Guns food truck.

Competitive Advantage

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

Food Truck Marketing Plan

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will offer a unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Delicious food made fresh with locally sourced ingredients using exquisite techniques.
• Located in the ultra-hip food truck area known as Cartopia.
• Great food at a great price. The menu offerings of Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be accessible to customers of all walks of life.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Zesty Zane’s Food Truck are as follows:

Social Media

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck’s main source of marketing will be through social media, primarily their Instagram page. Chef Zane has become adept at taking appealing photographs of his dishes. He will post pictures of his menu and add details on the location and hours of operation. His food truck account already has over 3,000 followers and he posts daily “Coming Soon” teaser photos.

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be parked in the immensely popular food truck hub known as Cartopia of Portland. There are dozens of food trucks located in this pod and there is always a crowd of people. Cartopia hosts bands, art shows, shopping events, and other social gatherings to enhance the entertainment vibe of the pod. By being part of Cartopia, Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will receive lots of exposure and traffic.

SEO Website Marketing

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck plans to invest funds into maintaining a strong SEO presence on search engines like Google and Bing. When a person types in “local food truck” or “top food trucks in Portland”, Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will appear in the top three choices. Zesty Zane’s will also invest in their website also to ensure that it is user friendly, always up to date, and displays professional photographs of its menu items and location.

Third Party Delivery Sites

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will maintain a presence on sites like GrubHub, Uber Eats, Doordash, and Postmates so that people looking for local food with the option of delivery will see Zesty Zane’s listed.

The pricing of Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be moderate and on par with other food trucks so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their menu items.

Operations Plan

The operations plan for Zesty Zane’s Food Truck is relatively simple as its overhead and cost is small. The functional roles for its employees are as follows:

Operation Functions:

• Chef Zane will run the food truck operation. He will be in charge of inventory, menu creation, food truck marketing, customer service, and bookkeeping. Chef Zane will work every day that he chooses to open the food truck. Chef Zane plans on operating the food truck Tuesday through Sunday 11:00 am to 1:00 am.
• Two part-time cooks that will alternate helping Chef Zane during the hours of operation. As business picks up, there will be two cooks at the same time assisting Chef Zane during peak hours.

Milestones:

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck aims to open in the next 3 months. The following are the milestones needed in order to obtain this goal.

4/15/202X – Purchase food truck

5/1/202X – Finalize menu

5/15/202X – Social media and advertising campaign begins

6/1/202X – Finish cleaning up the food truck and prepare it for operation

6/10/202X – Purchase food and drink inventory, stock truck, and park it at Cartopia

6/11/202X – Grand Opening of Zesty Zane’s Food Truck

Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will be owned and operated by Chef Zane Benedict.

Chef Zane Benedict, Food Truck Owner

Chef Zane Benedict is a Portland native who attended culinary school in San Francisco and returned to Portland to become a part of the world-renowned food scene Portland is uniquely known for. Zane was trained under three different chefs at fine dining establishments in downtown Portland and was awarded Best Sous Chef of Portland in 2017. Chef Zane has won two local culinary competitions, placed runner-up in a statewide competition, and participated in a cooking competition show on the Food Network.

Chef Zane has received numerous awards for his creativity and consistency of his food while being able to prepare dishes in a short amount of time. His ability to prepare food under pressure allows him the unique skill of serving numerous customers without having them undergo long wait times. This will keep customers happy and coming back for more.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Zesty Zane’s Food Truck will come from the menu items being offered daily.

The cost drivers will be the ingredients and products needed to make the menu items (oil, bread, meat, chicken, produce, drinks) as well as the cooking materials (pots, pans, bowls, plates, utensils, etc.). Other cost drivers will be the overhead expenses of payroll for the part-time employees and propane for the food truck.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

• Food Truck Marketing (website design and management) – $5,000

Key Assumptions

The following table outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the business loan.

Initial Number of Customers Per Day: 50

Average Menu Item Cost: $9.00

Average Order per Customer: $15.00

Annual Cost for Maintenance of Truck: $10,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Food Truck Business Plan FAQs

What is a food truck business plan.

A food truck business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your food truck business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your food truck business plan using our Food Truck Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Food Truck Companies?

There are a variety of types of food trucks, each specializing in a specific type of cuisine or food item. There are food trucks that sell burgers, cookies, ice cream, tacos, pizza, sandwiches, salads and more.  

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues and Expenses for a Food Truck Business?

The primary source of revenue for food truck businesses is its food and beverage sales. 

The key expenses for a food truck business are food costs, salaries, and transportation expenses. 

How Do You Get Funding for Your Food Truck Business?

Food truck businesses are typically funded through small business loans, personal savings, crowdfunding and credit card financing.  A well-crafted food truck business plan is essential to securing funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Food Truck Business?

Starting a food truck business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Food Truck Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan for your food truck that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your food truck business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your food truck business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Food Truck Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your food truck business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your food truck business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Food Truck Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your food truck business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your food truck business. Food truck marketing includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful food truck business:

• How to Start a Food Truck Business

Where Can I Get a Food Truck Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free food truck business plan template PDF here . This is a sample food truck business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Other Business Plan Templates

Catering Business Plan Template Bakery Business Plan Template Coffee Shop Business Plan Template Event Venue Business Plan Template

How to Start a Food Truck 09: Write a Business Plan

In the first two units of “ How to Start a Food Truck ,” we worked on making some basic decisions about your food truck concept  and  researching the local laws  and requirements for trucks in your area. With those lessons under your belt, you’re now ready to start making some real decisions about the business side of your food truck. First up on the schedule? We’re going to show you how to write a solid business plan that will serve as your roadmap to food truck fame.

Now, if you’re a long-time FoodTruckr fan, you might remember the article, “ How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan ,” a massive 2,600-word post we wrote several months ago. This article was one of our most popular, and with good reason—a business plan will guide you through each step of building your food truck and keep you accountable to the goals you set along the way. Your business plan is a great place to run the numbers and develop a clear picture of what it’s going to take to succeed in this tough industry, and it’s also a fantastic way to show potential investors and business partners that you’re really serious about your truck.

We firmly believe that every FoodTruckr needs a business plan, so we also created a free worksheet to accompany our original post . Though that worksheet was previously only available to members of our email list , we’re reprinting it here today so that every aspiring food truck owner can take advantage of this valuable information. Whether you’ve just started learning how to start a food truck or you’re already a pro with an established fleet of trucks, a business plan is an essential part of long-term success—and that’s why this is one of the most important lessons in the entire “ How to Start a Food Truck ” series.

How To Use This Lesson

As we mentioned before, the FoodTruckr article “ How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan ” serves as an introduction to this week’s lesson. We highly recommend reading it first and then referring back to it as a guide to understand why each of these sections matters. The U.S. Small Business Administration also has great information for entrepreneurs who are just getting started with their business plans.

Each of the following sections includes a brief summary of the information that should be included and a list of questions or items to help you begin writing. Your business plan will probably take you several weeks to complete, so don’t worry about finishing it in one sitting. When you’re finished, you should have several small essays in each section. The information you gather during this exercise will guide you in all of your future business decisions—and will also serve as a solid foundation if you decide to pursue funding or investment opportunities in the future.

Ready to get started? Let’s dig in!

1. Executive Summary

As we explained in “ How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan ,” the Executive Summary will appear first in the final version of your document—but you should write it last. The Executive Summary is an overview of your entire truck. It gives readers a brief introduction into what they can find in your business plan and it helps you succinctly explain what your truck is all about in no more than one to two pages. After you’ve completed Sections 2-9, return to the Executive Summary section and write a brief explanation of the following topics:

• Your experience and background
• Your food truck’s mission statement
• How your food truck fills a gap in the local market
• Your target customers
• Your products and the benefits you offer customers
• Your financial information and funding needs
• Your future goals and plans

2. Company Description

The Company Description is the section where you’ll highlight the different facets of your business—starting with your pitch and your goals. We addressed many of the questions about what your truck does and who it will serve in the first few lessons of “ How to Start a Food Truck ,” and we’ll talk more about goal-setting in next week’s post. Once you’re ready to complete this section, here are a few questions to answer:

• What is your truck’s name?
• When was it started?
• What do you serve ?
• Does your food truck satisfy a gap in the local marketplace? How does your menu meet the community’s needs?
• What is unique about your food truck ?
• Who does your food truck serve? (a specific group of customers, local businesses, events)
• What competitive advantages do you have over other food trucks? (location, value, expertise, efficiency, a unique menu)
• How will you attract customers to your truck? Note: This should be a brief description, as you’ll tackle this question in-depth when you get to Section 6.
• What kind of demand is there for your food truck? Again, answer briefly because you will address industry trends more thoroughly in Section 3.
• What are your short-term and long-term goals for your food truck?
• What type of business philosophies do you operate under?
• What is your truck’s mission statement?

3. Market Analysis

In the Market Analysis, you’ll explain your knowledge of the food truck industry and report on any research you’ve completed. Be sure to include any data or statistics you have and explain how you arrived at the answers. Consider these questions:

• How big is the food truck industry?
• What type of growth rate has the industry seen in the past year? The past 10 years?
• How is the food truck industry expected to grow over the next year? The next 10 years?
• Who do food trucks serve?
• What customers make up your target market? What characteristics do they share?
• How big is your target market? Where are they located?
• What do your customers need? Is anyone else currently meeting their needs?
• When will your customers buy from you? What challenges will you face in making sales?
• What percentage of the local market share can you reasonably expect to obtain?
• Do you expect this population to grow over time?
• What trucks will you compete against? Assess the competition by looking at each truck’s market share, advertising methods, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Are there any secondary competitors you’ll be up against? (Local restaurants, fast-food chains, convenience stores)
• How will you price items on your menu? Will you offer any discounts? Under what circumstances will you offer these discounts?
• What are the regulations and laws regarding food trucks in your city (and any nearby cities you might serve in)?
• How will local ordinances affect your ability to sell food?
• What does it take to be successful in the food truck industry ?
• What is your greatest obstacle to starting and running a successful food truck—and how will you overcome it?

Are you currently doing any kind of email marketing or social media marketing? If so, then you should also be doing Facebook Messenger Marketing! Click here to find out more .

4. Organization and Management

Next up is the Organization and Management section—the place in your business plan where you’re going to explain who’s on your team and what each person’s roles and responsibilities include. Be as specific as possible while answering these questions:

• Who are the owners? What percentage of the company does each person hold?
• What is each person’s job description? What are his or her responsibilities?
• What experience does each person have? (Education, job background, unique skills, previous duties, honors and awards)
• Do any of the owners have experience in the food truck industry? How about in the restaurant, hospitality, or food service industries?
• Have any of the owners ever started a business or been involved in a startup?
• Why is each person qualified to own and operate a food truck?
• How will each person be compensated?
• Why is each person involved in this project?
• How will each person’s unique skills contribute to the food truck’s success?
• What financial assets or capital does each person have?
• Do you have an attorney or financial advisor? List their contact information here.

5. Services and Products

In the Services and Products section, you get to highlight all of the tasty goodness your food truck has to offer. Explain what you’re going to sell and why it will hit a home run with fans. And if you have ideas for the future, lay them all on the line here. Use these questions to get started:

• What does your food truck offer?
• Why will people visit your food truck?
• What advantages does your menu offer over other trucks?
• How developed are your menu and the recipes you’re planning to offer? Have you already prepared the items or are they all in the idea stage?
• Do you have any unique recipes or ideas that require copyrights, trademarks, or patents ? Have you applied for these licenses yet?
• Will your truck center around a signature item or are you planning to offer an expansive menu?
• Will you offer catering or appear at events ?
• Could you open additional trucks, offer franchises, or create a brick and mortar location in the future?

6. Marketing and Sales

Every successful food truck shares the same main ingredient—loyal customers. In the Marketing and Sales section, you’ll explain how you’re going to get them. First, let’s focus on the marketing aspect of that process:

• How will you break into the food truck market?
• How will you reach new customers ? ( Social media , local ads, press releases, location update apps , word of mouth, events , discounts, local deal programs, a website )
• How can you encourage customers to return ? (Discounts, samples, loyalty programs )
• How will your food truck grow and find more customers over time?
• Will you branch out to include new items or expand to find new customers?
• How will you compete with other restaurants and fast-food chains?
• What will your marketing efforts cost?

Now, let’s think about your sales strategy. Some business owners answer these questions twice, once with their “best guesses” and once with their “worst-case scenarios.” To answer these questions, you’ll first need to calculate your necessary profit margins and develop a pricing plan for your menu—a topic we’ll explain later this month in “ How to Start a Food Truck ”. Once you’ve completed these estimates, consider:

• What will the average order cost at your truck?
• How many sales do you need to make per year, month, week, and day to break even? How many to turn a profit?
• What are your sales figures based on?
• How many days per year will you sell? Note: Remember to subtract days for any time you may want to take off and for days that you might lose due to inclement weather or mechanical problems with your truck .

7. Funding Request

Because many food truck owners bootstrap their businesses or work with partners to get their trucks running, the Funding Request section is optional. However, if you’re interested in finding an investor to back your truck, you’ll need to answer these questions:

• How much funding do you need to get started? Remember to include all of the costs associated with running your food truck, including: the vehicle itself, truck wrap and signs, equipment or commercial kitchen space , maintenance, fuel, insurance, licenses and permits , staff members, cooking utensils, paper products and utensils for customers, groceries , cleaning supplies, parking , office supplies, credit card processing systems , website or phone fees, legal and accounting fees, and marketing materials.
• What costs do you anticipate over the next year? The next five years?
• How did you arrive at these figures?
• How will you use any funds you receive?
• How do you intend to repay any loans you receive—or, what percentage of the profits will your investor receive in return?
• What opportunities will funding provide for your business?

8. Financial Projections

Once you’ve established sales plans and a cost analysis for your food truck, you’ll get more specific about the facts and figures in your Financial Projections section. Here’s what you need to include:

• For the first year, create monthly or quarterly projections for your total income, costs, and losses.
• After completing projections for the first year, create a quarterly or annual estimate for the next four years.
• If you’re seeking funding and you already have a business, you may need to include financial data for the past several years related to your company’s income, cash flow, and costs—as well as records explaining your assets and existing loans.

Note: For most entrepreneurs, this section involves a lot of guesswork. That’s okay as long as you clearly indicate where you’re making assumptions and how you’re arriving at your figures. Be sure that any numbers included in your funding request clearly match up with the projections and expectations you’ve outlined in other sections, as investors will carefully examine your document for inconsistencies.

9. Appendix

Some business owners also create appendices with important documents to supplement their business plans. Though an appendix is not required, it is a good way to present your most important records to potential investors and to collect the information for yourself.

Your appendix might include:

• A copy of your personal or business credit history
• Pictures, recipes, or prototypes for products and menu items
• Resumes for your owners or team managers
• Reference letters
• Licenses, permits, and certifications
• Patents, trademarks, or copyright information
• Market analysis documents
• Leasing information
• Your truck’s maintenance and ownership records
• Contact information for your business consultants or legal advisors

Finalizing Your Business Plan

We’ve tackled a lot of sizable topics throughout the “ How to Start a Food Truck ” series, but writing a business plan is undoubtedly one of the biggest. Writing a business plan will take some time, and you’ll probably need to think about a lot of areas of your food truck business that hadn’t even occurred to you yet. That’s okay—you don’t need to have all the answers right now. You’ll benefit simply from beginning to compile this information and from thinking about these questions in the space of a single document.

Once you’ve finished writing about the key facets of each area of your business, you can start editing and revising the document to present a clear, comprehensive outline of your food truck’s needs, goals, and assets. If you’re presenting your business plan to an investor, keep in mind that spelling, punctuation, and your writing style matter immensely. Investors will judge your business plan by the information you include and by the way you share it.

Still have questions about what your business plan should include or where to find the answers? Remember that FoodTruckr is here to help! Any time you have a question about your business plan or you need to know something about the food truck industry, contact us on Facebook , Twitter , or via email . We’re always happy to help you track down the best business advice and strategies you need to make your food truck dream a reality!

Coming up next week:  We talk goal-setting and the best ways to plan out your dreams. Stay tuned for this important lesson in starting a food truck business !

Want to learn how to build a subscriber list for your food truck business? One of our managing partners here at FoodTruckr has put together an AMAZING FREE GUIDE that will teach you everything you need to know about getting started with Messenger Marketing ! Click here to get your free guide .

image by  Elin Schönfelder

About the Author

FoodTruckr is the #1 online destination for current and aspiring food truck owners looking to succeed in the mobile food industry. Self described “food truck devotees,” the FoodTruckr team enjoys reading about successful entrepreneurs, salivating over photos of burritos on Twitter, and long walks through food truck parks. Chat with FoodTruckr on Facebook or check out the FoodTruckr School podcast for more awesome tips to level up your business.

Love it? Share it: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Search Posts by Category

• #FoodTruckFan (11)
• 12 Days of FoodTruckr (14)
• Branding (47)
• Business (486)
• Business Bites (415)
• Customer Relationships (40)
• Employees (18)
• Events (38)
• Finances (25)
• Food Truck Catering (1)
• Food Truck Financing (15)
• Food Truck Industry Report (1)
• Food Truck Insurance (1)
• FoodTruckr Heroes (25)
• FoodTruckr News (7)
• Guest Post (16)
• How to Run a Food Truck (41)
• How to Start a Food Truck (28)
• Locations (8)
• Marketing (89)
• Podcast (37)
• Social Media (44)
• The Great Food Truck Race (6)
• Truck Maintenance (11)
• Truck Profiles (37)
• Uncategorized (1)
• Website (7)

FoodTruckr Newsletter

© 2018 FoodTruckr, LLC

How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan: Thrive Your Food Truck Business

• Business Plan Food Truck Business Plan

Most Recent Articles

Top eCommerce Website Builders to...

August 16, 2024

DoorDash Top Dasher: Requirements And...

July 23, 2024

Top 15 Design Elements Every...

July 9, 2024

AI in Restaurants: How AI...

June 26, 2024

How to Register Your Restaurant...

June 18, 2024

• October 14, 2022

Quick Summary: Want to start a food truck business? It’s a fantastic initiative, and with a little and the right effort, you can make it a super successful business. But, do you know any successful business starts with a plan, and you need to take the proper steps, make informed decisions, and dedication to turning your initiatives into an ever-growing business? And, in business, everything begins with a plan. A food truck business plan is the first right step that will decide the future of your business. So, we have made all your effort to bring you a perfect business plan template for your food truck. Let’s explore;

With USD 5.78 Billion market size worldwide , a food truck is the most lucrative business today with minimum investment. And, with the support of technology solutions, the business can achieve unbeatable success in no time.

So, if you want to start this food truck business, you have made an excellent choice, though you need to take every step carefully to make it a successful business. First, you need to begin with making a food truck business plan so you validate your idea, get appropriate funding, have the right, and understand your market.

In this article, we have suggested the best food truck business plan template to help you get the best start. Bust, we also suggested a few requisites that you should know. So, here we go;

Table of Contents

Know If It is the Right Time to Start a Food Truck Business

Before you jump to explore a food truck business plan sample, find out if this is the right choice for you. Here’s how you can dig it out.

Your Experience and Knowledge About the Food Truck Business

According to experts, there is a lot of research to be done before diving into the food truck world. People need to read books and articles on profitable firms for hours online. Visit “food truck markets” to observe the flow of traffic and speak to business owners. More than that, you can even do a job to gain some experience.

Determine how many other food trucks serve the cuisine you plan to do. Is there a place for your sandwich truck in the commercial district? Find the locations, and visit them. Before making a choice, try to learn as much as possible.

Like any other firm, you’ll need to come up with a business strategy, secure startup capital, and take care of all the associated administrative duties.

Interested in Upgrading your Food Truck Business to Online Food Ordering?

Food Truck Business Plan Template

The difficulties and risks of starting a street food business are similar to those of other startup ventures. But before you open the window and begin slinging sandwiches (or tacos, or barbecue, or…), food trucks have specific issues to address.

You might wish to use our helpful business plan template to take notes or scribble down your creative ideas as they occur. Additionally, Natalie Basile and Mikey Wheeler-Johnson of Eats Amoré Mobile Italian Cuisine, who have extensive experience operating food trucks, were interviewed. Their knowledge and expertise are shared throughout this guide.

Executive Summary

Despite the fact that this is the first section of your business plan, you should write it last. Get things in order first because your executive summary will include all the highlights from the rest of your business plan.

When writing this part, keep your audience in mind. This summary can be quick and dirty if you’re creating a business strategy for yourself in order to stay motivated, organized, and goal-focused.

Your executive summary should emphasize profitability, dependability, and expertise in order to make your food truck seem like a sure thing if your business plan’s goal is to get a bank loan.

While it’s crucial to highlight the distinctive features of your food service model, spend a lot of time demonstrating that you also comprehend the challenges of managing a small business.

Business Overview / Company Overview

Explain the specifics of your business in this area of your food truck business plan. Then, briefly describe your food truck business and explain how it will be a helpful expansion of the current market. In essence, this is where you can go into more detail about the subjects you briefly touched on in the executive summary.

As you going to create your food truck company description, keep the following in mind: Which type of food truck—a truck, trailer, or food cart—will it be?

• Why choose a food truck over a traditional restaurant?
• Do you intend to cook in the truck or at a commissary?
• How will the cuisine you offer compete with the offerings of the restaurants or food trucks that already exist in your target area?
• Will you have a physical food truck business, or will you sell online also?
• Will you need an online food ordering system, website, or app?

Management Team

The next phase in your food truck business plan is outlining your organization and management plan. However, explaining your organization and management structure might not seem crucial if you want to start a food truck with two employees.

However, defining roles upfront might help you avoid confusion as your company expands and changes. This section should include a thorough description of your management team, details regarding the ownership of your business, the pay and benefits you’ll provide to your employees, and prospects for career advancement within your company.

Making a chart that displays your company’s organizational structure is a terrific way to demonstrate that everything is taken care of, from the food truck kitchen cooks to the accountant.

Did you know the Online Food Ordering System can help take orders online and customers can place orders using the digital QR code menu? Want to understand it in detail? Contact Us, Now

Ownership details

Legal framework (Do you intend to form a partnership? (Are you an individual?

• Names in full of the owners
• The proportion of the business that each owner owns Ownership type (sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, etc.)
• Data regarding stocks
• Your management team’s individual profiles:
• Names of the team members
• Job description and principal duties of each member
• Educational background of the team
• Experience and abilities that are crucial to the success of your business Salary

Success Factors/ Create User Persona

You’ll describe your ideal client in this section of your food truck business plan. Who lives there? What is their age? Which cuisines do they enjoy? How much money do they have available? Since every city and area is unique, you’ll need to conduct extensive demographic research to fill up this part. After that, incorporate it into your menu and pricing.

Financial Highlights

Your company, like most others, will probably succeed or fail based on the quality of your financial plan. However, you must be aware of the amount of money coming in and leaving and how those figures are expected to alter in the future. So make sure to sift through your potential balance sheet to comprehend how profits and costs will impact your business fully.

• Gain margin
• Added expenses

Food Truck Products

You have the chance to describe your imaginative culinary vision in this part, so keep in mind that there are some restrictions and things to take into account when it comes to the food that comes out of your truck.

Food needs to be convenient to eat in a range of situations.

Keep it simple: while you might be able to create sophisticated individual items, it might be challenging or impossible to offer an extensive, complex menu with a finite amount of room, personnel, equipment, and storage.

Try to meet a need in your community. For example, make som tam rather than a Margherita pie if there are currently a number of pizza vendors but no Thai restaurants nearby.

Go out and research the local food truck scene to get a sense of what they are selling and what are the most beneficial products.

Industry Analysis

Your food truck business plan’s market analysis part is where you’ll explain and go into detail about how you’ll fit into the current market. Before writing this section, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research on opening a food truck business so that you can support your assertions with credible research.

• Include the following topics in your section on food truck market analysis:
• Describe the food sector, taking into account the most important consumer groups, growth rate, and current developments.
• Identify your target market’s age group, region, socioeconomic level, and other important demographic details.
• Determine your target market’s wants and any seasonal trends that may have an impact on your organization.
• Establish the size and potential expansion of your target market

Customer Analysis

A company’s business strategy or marketing plan must include a section on customer analysis (also known as customer profile). It names the target audience, determines their wants, and then describes how the product satisfies those needs.

Competitive Analysis

Let’s take a look at the many sorts of data that are typically used in this kind of research, as there are many different methods for practical competitor analysis.

There are a few key components you should make sure to include while doing a high-level competitive analysis about competitors’ market positioning, such as:

• Who are the intended clients they target?
• What makes their company and products distinct
• Key characteristics or advantages they emphasize in sales materials
• Prices for goods across a number of markets
• How and the way they handle shipping;
• How much money or venture capital have they gotten?

Competitive Advantage

Its competitive advantage is the combination of marketing components that distinguishes your company from the competition. It’s about the distinctive advantage clients receive from doing business with you.

Marketing Plan

Your food truck marketing plan is no different from a restaurant marketing plan . It should include particular techniques to draw in your target demographic as well as a description of your overall marketing approach. Your food truck marketing plan should also contain strategies for enhancing client loyalty and repeat business.

Here are some of the practical food truck marketing tips you try explaining in your food truck business plan.

• How will you outdo other food trucks in your neighborhood?
• Will you undercut the prices of your rivals?
• Will you present a novel product to the market?
• How do you plan to expand your company?
• Will you bring on more staff?
• Are you going to buy more food trucks?
• Will you broaden the region that your truck covers?
• How will your products be distributed?
• Will your truck be your only point of sale?
• Will you go to festivals or fairs with food trucks?
• How will you connect with your audience?
• Will you run advertisements in print, radio, or outdoor billboard media?
• You will establish a significant social media presence using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.
• Will you give loyal consumers extra benefits or discounts?

Operations Plan

The daily operations of your food truck business, including the location of your truck, your menu, and your crew, are described in the operations plan. In addition, a summary of your procurement strategy for your food truck’s supplies and equipment should be included.

Supply Chain

To sell food, you need ingredients. Where will you find them, though? Let’s examine your choices.

Your facility is your truck. Thus, give significant consideration to the type of vehicle you want to purchase.

Production potential

How long does it typically take to prepare a dish from your menu? This is a crucial factor that could reduce the number of clients you can serve each day.

Must Read: How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

How Foodiv Helps Run Your Food Truck Startup?

Well, we can help in many ways: First, we help you with a best-in-class online food ordering system . The system will offer you a centralized ordering system through which you can take orders online and manage the process smoothly. Second, the system comes with a QR code menu system so your customers can place orders after selecting the menu. The process takes all the stress out so you can stay focused on the core business objective.

Final Thoughts

Starting a food truck business is not a big deal; anyone can do this. But, creating a successful one requires brainstorming at the initial stage. A food truck business plan is just a step forward; you have plenty of other things to do, and implementation of your plan is the primary one. We have suggested the business plan for your food truck business, though we are here to help you with all your needs, whether it is consultation for integrating a SaaS-based online food ordering system. Let’s connect today.

Frequently Asked Questions about Food Truck Business Plan

Is a food truck a good business.

Yes, the food truck business is the best choice for people looking to make good money with less investment. This business can help you with $500,000 in revenue a year, with startup costs of around $40,000 – $50,000.

What type of food trucks are most profitable?

It depends on the region and the popularity of the food. For example, if you are starting a food truck business in the USA, the following food truck items can be the best choice;

• Regional street food
• Coffee Trucks
• Smoothie / Healthy Drink
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Ice cream and soft serve

You can create a list of items you want to sell in the food truck business plan template above.

How much can you invest in a food truck?

If you are investing in a food truck in India, you might have to spend around 10 lakhs to 20 lakhs, while starting a food truck business in the USA will cost you about $40 to $50K.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues and Expenses for a Food Truck Business?

Depending on the food and beverages sales, you can gain revenue, though you can consider an online food ordering facility to make the most out of your food truck business.

Related Posts

Top eCommerce Website Builders to Explore in 2025

Quick Summary: Buying and selling goods and services has undergone substantial transformation, like every other industry in the last couple of years. More than running an offline business is required; you need to adapt to the trend and embrace online platforms to support your business growth. But is it as easy as you think? No, if you don’t explore. Yes, if you explore, research, and find the right eCommerce website builders. In this article, we...

DoorDash Top Dasher: Requirements And Benefits

Quick Summary: DoorDash rewards its reliable delivery persons, though many questions surround the DoorDash Top Dasher. People associated with DoorDash as food delivery staff have a lot of questions, such as what the DoorDash Top Dasher program is and how to become one. Let’s get straightforward. Top Dasher is a way of recognizing and rewarding the best Dashers who work and deliver food and other items to people with passion and reliability. But there’s a...

Top 15 Design Elements Every Restaurant Website Must Have

Quick Summary: Are you planning to create a restaurant website? Have you considered and explored all restaurant website design elements you need to have on the website? If not, we have done it for you. The article helps you with the best restaurant website design ideas and details of all crucial elements. Your website must have an appealing interface that attracts people, navigates them easily, keeps them engaged, and helps them place orders conveniently. Before...

Kickstart Food Business for your Restaurant, only with Foodiv!!

• Market Research and Opportunity Analysis Report (MROAR)
• Project Profile (PP)
• Business Feasibility Study Report (BFSR)
• Business Modelling (BM)
• Business Plans (BP)

Detailed Project Report

• Visa Business Plan
• Franchise Business Plan
• Non Profit Business Plan
• Sales & Marketing
• Departmental Business Plan
• Investment Pitch
• Automotive & Transport
• Financial Technology
• Health Technology
• Food Technology
• Agricultural Technology
• Energy & Clean Technology
• Consumer Goods & Services
• Real Estate
• Educational Technology
• Entertainment
• Hospitality
• Fashion & Retail
• Registration
• Search for:

• FOOD TRUCK BUSINESS

₹ 4,999.00 – ₹ 71,999.00

Description

Additional information, business feasibility study report, business modelling, business plan.

Today, new kinds of snack centers are becoming popular in urban areas because of the increasing demand for snacks and quick food. Everyone is trying hard to match and innovate new trends in the restaurant sector, and the trends like online food ordering and on the go food are supporting these types of businesses. Food Trucks are one of the successful trendsetters of these types. A Food Truck is a vehicle equipped with a kitchen, storage capacity, and food serving area. Starting a food truck business requires a commercial vehicle, registration for truck, permits from the local municipalities, a food handler certificate, driver license, health inspection, access to clean water, etc. Starting a food truck is easier as it requires a relatively small amount of capital than any brick and mortar restaurant. Moreover, location is a prime factor while setting a food truck. Targeting crowded places in cities can make this idea into a profitable business venture.

The supporting factors for the food truck businesses are;

• India is a country having more than 50% population below the age of 25 and more than 65% below the age of 35.
• Growing economy.
• The younger population is relocating to urban areas.

Over the last few years, food truck businesses are performing well in the restaurant sector. Food trucks are mainly known for fast food options, but adding healthier options in the menus would generate new health-conscious foodies portfolio for your business. The dependability on online food delivering platforms among the people has shown us the great opportunity to serve a larger crowd with catchy and pocket-friendly menus.

Thus, starting a food truck business would be a profitable business idea linked with the consistency in food quality and taste.

Enquire Before Buying

The Business Feasibility/ Viability Study is performed to support the decision-making process based on a cost-benefit analysis of the business. It is a strategically designed informative document which will manifest Opportunities along with the limitations about the Restaurants And Snacks Centers and will support in identifying the project viability. The business is viable/ feasible only when it claims to make profits for a longer period and sustain. The longer a company can stay profitable, the more the project is viable.

Our report will provide all the statistical data on the legal, technical, social, economic, and many more factors; which will help you in determining the business feasibility/ viability. It also offers a past performance of the business and industry, such as a description of the product or service, market insights, current trends, details of management and operations, financial data, legal requirements, etc.

Report Highlighting Point:

• Business Feasibility: Study of Micro and Macro elements of the Business.
• Market feasibility:  Includes Market Insights, Market Potential for the Product and/or Services, etc.
• Technical and Financial Feasibility:  List of Plant Machineries/ Equipment, Laboratory Setup, Calculations on Operating Cost, ROI and BEP.
• HR and Infrastructural Feasibility:  Location, Building, Utilities, Manpower Requirement, etc.

Download TOC

Business Modelling is a method of identifying the best model or process for the business, and it is one of the most essential and differentiating steps of Business Planning. Our Business Modelling report will help you understand the most sustainable, potential, profitable business models for Food Truck Business, which will simplify all important points about those models one by one. The other highlighting points for this Business Modelling Report are overall views upon;

• Size and Potential
• Target Markets
• Legal details
• Costing and Pricing

Furthermore, it serves the purpose by explaining who your customer is, what value you can create/add for the customer and how you can do that at inexpensive prices.

• Business and Concept
• Market Research and Analysis
• Feasible Business Models
• Budget Calculation for Each Model

A business plan is a document which describes the overall business, its products or services, revenue model, strategies, human resources, financial analysis, operations model, and other details that are essential for the success. A good business plan can go a long way to eliminate the odds of failure. It serves as a road map that provides direction to the business.

The improvements in the techniques and machinery are supporting the demand-supply and growth of the Restaurant and Snacks Sector; and for studying those demanding figures, we need to prepare an effective business plan with comprehensive information from different business regulations. (Which are production plan, operational plan, SCM plan, sales, and marketing plan, administrative plan, etc.)

Our business plan will help you in –

• Finalizing the best-fitted model
• Determine goals and areas
• Details of every department of the business.
• Raising money for business
• To identify potential weaknesses
• Elevator Pitch
• Business Overview:  Market Dynamics, Market Size, Market Potential, Strategic Analysis using Porter’s Model, PESTLE Analysis, SWOT Analysis, BCG, ETOP Analysis, etc.
• Project Details: Company Description, Goal Setting, Legal Requirements, Production Process, Logistic and SCM, Sales and Marketing Plan, etc.
• Financial Analysis: Includes Capital Budgeting, P&L Statement, Balance Sheet, etc.
• Business Projections over 5 years
• Milestone and Timeline Planning.

A Detailed Project Report on Food Truck Business is a document which will provide you information on the overall understanding of the proposed business. DPR is nothing but the absolute informative document which will help you gain all the knowledge and help you explain the project to all the stakeholders. It explains details gathered for Economic Analysis, Technical Analysis, Financial Analysis, Social Analysis, Managerial and Production/Technological aspects of the Business.

It initially serves the purpose of structuring

• Serves as a Master Plan
• Describes Direction / Road Map
• Shows Feasibility
• Forecasts Requirements
• Indicates Profitability
• Helps in Decision Making

Thorough information from various areas for unilateral fulfillment.

• Project Details:  Pre-requisites, Project Implementation Plan, Mech-Structural Plan, Sales and Marketing Plan, Manufacturing Process Flow Chart, Personnel Requirement.
• Financial Analysis (5 years):  Capital Budgeting, Financial Ratios, etc.

Available Options:

Related products.

LEMONGRASS OIL MANUFACTURING

PACKAGED SUGARCANE JUICE MANUFACTURING UNIT

TIGERNUTS MILK PROCESSING UNIT

ACTIVATED CARBON MANUFACTURING UNIT

Food truck business plan template + PDF

This guide introduces a specialized AI Business Plan Generator template, meticulously designed for entrepreneurs planning to launch or grow their food truck business. It's crucial to highlight that the names and financial data featured in this example are entirely hypothetical, intended solely for illustrative purposes to depict the planning process. These scenarios are deliberately crafted to demonstrate how you can adapt your own AI-generated Food Truck Business Plan to meet the specific challenges and seize the opportunities within your food truck endeavor.

For seamless customization, we provide a "Food Truck Business Plan PDF" available for download. This document is a vital asset for entrepreneurs dedicated to developing a powerful and effective strategy for starting or expanding their food truck. The 'AI Business Plan Generator' serves as a comprehensive guide, offering profound insights into the food truck sector. It equips you with all the essential tools needed for successfully managing and scaling your food truck business.

How this food truck business plan sample was created

Create your custom food truck business plan with ease using our AI Business Plan Generator. Simply click 'Generate your business plan' and respond to a set of straightforward questions about your food truck enterprise. Our advanced AI technology will analyze your answers to formulate a business plan that exactly matches your food truck's goals and specifications. This method is swift and efficient, generally taking just 5-10 minutes to finalize, and results in a detailed and well-organized plan. Our system offers the flexibility to alter and perfect the plan, ensuring it completely reflects your unique vision. Once complete, your plan is ready to download, providing a concise, comprehensive guide for launching and growing your food truck. Make the most of our AI business plan generator, optimized for food truck ventures, to enhance your strategic planning.

Food truck business plan sample

Executive summary, business description, market research and analysis, swot analysis.

• Organizational Structure and Management Team

Products or Services

Marketing and sales strategy, operations plan, financial projections, risk analysis.

Urban Eats Food Truck emerges as a vibrant and innovative player in the Austin food truck landscape, offering a delectable selection of gourmet burgers, tacos, and artisan sandwiches served fresh and fast to a bustling city of professionals, students, and street food aficionados. Our mission is to deliver a tapestry of urban-inspired flavors, with a versatile menu that caters to a multitude of dietary preferences including vegetarian and vegan options, complemented by impeccable service, and the convenience that comes with mobility.

The food truck industry, on the wings of urban growth and the upswing of on-the-go dining culture, presents a fertile ground for Urban Eats Food Truck. With an industry annual growth rate of approximately 6.8%, the promise for expansion and profitability is clear. Our target market taps into this potential, focusing on the intersection of convenience and quality that resonates with our urbanscape's high-energy rhythm. We engage with our customers through dynamic, multi-channel marketing strategies, harnessing the power of social media, strategic partnerships, and community events to build a loyal following.

As a Limited Liability Company, we take pride in our professional and driven management team, helmed by Alex Johnson, an entrepreneur with an impressive track record in hospitality who manages daily operations and charts strategic direction. Jamie Rivera, our Head Chef, brings culinary expertise and inventive menu development, nourishing our promise of freshness and quality. Marketing is spearheaded by Taylor Smith, whose prowess in brand promotion secures our footprint in the digital and physical realm, while financial oversight is deftly handled by Morgan Lee, who ensures our financial sustainability through meticulous management.

Our operations model is streamlined for efficiency—focusing on a rotating weekly schedule that maximizes exposure across key areas in Austin. Adhering to stringent quality control measures and incorporating agile inventory management systems, Urban Eats ensures that every burger flipped and every taco served upholds our commitment to culinary excellence. In anticipation of further growth, our staffing model is crafted to scale, projecting the addition of skilled culinary personnel and savvy digital marketing expertise to our team as demand increases.

Financially, Urban Eats is poised for a robust trajectory, with forecasts suggesting an ascension from $200,000 in year-one revenue to $400,000 by year five. Our assumptions presume steady market demand and customer loyalty, buoyed by our strategic marketing efforts and operational efficiencies. We project a growth in net profit margins rising from the initial 10% to a sustainable 20%, reflecting our brand’s increasing market penetration and pricing power.

Ever-mindful of the potential risks intrinsic to the mobile food industry—from mechanical breakdowns to inclement weather—we are prepared with comprehensive mitigation and contingency strategies. Our affiliation with "QuickFix Mechanics" for emergency vehicle repairs, a diversified location strategy for operations, and multiple supplier relationships safeguard against unforeseen challenges.

Urban Eats Food Truck’s journey is buttressed by comprehensive insurance coverage and stringent adherence to legal compliance, which serve as our bedrock for navigating the sometimes-turbulent waters of the food service industry. We maintain a proactive posture, with insurance policies encompassing property, auto, liability, and worker's compensation, alongside regular consultation with our legal advisors to mitigate risks to our operations and our customers.

It is with strategic intent and a passion for food that Urban Eats Food Truck embarks on this venture. We are positioned not just to savor the immediate profits but to capture the long-term loyalty of the Austin community. Our blend of mobility, culinary finesse, and business acumen sets us on a path to being a food truck icon, signaling an appetizing future for our stakeholders and a delicious one for our customers.

Food truck business plan template

Founded amidst the vibrant streets of Austin, Texas, Urban Eats Food Truck has cemented its presence as a culinary oasis on wheels, catering to the fast-paced lives of urbanites. A testament to the burgeoning food truck industry—one that thrives on convenience and gastronomic variety—Urban Eats has become synonymous with exceptional street food. Gourmet burgers, flavor-packed tacos, and artisan sandwiches constitute our core offerings, each dish echoing the diversity of the city and focusing on high-quality ingredients and swift service.

The food truck industry has witnessed an explosive growth trajectory, characterized by a notable demand for quick, affordable, and diverse dining options outside the confines of traditional restaurants. Urban areas, with their dense populations and fast-paced lifestyles, provide an ideal backdrop for the food truck revolution. With a projected growth rate of 6.8% per year, the sector validates the potential for profitable ventures to those who navigate it with culinary prowess and keen business acumen.

Urban Eats Food Truck targets a demographic as varied as its menu: professionals seeking a convenient lunch break, college students in search of a quick bite between classes, and culinary enthusiasts eager to sample the latest street food trends. Our presence in the heart of the city places us within arm's reach of our customers, providing them instant access to a world of flavors tailored to their busy schedules.

From inception, Urban Eats has been driven by a distinct mission—to provide a marriage of convenience and culinary delight, serving up a rotating selection of dishes crafted to satisfy the palate while respecting the customer’s time. This dedication is summarily expressed in our mission statement: “Delighting urban palates with a roster of exceptional, quickly served meals, united with unrivaled taste and quality—Urban Eats is your go-to street food experience.”

As an LLC, Urban Eats benefits from a business structure that shields the owner’s personal assets, simplifies tax processes, and optimizes operational flexibility. This decision underscores a strategic approach for sustainable growth and adaptability, vital in an industry known for its swift currents of change.

Looking ahead, the potential for Urban Eats Food Truck is not confined to the streets it occupies; the vision is expansive. Whether it's through increasing the convoy of trucks to cater to a growing customer base, exploring franchise opportunities, or branching into related business channels such as local farmer’s markets or pop-up events, Urban Eats aims not just to ride the wave but to be at the forefront of street food innovation.

The future is ripe with promise for Urban Eats Food Truck. With a focused management team, an unwavering commitment to quality, and a clear strategic path forward, we are more than just a meal option—we are a thriving chapter in Austin's street food story, ready to serve our community one delectable bite at a time.

The food truck industry has been riding the wave of an ever-evolving food culture that values convenience, diversity, and culinary innovation. One of the most visible trends in this sector is the growing consumer preference for quick, high-quality, and affordable meals. Over the last several years, the industry has witnessed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6.8%, and this trajectory is expected to continue. As urban areas expand and the workforce becomes increasingly mobile, the demand for food trucks is projected to rise in tandem.

Urban Eats Food Truck sits at the heart of this thriving industry, operating in an urban environment where the liveliness of the city fuels continual demand for street food. Our target market encompasses a broad demographic spectrum, including busy professionals between the ages of 25 and 50, college students from nearby campuses, and street food enthusiasts of all ages who appreciate the diverse culinary offerings. In Austin alone, the target demographic counts into the hundreds of thousands, with growth potential synchronous with urban development and population growth. It's estimated that 50% of our target demographic consumes street food at least once a week, suggesting a consistent and growing customer base.

The needs and demands of the market are clear: customers are on the lookout for fast service, variety in cuisine, affordability, and the assurance of health-conscious options. Urban dwellers often lead hectic lifestyles, which drives the need for quick service, while a burgeoning awareness of dietary preferences and restrictions heightens the demand for inclusive menu options including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes.

Illustrative of market trends is the burgeoning interest in global cuisine, a shift towards mobile payment systems, and the integration of technology in food service, such as online ordering systems and location-based apps. Food trucks like Urban Eats are uniquely poised to capitalize on these trends, offering a rotating menu that reflects global flavors, incorporating convenient payment options and maintaining a strong digital presence.

A key competitor analysis reveals that Urban Eats' three main rivals, "City Bites on Wheels," "Rolling Gourmet," and "Street Feast Express," each hold a significant share of the local food truck market. "City Bites on Wheels" stands out for its extensive menu, "Rolling Gourmet" is widely recognized for its high-end culinary offerings, and "Street Feast Express" is known for rapid service. Their strengths lie in their established customer bases and brand recognition.

However, weaknesses are also evident. "City Bites on Wheels'" extensive menu complicates operations and increases wait times. "Rolling Gourmet" faces the challenge of higher price points, which may alienate budget-conscious patrons. "Street Feast Express" often compromises on dish diversity to maintain speed, leaving a segment of the market underserved. Urban Eats Food Truck competes by balancing efficiency with a diverse yet carefully curated menu, which caters to a broad range of tastes and dietary needs without inflating prices or service time.

Potential barriers to entry for Urban Eats Food Truck encompass initial capital expenditures for equipment and vehicle acquisition, navigating the regulatory landscape which includes health codes, permits, and zoning laws, and establishing a customer base in an industry characterized by customer loyalty to existing brands. An entry-level food truck business faces considerable upfront costs for a customized vehicle, commercial-grade kitchen equipment, initial inventory, and branding. In addition, as a new entrant, Urban Eats must invest significantly in marketing efforts to build brand visibility and customer retention in a market that already boasts well-liked competitors.

Overall, market analysis indicates that while challenges exist, the burgeoning demand, coupled with Urban Eats Food Truck's commitment to fulfilling market needs and its strategic business maneuvers, sets the stage for sustainable growth and a strong position within the local food truck industry.

Sample food truck business plan pdf

Organizational structure and management.

Urban Eats Food Truck operates under a clear and streamlined organizational structure designed to facilitate seamless operations, ensure excellent customer service, and support the growth of the business. At the helm is Alex Johnson, the Owner and Operations Manager, who is responsible for overarching strategy, partnerships, and operational oversight. Reporting to him is the Head Chef, Jamie Rivera, who leads menu development and kitchen operations, and the Marketing Manager, Taylor Smith, who drives customer engagement and brand promotion. The Financial Officer, Morgan Lee, manages all financial aspects including budgeting, accounting, and cost control. Our current staffing hierarchy is visually depicted in an organizational chart that delineates responsibilities across the company's functions.

Within the management team, Alex Johnson brings a wealth of experience from the hospitality industry, with a focus on operational efficiency and customer relationship management. Jamie Rivera, a culinary arts graduate with a special interest in street food, delivers creativity and innovation to Urban Eats' menu while maintaining the highest standards of food quality and safety. Taylor Smith, equipped with a degree in marketing and a keen sense of brand development in the food service sector, effectively amplifies our market presence. Morgan Lee’s accounting expertise ensures that financial performance is tracked meticulously, and the business remains commercially viable.

As Urban Eats Food Truck grows, strategic staffing needs will evolve. In the immediate future, we aim to hire additional cooks to support our current menu offerings and peak times operation. A part-time cashier to manage transactions and enhance the customer service experience is also on our recruitment roadmap. In the long term, with business expansion, we’ll require a logistics coordinator to manage schedules and event bookings, additional chefs and service staff for potential new trucks, and a dedicated social media coordinator to augment our online presence and customer interaction.

Human resources policies at Urban Eats are designed to foster a positive work culture and uphold the highest professional standards. We implement fair labor practices, offer competitive wages, and provide training for career development. Employee feedback is valued and used in shaping workplace practices and menus. Our lean organizational setup encourages openness, with regular team meetings reinforcing collaboration.

As part of our commitment to maintaining agility and tapping into specialized expertise, we engage with a number of external advisors and consultants. A local restaurant consultant advises on food trends and customer preferences, guiding us to stay ahead of the market curve. We also work with a legal consultant specializing in food industry regulations to ensure we remain compliant with local food service laws and employment statutes.

Our approach to HR underscores our dedication to the well-being and professional growth of our team. We emphasize cross-training within the food truck to ensure operational continuity during absences or peak periods. Benefits such as flexible schedules cater to the needs of our team, many of whom are students or working parents, thereby promoting a work-life balance.

Altogether, our organizational strategy, coupled with a stellar management team and a future-proof staffing plan, ensures that Urban Eats Food Truck is not just an exceptional dining experience for our customers, but also a great workplace for our employees and a sustainable, thriving business poised for expansion.

Urban Eats Food Truck provides a tantalizing array of street food selections that cater to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. Our signature offerings include gourmet burgers made with locally sourced, grass-fed beef; artisanal sandwiches featuring homemade sauces and fresh local produce; and authentic tacos stuffed with vibrant flavors and ingredients reflective of the region's cultural diversity. We also prioritize inclusivity by offering a selection of vegetarian and vegan options, ensuring there’s something on the menu for everyone.

Our unique selling points lie in three primary areas: the freshness of our ingredients, the creativity of our menu, and the adaptability of our service. We source our ingredients from local farms and suppliers, which allows us to serve food that is not only fresher but also supports the local economy. Seasonal menu updates keep our offerings exciting and new, encouraging repeat business from customers keen to try the latest Urban Eats creations. Our food truck model provides the versatility to serve customers in various locations and at a range of events, broadening our market reach and providing convenience to our clientele.

Currently, Urban Eats Food Truck operates one fully equipped mobile unit, and we are in the development stage of exploring the addition of a second vehicle to cater to the increasing demand and broaden our operational footprint. Our immediate focus is on optimizing our menu and operations based on customer feedback and sales data. In the future, we plan to introduce a series of limited-time offers that leverage seasonal flavors and festivities to generate customer excitement and attract media attention.

We have established the Urban Eats brand identity, with trademarks in place for our logo and unique menu item names to protect our intellectual property. We also have copyright claims on our original recipes and branding materials, safeguarding our brand's individuality within the market.

The production process is meticulously managed to ensure quality and efficiency. Each morning, prep work and partial cooking are conducted in a rented commissary kitchen which adheres to all health and safety regulations. The final assembly and cooking are completed within the food truck's state-of-the-art kitchen, which is equipped to deliver our menu to the highest standard. Daily operations follow a strict adherence to food safety practices and hygiene standards.

In terms of suppliers, we have fostered strong relationships with local vendors, such as "Green Fields Organic" for our produce and "Bakery Central" for artisanal bread. These partnerships ensure regular delivery of high-quality ingredients while giving us the flexibility to scale our orders based on demand. We have also teamed up with "Global Spice Market" to access a wider variety of spices and international flavorings that enable us to offer an authentic global dining experience.

Urban Eats Food Truck is committed to constant enhancement, both in terms of the products and services we offer, and in how we engage with our customers and the community. By focusing on quality, innovation, and customer service, we ensure that Urban Eats remains competitive and continues to thrive in a bustling and ever-changing food truck marketplace.

Urban Eats Food Truck’s marketing strategy is focused on creating a strong brand presence within the community, generating a loyal customer base, and engaging effectively with our target market. Our approach leverages digital and traditional marketing tactics to reach potential customers where they live, work, and socialize.

We utilize social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for daily engagement, sharing mouth-watering images of our food, location updates, and interacting with our followers. We also employ geo-targeted advertising to reach customers in the immediate vicinity of our service locations. In addition to our digital presence, we participate in local events and festivals to increase our visibility and build rapport within the community.

Our sales strategy includes a robust physical presence in high-foot-traffic areas of the city, particularly during peak meal times, and aligning with regular events where our target demographic is known to congregate. The sales team, led by Alex Johnson, is trained to provide quick, friendly, and efficient service, turning every transaction into an opportunity for customer engagement and feedback. We track sales activities and patterns to continuously refine our approach, ensuring that we can respond quickly to shifts in demand.

Pricing strategy at Urban Eats Food Truck is designed to provide value for money while ensuring sustainable profit margins. All items are competitively priced to match customer expectations for street food, with premium options available for those seeking gourmet experiences. We are also committed to transparency, meaning absolutely no hidden fees. Prices are prominently displayed and include all sales taxes.

Our primary distribution channel is direct sales through our mobile food truck. This enables us to cut out the middleman and provide our customers with the freshest food possible, prepared right in front of them. We are also developing an online ordering system to facilitate pre-orders and reduce wait times. The option for delivery through third-party services such as UberEats and DoorDash is being explored to extend our service reach for customers who cannot come to us.

Our promotion and advertising plans include strategic partnerships with local businesses, targeted social media ad campaigns, participation in food truck rallies, and distribution of flyers in strategic urban locations. We regularly offer special promotions and discounts to regular customers and those who follow us on social media, as part of our efforts to build a loyal customer base. Additionally, we have a loyalty program where customers can earn points with each purchase that can be redeemed for free or discounted items.

Customer service policies at Urban Eats Food Truck center on delivering a high-quality experience with every interaction. We guarantee fresh, hot food prepared to order and served with a smile. Our staff is trained to address customer queries and concerns promptly and effectively, and feedback is actively solicited to inform service improvements. All employees are empowered to resolve issues on the spot, ensuring that customer satisfaction is primary.

Overall, our marketing and sales strategy is built on a foundation of quality product offerings, exceptional customer service, and active community engagement. By combining innovative marketing tactics with strategic sales planning, Urban Eats Food Truck is set to carve out a significant niche in the bustling street food market of Austin.

Urban Eats Food Truck's operations plan is meticulously designed to ensure smooth and efficient daily operations, high-quality service delivery, and exceptional customer service. We emphasize comprehensive planning and attention to detail to guarantee that our customers receive the same high standard of street food regardless of when or where they visit us.

The operational workflow begins early each morning with the preparation of fresh ingredients at our commissary kitchen space. Here, the Head Chef oversees the pre-cooking of certain components and the assembly of what’s needed for the day’s service. This ensures that the food truck is stocked with the required provisions and that we minimize preparation time on-location without compromising on food quality.

During service delivery, processes are aligned for efficiency and quality. Our food truck is equipped with state-of-the-art kitchen equipment allowing for fast on-site cooking and order assembly. The staff follows a standardized production process, which includes a sequence for order taking, preparation, cooking, presentation, and serving. This process is constantly reviewed and refined to reduce wait times and enhance the customer experience.

Quality control is a fundamental aspect of our operations. We have strict protocols in place to ensure that every dish served meets our high standards. This includes regular equipment calibration, monitoring the freshness of ingredients, ensuring proper food handling techniques, and conducting random sample tastings. Staff are trained in food safety and are required to maintain hygiene certifications. A feedback system is also set up to allow customers to report their satisfaction levels, which helps us address any potential quality issues promptly.

Inventory management is executed with precision to ensure that we are always in stock of the necessary ingredients, while also minimizing waste. We operate on a just-in-time inventory system which allows us to order supplies as needed based on sales forecasts and historical sales data. Inventory levels are tracked daily, and stock orders are placed with our network of vetted suppliers. The inventory management software allows us to track usage patterns and adjust orders to align with fluctuations in customer demand.

Supply chain management is critical to our operation, as it directly affects the quality of our offerings. We maintain close relationships with a curated selection of suppliers who understand our need for reliability, quality, and timely deliveries. We source ingredients locally as much as possible, which not only supports local businesses but also reduces our carbon footprint. Our suppliers are selected based on their ability to provide fresh, quality ingredients that match our ethos of sustainability and community support.

Facilities and equipment are central to our operation. Our customized food truck is equipped with a commercial-grade kitchen, designed to maximize space and efficiency. It includes grills, fryers, refrigeration units, and storage areas. The equipment is serviced and maintained regularly to ensure uninterrupted operations. We plan for eventual equipment upgrades or replacements as part of our long-term strategy to stay current with the latest in culinary technology.

In conclusion, our operations plan ensures streamlined, efficient service delivery that emphasizes quality control, effective inventory, and supply chain management, facilitated by well-maintained facilities and equipment. The execution of this plan is critical in achieving operational excellence within Urban Eats Food Truck, shaping our reputation for reliability, top-tier street food, and outstanding customer service.

food truck business plan example

Urban Eats Food Truck's financial projections provide a comprehensive overview of our anticipated fiscal performance over the next three to five years. These projections are crafted to serve as a guide for potential investors and stakeholders, showcasing the financial viability and growth potential of our business.

Sales Forecast

Our sales forecast is based on a combination of historical sales data, industry benchmarks, and the estimated growth of the urban food truck market. For Year 1, we forecast sales revenue of $200,000, driven by a strong introduction to the market and strategic marketing initiatives. We anticipate a steady increase in year-over-year sales as brand recognition builds and customer loyalty strengthens. By Year 2, sales are expected to grow to $250,000, reflecting a stable customer base and optimized operations. Continuing this trend, we project revenues to reach $300,000 in Year 3, $350,000 in Year 4, and $400,000 in Year 5, by which time we expect to have a more extensive operational footprint potentially including additional trucks or service offerings.

Profit and Loss Projection

The profit and loss projection for Urban Eats takes into account all projected revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), operating expenses, wages, and other incidentals. We anticipate a net profit margin of 10% in Year 1, which takes into account the initial costs associated with establishing the food truck business. By Year 2, improvements in operational efficiency and brand recognition are expected to increase the net profit margin to 15%. We project this margin to stabilize at 20% in subsequent years as we leverage economies of scale and potentially expand our market reach.

Cash Flow Projection

Our cash flow projection displays the inbound and outbound cash anticipated through daily operations. It factors in revenue from sales, and outgoing cash for expenses such as inventory, staffing, vehicle maintenance, and utilities. Given the seasonality of the food truck business, we've provisioned for higher cash reserves during the slower months to maintain financial stability. A positive monthly cash flow is expected by the end of Year 1, with steadily increasing cash reserves projected thereafter.

Balance Sheet Projection

The balance sheet projection includes assets such as the food truck, kitchen equipment, and initial inventory, offset by liabilities, including any start-up loans and ongoing creditor obligations. We project a balanced approach to asset accumulation and liability management, thus reflecting growing equity in the company over time. This will demonstrate to investors and creditors alike the growing financial health and asset base of Urban Eats.

Break-even Analysis

Our break-even analysis indicates that Urban Eats will need to achieve a certain level of sales to cover the total costs of operations. Based on fixed and variable costs, and assuming average sale prices remain consistent, we predict we will reach break-even point approximately midway through Year 1 of operations. This early break-even point is achieved by keeping overhead low and ensuring a high level of operational efficiency.

Financial Assumptions and Considerations

These financial projections are based on several key assumptions: continued growth in demand for food truck services, stability in food costs, successful execution of our marketing and sales strategy, and a steady increase in customer numbers as forecasted. Other considerations include the potential for economic changes that may affect consumer spending, changes to industry regulations, and fluctuating fuel prices which could impact operational costs.

We remain committed to regular financial analysis, assessing the accuracy of our projections against actual performance, allowing us to adjust our strategies and financial management practices in a timely manner. Overall, these projections highlight Urban Eats Food Truck's promising financial outlook and underscore the rigorous planning and financial acumen that underpin our business strategy.

Food truck business plan sample pdf

The risk analysis for Urban Eats Food Truck meticulously assesses potential internal and external threats that may impede our business operations. Identifying these risks in advance enables us to devise strategic mitigation and develop contingency plans to ensure resilience and the ongoing success of our venture.

Identification of Potential Risks

Market Risks: - Customer Demand Fluctuations: Variability in customer appetites and economic factors can lead to unpredictability in sales. - Seasonality: Weather and seasonal changes Affect the frequency of customer visits to the food truck.

Operational Risks: - Supply Chain Disruptions: Our reliance on fresh local produce means any interruptions from suppliers can impact menu offerings. - Equipment Failure: Dependence on the food truck and cooking equipment necessitates a strategy for dealing with potential breakdowns. - Regulatory Compliance: Non-compliance with health and operation laws could result in penalties or operational halts. - Pandemic Outbreak: A new pandemic could force closures, reduce customer foot traffic, and disrupt normal business operations, similar to the impacts felt during the COVID-19 crisis.

Financial Risks: - Cash Flow Management: Efficient management of cash reserves is crucial, especially in phases of growth or unexpected downturns. - Fluctuating Costs: Volatile ingredient prices and labor costs directly affect profit margins. - Theft and Fraud: Handling cash and managing inventory exposes us to risks that need to be managed.

Risk Mitigation Strategies

- Engagement with market trends and customer feedback to quickly pivot in response to changing preferences. - Varied menu offerings to reduce the impact of seasonality on operations. - Relationships with diverse, reliable suppliers to safeguard against disruptions and a backup list of suppliers in case of issues with primary suppliers. - Regular preventive maintenance and guaranteed service agreements for all critical equipment. - Establishment of health and safety protocols with comprehensive staff training to ensure regulatory compliance. - Implementation of hygiene and contactless service measures to operate safely during a pandemic, following guidelines issued by health authorities.

Contingency Plans

- An alternative menu and service offerings should the main suppliers face disruptions. - A contract with a backup truck provider or alternate operations base to mitigate equipment failures. - Cross-training staff to adapt to various roles in case of worker shortages due to illness or quarantine. - A flexible model that can pivot to delivery and pickup services during potential pandemic lockdowns or restrictions.

Insurance and Legal Considerations

- In-depth insurance policies, including property, vehicle, general liability, and worker's compensation, provide a comprehensive safety net for unforeseen incidents. - As a proactive measure, we carry specific pandemic insurance to mitigate financial losses from business interruptions due to infectious disease outbreaks. - Regular consultations with our legal team ensure we are abreast of any compliance updates and are prepared to adjust operations to meet new regulatory requirements.

Through thoughtful risk analysis and pre-planned responses, Urban Eats Food Truck is reinforced against potential threats, poised to navigate uncertainties with agility, and preserve the trust and satisfaction of our customers, which are central to our business.

Food truck business template

More business plan templates.

Cleaning company business plan

Escape room business plan

Bakery business plan

• MARKETPLACE
• DOWNLOAD BUSINESS KIT

How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan – Download Template

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS

Want to look inside the business plan of a real food truck business? We’ve organized detailed business plan templates from successful food trucks and made them available to you in PDF and Word doc in this post. In addition to offer templates, we give you detailed instruction how to complete each section of the plan using this guide.

Before we dive in, keep in mind that it could take weeks if not months of planning to develop a business plan that’s helpful. Whatever time takes for you to write the business plan will be well spent. When researched correctly this document serves as the “game plan” for operating your entire mobile food business and sets the direction of your company.

Approach this document seriously because it can become the roadmap to operate your business and ensure you’re set up for success. When you’ve finished writing your plan, you should know where you plan to vend, estimated food costs, the marketing plan, and how you’ll raise money for the food truck. Pretty important stuff right? Let’s dig in.

Introduction

I want you to get the most value possible out of your business planning process. Why? I believe having an accurate business plan gives you the best odds of success for operating a profitable food truck.

And if you’re going to be investing tens of thousands of dollars into a food truck or trailer, cooking equipment, and permits, why not invest a few days creating a detailed plan for how to run the business.

Here’s one example why going through this process can be helpful from our Annual Food Truck Academy class, where train future food truck owners how to start a food truck. One student completed her research estimating food cost, overhead, and anticipated sales as part of her business plan. Then she came back and revealed that based on her current plan, the food truck wouldn’t be profitable. After factoring in tax, labor, and food costs there were no profits left over.

Our student was initially discouraged by the numbers, but I was happy. It’s much better to identify a revenue short-fall before you start the business than months after when you see sales coming in, but can’t figure out why there’s nothing left in the bank account. As a result of the work invested on the front end through planning, she was able to evaluate her ingredient cost and pricing to create a business plan that set herself up for success.

Still, many first time food vendors don’t take the time to put in this work. It’s a shame because it’s so easily avoidable.

One more tip before we get into researching and writing the business plan, don’t get overly hung-up on the structure of the document. Unless you plan to apply for a small business loan (then you will need to be more concerned about formatting, but let’s worry about that later), you’re not going to be graded on how pretty the document looks or how nice the nice fonts and illustrations. This isn’t an assignment for school where you’re going through the motions to get a B.

Instead focus your energy on making this plan useful for your business. Find specific locations that you plan to sell food. Get the contact information for these venues to learn how you can get into them. Figure out your exact food cost and how much it’s going to cost to get permits in your area. Putting ink to paper or word document is going to make the operations of your business real.

Now let’s get on with making your game plan!

Note to Reader: This is part of a series of posts following the process of starting a food truck with Anthony Salvagno (featured in the image below) as he writes a business plan, seeks funding, develops a concept, builds a menu, and ultimately launches his first food truck. Listen to the audio lesson inside this post to learn more about writing a winning food truck business plan.

The person that doesn’t have one [a business plan] sets themselves up for failure. – Anthony Salvagno on the importance of thinking before leaping into a business.

Serious about Starting a Food Truck?  Click Here To Get Our Free Food Truck Business Kit.

Download Business Plan Templates

In my opinion, this case study is most effective when listening to the audio and downloading the example that Salvagno was kind enough to provide for this post. I’ve also linked to other resources that can help you write your own business plan.

Download Business Plan – Yes, this is the PDF business plan used to acquire $5,000 for a food truck during a business pitch competition. This document is referenced in the companion podcast.

Download Business Plan Template – Here’s a sample template you can use and edit for your own truck.

SBA – Create Your Business Plan – The Small Business Administration (SBA) does an excellent job outlining the steps needed to create a business plan. It’s not food truck specific, but it gives you what you need and there’s plenty of valuable information here.

You can learn a lot by reading business plans for other food businesses like restaurants as well. Operating a profitable restaurant is similar to operating a successful mobile food business. The main different is that a trailer is that it’s mobile.

Components of a Business Plan

Below is an outline of the key sections you’ll need to complete for a standard business plan with a description of how each section applies to a food truck or trailer business. Complete each section and you’ve got yourself a real plan for your business my friend.

Keep in mind that if you’re creating this document for yourself and not a banker you don’t need to get fancy with the formatting. The important thing is to have a detailed plan for the business before you open. If you feel the burning desire to make this look nice, you can make formatting updates after the

Executive Summary:

This is an overview of the information contained in the business plan and should introduce the name of your food truck and the food you plan to serve. This section should only be one page in length. Give readers the high-level overview of what the plan. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to dive into the nitty gritty in the next sections of the document.

The purpose of this section in most business plans is to give prospective investors information about your startup. Lenders reviewing a small business loan might be another audience, although they will be much more focused on financial side of things. But for most of our readers this section is for you, a business partner, and potentially a spouse.

For our Executive Summary we included 2 – 3 sentences describing these important aspects of the business. The provides anyone reading this document with a general understanding of what the business is and how it expects to make money:

• The food item we plan to sell and specialize in.
• The key people that will manage the business. In this case, the food truck will be owned and operated by two partners.
• The business entity we plan to form. We formed an LLC.
• Where you plan to operate the business and hours of operation. Our initial plan had us operating 5 days per week for lunch and dinner.
• The basic marketing plan. Again you’ll dive into the details in the marketing and sales portion of the document.
• Projected cost to fund the business and anticipated revenue.
• Future goals. How will you know you’ve won? For some this will be a specific revenue number and for others this could be opening up a franchise with 100s of locations.

Again, unless you plan to bring on outside investors don’t worry too much about perfect formatting in the executive summary. This is to ensure you and your partners are clear on the high-level plan for the business.

Food Truck Mission Statement:

The mission statement for a food truck can be as short as a sentence or as long as a paragraph. This statement should define what you plan to serve, who you will serve, and the ultimate vision for the business. When done right the mission statement should guide every major decision you make for the business.

Here’s the mission statement from our business plan as an example: 

To provide the residents of our city, young and old, an out of this world gourmet peanut butter and jelly inspired sandwich experience. We use local ingredients and provide gluten-free, contaminant-free products for those with special dietary needs.

When a mission statement is done right it should actually influence how you operate and run your business day to day. For example, since the utilization of local ingredients is part of our mission statement, we’ve got to actively be looking for local suppliers to buy inventory. If we don’t, we’ve failed.

We also need to consider the dietary needs of different groups of people. This impacts the sandwiches we put on our menu every day. Again, if we don’t do this, won’t reach the goal we’ve set out to achieve.

A mission statement can be the most influential part of the business plan when it’s used the right way. On the other hand, this guide can be forgotten when it’s not used to guide decisions. To learn more about making impactful mission statements, watch this interview to go deeper on the subject.

Company Concept and Description:

This is the fun part. Here you will describe what you hope the food truck will become, the food you plan to serve, and why you believe it will be a successful business. For most food trucks this section only needs to be a few paragraphs in length.

Make sure to include information on why your food is both desirable and unique to customers in the area. Also, if you have some type of theme, like an island theme for example, include little details like this in the description.

If you plan to operate something more mainstream like taco truck, take the time to express what it is that makes you different in your market. A common way food trucks differentiate themselves is through their ingredients or style. For example, you could be the only taco truck in town that uses organic, locally raised meats. Or you might be the only one in town that specializes in making fish tacos. Find a way to standout and offer something that isn’t available elsewhere.

You want folks that read this section to be able to clearly envision the kind of overall experience they’ll enjoy when visiting your food truck. Here are a few guidelines for writing this section:

• What food will you serve?
• How is your food different than other vendors in the area?
• Is there a specific type of consumer you want to attract?

As you can see from our own business plan, we differentiated ourselves through seasonal menu changes all the time and have menu options that cater to people that require a gluten-free diet. It’s also worth noting that our core product of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is unique to the market.

Market Analysis:

Understand the players in your market before starting a business.

For smaller markets with a couple hundred thousand people living nearby this section might be short and include just 4 – 5 other trucks. However, if you’re entering a market like Los Angeles this section will be larger and more in-depth.

If you’re planning to enter a market that has 10 traditional taco trucks and you plan to start a traditional taco truck too, it will be to differentiate yourself from other vendors in the area.

Consider adding a spin to your own food concept like serving Asian tacos instead to provide local consumers will more variety and fill a potential need. If you’re not sure about the type of truck you want to create yet, looking at the market and seeing what type of food is missing can be a smart way to approach this.

In this area you’ll also want to identify the type of customer that will frequent your establishment. Any data about local trends that you can find will be useful to include as well like this report from IBIS World that forecasts growth in the United States food truck industry for the next 5 years. Google can be a good friend in locating the data to include in the document.

Management Structure:

Most food truck owners start with a management structure of one.

This section is straightforward for most food vendors. You can list yourself as the owner and operator if that applies. But don’t forget about key employees or partners too. Many food trucks need a team of 3 – 5 employees to operate successfully during a lunch rush. Make sure these long-term players are accounted for.

In our business plan, it’s a partnership between brothers. The work load is split up between one brother operating the front of the house and marketing: accepting orders, booking new business and events, emailing and calling catering leads. The other brother focuses more on the chef duties including sourcing ingredients, cooking food, working with suppliers, and ensuring food quality.

Industry Survey Results: What is the Average Income of a Food Truck Vendor?

If you have more than one owner of the business this is where you want to take the opportunity to clearly define roles. This is an extremely important section of the document when multiple parties and their money are involved. By outlining everyones responsibilities in this document, it serves as a record of who was in responsible for certain aspects of the business. The more people involved, the more diligent you need to be with assigning tasks.

If it’s not written down, it’s easy for partners to recall things differently. This will help avoid conflict in the future for all parties involved. You need this.

The more stakeholders involved, the more complicated this section will be. You should also include investors and advisors in this section even when people aren’t excepted to help with the daily business operations. Outline what value these people have delivered to the business and what return they can expect in the future.

Product Line:

Ready-made meals can be a great way to diversify your product line.

Finally… This is the section you finally get to describe your food. I recommend outlining the main menu items and any signature dishes that you have in this section. But don’t stop at just the food that you plan to serve.

Other products and services that you plan to offer could include corporate catering gigs or weddings. These can be the biggest money makers for a mobile food vendor.

It pays to think outside the box too in this section. Some vendors that started out by serving food out the window of a truck exclusively have now begun to sell their trademark dishes in stores, online, or at restaurant. Don’t forget to think about possible paths for growth in the business.

• Previous guest of the show Martie Richie of Motley Crews is an excellent example of someone that is doing just that. They’ve expanded to selling snacks online through their e-commerce website and at local gas stations.
• Malcolm decided to open a restaurant to attain more consistent sales, especially through the slow winter months.

Sales and Marketing:

A food truck can serve as a mobile promotional platform.

How do you plan to market your business and get sales? One of the biggest factors that determine the success / failure of a lunch truck is location. Will you be able to get into major events or areas with a lot of potential customers?

One of the biggest favors you can do for yourself to input into your sales and marketing plan is to create a tentative list of places you might be able to vend. Get extremely granular with this task. In fact, it might even help to print out a map to evaluate where the best potential vending locations are in your area.

Here’s the information you should gather as part of this process. You can add this information inside the sales and marketing section of the business plan as you gather it. 

• Name of the vending location and cost details.
• Contact information including telephone, email, and address. Ideally a dedicated point of contact in charge of booking vendors.

Here are some locations that work well for food trucks:

• Farmer’s markets: You can usually find vendor information listed on the website.
• Annual events: Browse your cities website for a list of upcoming events like car shows, fairs, or parades.
• Social Media: One of the easiest ways to find good vending locations is to monitor the social media accounts of popular food trucks in your city. If they are vending somewhere, it’s probably a lucrative location that you might be able to vend at as well.
• Corporate Workplaces:  Big corporate employers with a few thousand employees working at a single location can be a good option for generating consistent lunch sales.
• Breweries and Wineries: Places like this often don’t want to build in a restaurant into their operations and partner with mobile food vendors to supply food to guests.

Pro Tip: Make sure to have a a lot of  different parking location options before getting started. Not every location you try is going to be profitable. By developing a big list of opportunities upfront, you won’t feel stressed about vending options because your dream vending location didn’t work out.

There are an endless number of tactics you can use to attempt to drum up business in the early days, but for most successful food business getting into events with big hungry crowds is the first step to building a brand locally and gaining traction. Learn more about finding profitable vending locations here.

Funding Request:

Just another day on the food truck.

The key to a good funding request is knowing exactly how much money you need and having a detailed plan explaining how you plan to use it. For food truck owners, the biggest early expense will be in buying a food truck and the kitchen equipment installed onboard.

You should also account for the amount of money you’ve raised or have on hand in this section. In our business plan for example, we were looking at $55,000 all-in to start the business. This would include the purchase of a food truck, our initial inventory of food, and permits. Be extremely diligent in outlining how you intend to spend every dollar in this section. It will safe you time late in the process and lenders will appreciate your attention to detail.

We were able to bring $14,850 or 27% of that total investment to the table that was raised mostly through personal savings, a small crowd funding campaign, and winning a business plan contest. The remaining 73% was acquired through the help of a small business loan. Being able to start a real food business like this for below $15,000 out of pocket is pretty cool.

Reader’s Note: If you’re not planning to seek funding through a traditional bank (or are simply planning to take out a personal loan based on your credit history) you can technically disregard this section, although you should still analyze closely how you intend to spend your money.

If you plan on asking for friends and family for money this attention to detail can help too. Even if they’re not in the food industry, it’s easy to understand that a commercial oven or fridge could cost a few thousand dollars. If you have a specific use for funds that makes sense, it increases the likelihood of obtaining a loan with friendly terms amongst family.

Financial Projections:

This is an extremely important area to spend time on before starting a food truck. I’d argue this section is as important as the product, sales and marketing plan of the business plan. This section will offer your first insight into whether or not the business idea you have is going to work or not in its present form.

From a practical standpoint, the main thing you want to figure out is what your break-even point for the business is. In other words, how much food do you need to sell in order to pay all of your monthly expenses? This is a simple, but critical question you must find the answer to before getting started.

You can determine the break-even point for a food truck business with this formula: 

Fixed Costs / (Price – Variable Costs) = Bread Even Point

Here’s the due diligence you’ll need to complete to find the break-even point for your food truck:

• Add up the total monthly expenses you expect for the food truck to find your fixed cost number. This number will include loan payments, insurance, cell phone, and everything else you need to pay on a monthly. Use our guide to create a quick estimate of monthly costs.
• The price refers to how much you plan to charge customers and how many sales you anticipate in a given month. From your perspective the less sales you need to break even the better as it will.
• The variable costs is the expenses you put into cost of goods sold. In your case this if the food you’re selling. As you sell more, your variable cost will also increase because you need to buy more product. This is a good thing!

Based on your current fixed cost and variable cost estimates, find out how many total sales of your food total you would need to generate to pay all your bills. Does that number seem seem attainable based on the frequency you plan to vend each month?

Figuring out what your sales is going to be in the future will be the biggest leap of faith you make in the business plan. I always urge people to be being super conservative with sales estimates. You are going to have slow days and extremely busy days when you get out into the real world. Being financially ready for challenging times will make your business more resilient.

Forecasting Financial Projections:

In the financial projections, focus on estimating how much money you will make in the first year of the business. Investing too much time on longterm projections 5-years out doesn’t make any sense since you haven’t actually started the business yet. After the business has been operating for about a month, you’ll want to go back and review the previous estimates to ensure everything is making sense.

While estimating the projected revenue will require some guessing, figuring out startup and monthly operating expenses once the business gets going is much simpler. While there might be unexpected expenses that pop up before opening the business, you already know the monthly bills like insurance, phone, inventory, loan payments (if you have one), commissary.  Read our post that includes a spreadsheet on the Complete Breakdown of Food Truck Operation Costs for help researching this section.

Here are a few other quick tips for the financial projections section: 

• Always start a business with some extra capital on hand and establish an emergency business fund. We suggest $3,000 – $5,000 minimum. You don’t want to find yourself underfunded going into the second week so and not be able to purchase supplies. Unfortunately, break downs also happen in this business so you want to be ready for them.
• You’ll need to be comfortable making a few “educated guesses” in this section especially when it comes to revenue projections. Always be conservative with sales estimates. If you do end of exceeding expectations then that’s fantastic.
• The primary goal of completing this process is to understand how much money you’ll require to operate the business and break even on a monthly basis. After determining a break-even, find out how much it will require to pay yourself a comfortable wage after taxes.

This is the place to include your permit from the health department, photos of the vehicle, and other legal documents needed to operate a mobile food business. This is a good spot to add photos of food or people smiling and enjoying your meals at events (if you’ve vended at an event already). Add in anything else you feel could be helpful too.

Bonus Tips When Creating Your Building Plan

Here are a few key concepts pulled straight from the audio companion of this guide.

• Don’t be afraid to ask current food truck owners for help when writing a plan. They have the best understanding of what the market looks like and may even help you to create more accurate market projections. Not everyone will be willing to lend a hand, but some might.
• The financial projections section is the most important and practical element of the business plan. You need this to be able to evaluate how much money you’ll to start the business and what prices you’ll need to charge for longterm success.
• Don’t invest a ton of your time into longterm projections especially years 3, 4, and 5 of the food truck. Restaurants come and go. You won’t be able to make accurate projections out that far anyway.
• You should be extremely detailed when estimating expenses. Including often overlooked items like sandwich wrappers, napkins, mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies. Knowing how much cash you need for day one of starting the truck right is critical.

Is Creating a Business Plan a Total Waste of Time?

Good question. That really depends on who you ask.

There’s a whole group of like savvy entrepreneurs and business people who don’t believe in the business plan at all. They’re like okay, you have this written document that you never ever use again. But then there’s this whole other group of people that actually believe in the business plan.

If you’re planning to try to get a traditional bank loan you will need to create a business plan. Having a written plan does not guarantee you will be approved for a loan. In fact, you might get turned down even with an okay credit history.

While it’s not perfect, I firmly believe going through the process of writing a business plan, when taken seriously improves your chances of success. You want to understand your competition. You want to understand where you plan to park. You want to have a few ideas about how you might market your business and what your overhead is going to be before starting the business. This document helps you make more educated decisions based on the work you’ve put in.

The Bottom Line: Will drafting a detailed business plan like this one take a long time? You bet it will. If you do it right, it could easily take a month or two to complete. But the benefits of doing so can be worth it and pay dividends for the life of your business.

So what’s the next step? I suggest enrolling in our free food truck business kit to learn more about the startup process. 

Want to start your own food business?

Hey! I’m Brett Lindenberg, the founder of Food Truck Empire.

We interview successful founders and share the stories behind their food trucks, restaurants, food and beverage brands. By sharing these stories, I want to help others get started.

If you liked this story, sign up for our newsletter that includes our food business startup kit and most popular interviews sent straight to your inbox.

Know someone interesting that should be interviewed on the website? Tell us about them here. 

About the Author: Brett Lindenberg

Related Posts

Linda Jo Kushner Raised $20,265 for a Food Truck on KickStarter

Never Pay for a Certificate of Insurance for a Food Truck & Other Tips

The Essential Food Truck Loss Prevention Checklist: Download Now

How to Start a Sustainable Coffee Truck in 6 Steps

Food Truck Business Plan Guide + Template

If you want to start a food truck, then a food truck business plan should be one of your very first steps.

A food truck business plan helps you to think through all the possibilities of your new entrepreneurial endeavor and face critical challenges before investing sweat, equity, and monetary resources.

The more developed your plan of action is now, the better chance you have at success down the road. Having a detailed food truck business plan will help provide a roadmap as you grow and will keep your business focused and organized.

Writing Your Food Truck Business Plan: How to Prepare

Writing a business plan does not have to be time-consuming or difficult. Focus on gathering all the information you need to make the actual writing process much easier.

The main skills that you will need are likely to be:

• Collection of relevant data
• Determining the readers’ needs for information, depending on your audience
• Organizing the material that will be of greatest interest
• Creating a professional document that represents your business in the best possible light

At first this all may feel overwhelming, but don’t worry – you can do it!

The main purpose of your plan is to introduce your food truck, show how you plan on being successful, and laying out some of the immediate groundwork ahead so that you can better prepare for the future and assess what you need to begin your food truck enterprise.

Customize Your Business Plan For Your Audience

Although a business plan can be generalized so that anyone can read and understand it, it’s smart to  have a specific group of readers in mind when crafting your business plan so that their interests can be targeted.

For example, if you plan to apply for grants, loans, or crowdsourcing funds, you’ll want to prepare your food truck business plan in a way that is oriented to those specific readers.

If one of your main goals is to promote your business to local civic groups and community organizations, your plan may be arranged in a slightly different way to inform and impress them with your business goals and focus on local efforts.

In other situations, you’ll want to gear your business plan for personal investors or professional associates who are considering a partnership with your enterprise. Keep the language simple and clear without being too casual or “slangy”. Avoid technical terms that some readers may not understand, or they may lose interest.

In all situations, you’ll want to customize your business plan’s content and language for the different audiences you’re addressing.

Food Truck Business Plan Outline

Here are the main aspects to consider when creating your food truck business plan.

• Executive Summary
• Company Description
• Business Operations
• Market Analysis
• Marketing and Sales
• Management and Ownership
• Growth and Development

Part 1: Executive Summary

Most business plans start off with a thorough Executive Summary at the beginning of the document. Most executive summaries are one page, providing a brief overview of the entire scope of your food truck business venture.

Here you’ll include:

• Overview:  In just a few sentences, explain why you’re starting your food truck. Include your name, the name of your food truck, and where you plan on operating your business.
• Products and Services:  Quickly describe the type of food you’ll be selling and what gap or need in the market your food truck will be filling. Explain how you plan on selling the food (will you just be selling from your truck or will you provide catering services or a brick and mortar location as well?). Be brief here, as you’ll explain more about the food and ingredients further on in your business plan.
• Financing:  Explain how much money you predict needing to start your food truck and how you’ll use that money. Again, you can keep it short since you’ll be going into more depth later.
• Mission Statement:  This is the heart of your business plan – why do you even want to start a food truck? Why sell the food that you are selling? Give some insight into your vision and why your food truck business will thrive.
• Management Team:  Briefly mention who you are, any parters you’ll be working with, and note any experience they may have.
• Sales Forecasts:  Investors’ eyes go straight to the sales forecasts. Here, provide a quick one year forecast regarding the financial costs and expected food truck’s sales and profits of your food truck.
• Expansion Plan:  What future do you see for your food truck business? What are your goals? How do you hope to expand?

In your executive summary, you’ll explain the  point  of your food truck – what is it all about?

If technical terms are necessary throughout the plan, include a list of words with their definitions at the beginning that will help readers better understand the document.

A good executive summary is no longer than one to two pages, can be more or less memorized, and is ingrained into your thoughts. It’s the core of your business concept on paper!

Part 2: Company Description

In the company description of your business plan, you’ll go more in-depth with the focus of your truck. Here, you’ll go into more detail about your food truck’s purpose and the role your truck will play in the community.

Some trucks focus on using locally sourced ingredients and using eco-friendly materials. Some food trucks may be all about nutrition and providing healthy food options in food deserts. Others may orient their brand around colleges and universities, providing cheap and tasty food for students.  Discuss your target customers and how you plan on winning them over.

In addition to everyday business activities, you can add special events or occasions that your business will be able to handle from the outset, such as catering parties or local charity events.

Provide readers with a clear idea of what you plan to do and how you will do it. This section also allows you to go into more detail about the specific goals you hope to accomplish with your truck.

Consider what your truck can do differently – how will you stand out from the crowd?  Talk about what makes your food truck special. The company description is a great place to sell investors on your truck – be confident and show them what you’ve got!

Part 3: Business Operations

In this part of your food truck business plan, you’ll provide a breakdown of activities, equipment, and supplies that will be needed. You don’t need to mention expenses here, as they will be covered in the financials section.

Include key points such as the following:

1. Hours of operation , along with anticipated special events if applicable.

2. Describe what your food truck will do , i.e., deliver hot or cold food, prepare convenience food on site, offer hot or cold beverages, set up indoor or outdoor eating areas, etc.

3. Outline the expected locations , using maps if desired, of your daily activities. For example, you may establish a specific list of destinations or stops of your daily deliveries, as well as weekend special events.

4. Make a list of any hired help , such as managers, assistants, employees, etc. Describe the duties and expected hours of each person, as well as any additional help you plan to hire within the first year or two.

5. Menu Items.  Outline any menu items or signature dishes you plan on servings, plus any key ingredients or food sources you plan on using. Also consider including special dishes you’ll offer for catering services or events.

Part 4: Market Analysis

Your market analysis is where you’ll explain your reasonings for entering the food truck market and why you foresee your truck being successful based on food truck trends.

You need to prove  why  your food truck will succeed. Include a market analysis of your target area and show food truck trend data, gathering information from any relevant sources. Include information on:

1. Industry & Audience Research

What is your target audience, and why can you expect them to eat at your food truck? What is the size and preferences of your key audience?

Do your due diligence – research and use the information you gather in your market analysis.

For example, you might meet with a company’s HR representative who oversees meal catering or food planning services for a company or organization. Employees in these positions may have authority to schedule your food truck on a routine basis, or they may explain why your food truck might not find many customers due to the company already having other sources of convenient lunch or snack options.

It is often helpful to consult the local chamber of commerce, which is typically aware of the many businesses operate in the area. They may be able to let you know if there’s a need for convenient mobile food in certain areas.

Other potential markets to consult include:

• Community centers
• Large companies
• Tourist sites

These are all markets that may be able to provide information about their interest in your mobile food business.

You should also consider consulting with the city planner’s office or town council, as they might be able to help you obtain information about:

• Traffic patterns
• Planned construction projects
• Festivals where food trucks would be desired
• Upcoming venues where your food truck may be welcome

This is all valuable data for your market analysis!

2. Competition and Roadblocks

In addition, you may need to consider your competition as well as any city regulations or food truck licensing requirement  that might affect the food truck market.

Provide information about competitors, including the types of food they offer, their prices, and how you plan on overtaking them.

Don’t be afraid to include predicted obstacles or problems you may encounter – it’s important to show you’ve done your homework and have planned ahead for any potential issues.

Part 5: Marketing and Sales

Promoting and marketing your business is essential for success.

A solid food truck design is one major aspect of brand promotion, and you’ll want to make sure your truck has a memorable design and provides information on how to contact your truck.

However, promotion doesn’t end with the look and design of your truck. You’ll want to create plans on how you’ll extend your reach with strategies such as:

• Your Website.  Keep your website up to date and include information about catering, food menus, and other info site visitors might be interested in.
• Chamber of Commerce Business Directory.  Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and inquire about getting on to their business directory. Also research into other local business directories you could potentially join (some cities even have food truck associations).
• Social Media.  Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other online media can generate interest and keep your food truck business actively engaged with an online customer base. Make sure to get your food truck up and active on social media!
• Local News Outlets. Get in contact with local news outlets to try to get some coverage about your new truck. Many local news organization will be happy to do a piece on an up-and-coming new food truck, especially if you have a unique hook or spin to your business.
• Getting Involved With Local Events.  Consider ways in which you can get involved with local events, such as catering community events or donating food to charity fundraisers. You could also sponsor a local little league team or even provide a talk about your food truck start up experience at a local business seminar. Activities like these put you in a favorable light with the community and spread awareness of your business.

In your food truck business plan, you’ll need to explain all you are willing to do to promote your food truck and convince readers of your business plan that you are ready and willing to work hard to build clientele and generate sales.

You’ll also need to include sales information in your food truck business plan. Include key points such as:

• The number of sales you’ll need to keep you truck open
• The number of sales you’ll need to turn a profit
• Average menu prices or cost of dishes
• How many days and hours you plan on selling

These down-and-dirty numbers will be key for keeping you on track and measuring the success of your truck.

Part 6: Management & Ownership

In this section of your food truck business plan, you’ll detail your key food truck team more extensively . If you’re a team of one, this section may be very short.

Explain the organization and structure of your business, such as:

• Who is the main person in charge?
• What are the various team members’ roles?
• How will profits be divided?
• Background, skills, and qualifications each member of your team will bring to the table

Part 7: Financials

Some experts believe that financials are the most critical aspect of a business plan.

Savvy investors sometimes take a cursory look at the Executive Summary and then jump right to the financial section to see how well the entrepreneur has planned the profits and expenses.

You’ll probably want to include information about the following areas of your food truck business:

• Estimated start-up costs.  How much will it take to jumpstart your food truck business? Consider the cost of your vehicle and commissary rentals, plus other startup costs. Should contingency funds be set aside? If so, how much?
• Supplies and equipment.  A breakdown of supply and equipment costs will help readers understand costs involved. They may also have ideas on ways to save money and cut down on costs.
• Employees.  Include your earnings as well as income for other employees or consultants like accountants or legal advisers, taxes, and benefits, if any.
• Intangible costs.  Insurance, vehicle maintenance, returns or food loss (due to spoilage), and other “invisible” expenses should be factored in.
• Financial first year projections. Consider creating monthly or quarterly food truck sales projections based on your  existing sales plans while incorporating income, costs, and losses over the first year. After your first year’s projections, you can create monthly or quarterly annual estimates for the next few years of your business (don’t worry too much about the 3, 5, and 10 year projections at this stage – just focus on the first year or two for now). Make sure you dedicate a solid chunk of time to researching how much money you’ll need to operate your food truck – you don’t want to run out of money mid-season due to poor projections.

If you feel like you don’t have all the answers, that’s OK. You’re going to be making a lot of educated guesses, and that’s absolutely fine. Just make informed predications with real data to back up your assumptions.

Part 8: Funding

If you are looking for funding to help run your food truck, you’ll want to make sure you have the right numbers to back you.

In the funding section, you’ll want to explain:

• How much money you need to start (and upkeep) your food truck
• Where you plan on spending the money
• How you plan on repaying any loans (and over what time span)

When it comes to earning funders, it’s essential that you’re clear and upfront about what you’ll need. Make sure to express the returns and benefits for potential investors.

Remember, getting investors isn’t a requirement by any means. Many successful food trucks save money and invest in the food truck themselves, so if you don’t love the idea of being dependent on an investor, you have plenty of other options.

Part 9: Growth and Development

In addition to making a case for starting up your food truck company, a business plan should include a segment for growth and development.

Although you may be satisfied to cater to a limited crowd of local college students or lunch time office workers, you may find yourself looking to expand in the near future.

Sometimes the demand for your food services may grow, even if you do not initially plan to expand.

A long-range plan for two, three, and five years, or even ten years, may be advisable if you plan to be doing this for a long time. Investors and others who read the plan will get a better idea of your long-term commitment as well as your insight to area marketing conditions as they decide how to respond to your initial set-up plan.

Part 10: Appendix

The appendix is where you can include additional material that readers may find relevant. This can include things like:

• Your health department permit
• Photos of your food truck
• Any design concept material
• Any applicable legal or licensing documents relevant to your food truck
• Your food truck menu
• Letters of reference
• Food truck industry statistics and research data

Food Truck Business Plan Style and Design

When it comes to the look and style of your business plan, make sure your document is collated and bound in an attractive folder or report cover. You may also want to consider a slightly thicker paper stock for situations when you want to make an especially big impression.

Your food truck business plan should begin with a title page including your company name, followed by a table of contents to list all the material found within. Page numbers may be needed if the document is lengthy.

More Help, Examples, & Templates

Food truck business plan examples.

There are several real-life examples of food truck business plans on the web.

• Food Truck Empire. Here’s a great food truck business plan example from Food Truck Empire. You may also want to check out their podcast on food truck templates , featuring advice from a food truck owner.

Food Truck Business Plan Templates

There are several free food truck business plan templates we recommend, including:

• Legal Templates. Legal Templates offers a fantastic and extensive free mobile food business plan sample template . This is a great example to look at as you create your own food truck business plan.
• SCORE.  SCORE is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping small businesses get started and become successful. This organization offers a number of useful services for small business owners, including business plan  templates .
• U.S. Small Business Administration. The much larger parent organization that supports SCORE is the U.S. Small Business Administration. It, too, offers helpful business planning  templates  and advice for entrepreneurs.
• Startup Business Plan Template. While this template may have information and sections not relevant for food trucks, much of the included info will be applicable. Since this business plan in uniquely geared towards startups, it’s a great template to begin with. Get the Startup Business Template here.
• BPlans. Bplans offers many business plan templates, and while there is no food truck plan specifically, there is a Fine Fining Business Plan Template which can be a great resource as a place to start. It’s extensive and has more information than a food truck would need, but is still worth checking out. There’s also a Coffee Kiosk business plan example that will be especially helpful for food trikes or trailers.

Bonus Food Truck Business Plan Tips

• Ask For Help.  If you’re struggling, consider asking other food truck owners for help with your business plan. They’ve been through it all before and may be able to help you.
• Focus on Financials. Having hard, concrete numbers incorporated into your food truck business plan will build confidence and provide a roadmap for your business. These financials will help you evaluate how much money you’ll need to start your food truck business and how much you’ll need to charge to stay successful. Be as detailed as possible, considering the cost of everything from sandwich wrappers to cleaning supplies so that you can prepare accordingly.
• Do It Your Way. Business plans vary greatly depending on the stage of the business, the structure of the business, and all kinds of other factors. Don’t be afraid to cut out what you think is un-necessary and only focus on the aspects of your food truck business plan that make the most sense for your unique needs.

Have you written a food truck business plan? What was your process like – did you use any resources you found helpful? Share your experience in the comments!

4 thoughts on “Food Truck Business Plan Guide + Template”

Writing a business plan does not have to be time-consuming or difficult. Are you kidding seems like you need a college degree in Business, Marketing, etcl Do you know any Incubator businesses or Mentors in the Hartford, CT Area.

It really can be as simple or complicated as you’d like it to be. Unless you’re bringing on outside investors, the business plan is mostly just for your own piece of mind and planning.

I don’t know off the top of my head if there are incubators in that area, but most likely there are some groups. I’d suggest asking existing food trucks in your area or asking the Chamber of Commerce.

So helpful, thank you

Thanks for this great info..

Comments are closed.

About Megan

Blazing Salads Food Truck: Salads & Pita Power

Food truck kitchen commissaries in boston.

Food Truck Business Plan Template Sample Page

Thank you for viewing our Food Truck business plan template sample pages. This Food Truck business plan was written specifically for the Food Truck industry and contains a full table of contents, example text, red instructional text, and references. Use this business plan template as a basis/foundation to create your own business plan upon.

Please scroll down below to view sample pages of the exact Food Truck business plan template you will be receiving.

Or Click here to learn more about this business plan template.

Add these other Do-It-Yourself items as needed: (Financial worksheet in Excel is highly recommended)  

Food Truck Business Financial Worksheet in Microsoft Excel an add-on option (highly recommended) to calculate your finances. Investors love numbers and this excel worksheet will allow you to enter financial data specific to your business to produce proforma financial statements for use in your business plan. These Excel worksheets (Set-up, Start-up, Sales, Headcount, Inventory, Operating Expenses, Capital Budget, Equity & Debt, and Amortization Schedule) contain instructions, questions for you to answer, and boxes (cells) for data entry. Cells in which you are to answer questions or enter data are yellow. Purple cells contain formulas that will be calculated automatically.

Business Funding Package an add-on option. (A must have if actively seeking investment) Includes a business Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow template “Pitch Deck” to show lenders and investors your concept at a glance. It includes 12 slides with instructional text for you to insert your specific business images and information into.

This funding package also includes the Funding eBook bundle to educate you on your funding options and how to best present your business concept. These 4 eBooks guide you through individual interventions, second-party arrangements, corporate funding options, government interventions, managing business cash flow, quick start funding overview, exit strategy, common mistakes to avoid when pitching your concept, and much more.

To learn more about this Food Truck business plan template click here.

Business Startup and Raising Capital Document Templates to show investors that your business is prepared to launch. 195 Document Templates. Investors want to know you are prepared. Show them you are with these professional business documents. This 4 pack of business document templates covers includes documents such as: Business Plan Guidelines, Strategic Planning Checklist, Trend Analysis Checklist, Executive Summary Template, Market Study Outline, Business Analysis Worksheet, Board of Directors Documents, Confidentiality Agreements, General Administration, Basic Financial Checklist and much more 195 document templates in total.

Business Finance, Employment and Marketing Document Templates to show investors that you are prepared for operations and promotion. Investors want to know that you have a game plan moving forward in regards to finances, employees and marketing. This 4 pack of business document templates includes documents such as: Insurance, Investments, Investors Relations, Invoices and Billing, Loans and Borrowing, Compensation and Benefits, Contractors and Consultants, Employee Records, Employee Reference Letters, Firing and Termination, Addressing Complaints, Customer Relations, Market Analysis, Purchase orders and price quotes, Sales and Marketing Management, Affiliate Program Agreement and much more 586 document templates in total.

Business Operational Plan, Employee Handbook, and Policies and Procedures Templates:

Show your investor that you are ready to launch by completing these vital foundational documents prior to starting. They include:

Operational plan template for you to describe your business’s mission and operations, including information on your strategic content, company objectives, key performance indicators, key assumptions and risks, goals, and more.

Employee handbook template to create for your current or future employees explaining your policies and what you expect from them and what they should expect from you.

Policies and procedures template (an addition to your employee handbook) to communicate the culture of your business, your standards on employment, schedules, compensation, benefits, hiring policies, and other workplace policies to protect not just your business but also your employees.

*These are templates for you to complete as operations and employee requirements vary per business. Please view the sample pages below.

(Delivered in digital Microsoft Word format)

Click here to view more details of this Food Truck business plan template.

•   Food Truck Business Plan Template (Microsoft Word)  –  $47.00
•   +Add Excel Worksheet (Recommended)  –  $35.00
•   +Add PowerPoint Template and 4 Funding eBooks  –  $65.00
•   +Add Business Startup, Finance, Marketing Documents 781 Templates  –  $185.00
•   +Add Operational, Employee and Policy and Procedure Templates  –  $35.00

Thank you once again for viewing our Food Truck Business Plan Template Sample Pages. This template should best be used as a basis to create your own professional business plan with.

Unlike other on or offline business plan “software” that just inserts your information into a generic template this Food Truck business plan template was written specifically from the ground up for the Food Truck industry.

• Food guides for travelers /
• Samara, Samara Oblast /

The 10 curious dishes in Samara, Russia

Table of contents

• 1. The exciting ukha
• 2. The strong pork ribs
• 3. The transcending Caesar salad
• 4. The subsistent meat kebab
• 5. Savour the spoon sweets
• 6. Break away with spaghetti carbonara
• 7. The hottest fried cheese
• 8. The inevitable pelmeni
• 9. The impossible shchi
• 10. The historical Beef Stroganoff

Among the many famous cities and places in Russia, Samara is not the first name that pops up in your mind. However, this place is far from being some obscure provincial hamlet. It's the third-most populous city on the Volga and embodies everything "normal" and regular about the average life of a Russian. Still, its history and significance to the region are as constant as the waters of the great river, yet the daily lives of its people are as ever-changing as the streams. With an ambiance like that, it's easy and pleasing to look at the gastronomical scene here.

Ukha is a Russian fish soup cooked from different types of fish (e.g. wels, bream or ruffe) and vegetables: potatoes, leek, carrot, dill and parsley. Black pepper and salt can be added optionally. This soup was first mentioned in 17th-18th centuries. It is more preferable to cook the dish from the fresh and younger fish.

Soups are a very serious thing in Russia, and ukha is a natural selection to kick off the list for the city on the Volga. This soup is made from various types of fish such as bream, wels catfish, northern pike, or even ruffe. Secondary ingredients include root vegetables, parsley root, leek, potato, bay leaf, dill, tarragon, and green parsley. A funny and rather stereotypical fact is that the traditional recipe used to include adding a shot of vodka to  ukha at the end of preparation for better flavor.

No guarantees regarding vodka, but tasty ukha can be found at  Restaurant Chestnykh Tsen .

Prepared either indoors or outdoors, juicy pork ribs are always a treat. There are two types of pork ribs, namely spare ribs and baby back ribs.

Jumping from fish to meat and vice versa is not exactly consistent, but it's a good sport for someone exploring different facets of local cuisine. Meat has always been important to the ration of any Russian family, and despite ups and downs in terms of dietary habits over years and centuries, pork has consistently remained the most popular meat in the Volga region. Today,  pork ribs are especially popular among restaurant patrons and home grill enthusiasts. There are many enhancements of the standard formula where a ribcage of a domestic pig, meat, and bones together, is cut into usable pieces, prepared by smoking, grilling, or baking.

Johnny Woo is a decent choice for sweet pork ribs and no slow motion during the service.

It's a very simple green salad, a mix of croutons, parmesan cheese and romaine lettuce. The dressing is so addictive. It's made with eggs, lemon juice, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and mustard. This salad was introduced by Caesar Cardini, a restaurateur from the USA and Mexico.

During the time periods when Russian cuisine experiences an influx of foreign recipes and influences, trademark dishes of the Russian table embed themselves so strongly into the cultural norm that no one will even guess that their origins are not native. This happened to the Italian  Caesar salad made from romaine lettuce and croutons with a dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, mustard, cheese, and black pepper. Russian restaurant chefs and home cooking enthusiasts invented lots of modifications over the years.

A place with a funny name, Kipyatok , meaning "boiled water", offers great Caesar salads.

They are small cubes of meat grilled on a skewer. The dish comes from Persian and Middle Eastern cuisines. The traditional meat is lamb, mutton, chicken or beef.

Besides the obvious European influences, the modern food scene in Samara also incorporates some Middle Eastern elements. Local chefs prepare a great variety of grilled meat dishes generally referred to as kebabs. A standard kebab in Russian cuisine is more meat than side elements and is grilled less than the original recipe permits.  Meat kebabs are surprisingly even more popular than some traditional meat-based dishes. Special mention goes to Armenian and Azerbaijani kebab options.

Puri is a great place for kebabs with the meat of your choice.

This treat is fruit and vegetables that are preserved in syrup. Spoon sweets are commonly made with cherries, berries, lemons and grapes. It is traditionally served with a cup of tea or coffee or a glass of old water.

The history of Russian "varenye", or spoon sweets , is a long and multi-faceted one. A legacy of the times when most people lived in villages was continued when it became much easier to make your own sweets rather than buy sugary treats. Many factors contributed to the diversity and strength of the presence of this particular dish on a Russian table. Russians make varenye out of almost anything — seedless grapes, mulberries, and other berries, bergamot, apricots, apples, pears, sour and sweet cherries, oranges, and anything else that comes to mind.

Finding a great restaurant serving spoon sweets is easier than you think. Try People's .

It's a classic Italian pasta made of spaghetti or other long pasta, guanciale or pancetta, parmesan, olive oil, salt and pepper. Carbonara means 'in the manner of coal miners'. There are different theories for its origin. The dish could be the main meal for charcoal workers or just the black pepper flecks look like coal dust against the creamy pasta.

Moving away from granny's cellar and its glass cans with spoon sweets, let us explore some more imported dishes popular in Samara.  Spaghetti carbonara  is a surprising hit in Russia, mainly because it's rather simple but allows a great deal of improvisation when enhancing the recipe. The basic formula is eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper, but many chefs in Russian restaurants add different spices and change the balance of the ingredients, thus making the classic carbonara and spaghetti combo something refreshingly interesting.

All of this is confirmed by the name of the restaurant  Perchini , which is a play on words combining "pepper" with a stereotypically Italian ending.

Czechs and Slovaks are very fond of cheese, especially fried. For this purpose, the local Germelin variety is suitable, it is soft and fat. Small pieces are crumbled in breadcrumbs and sent to a frying pan. Cheese is served with sauce.

Another European influence, this time more Eastern and less spicy, concerns the more conservative types of food. Formerly uncommon,  fried cheese has recently gained strong popularity in Samaran restaurants. Unlike Europe and South America, in Russia, fried cheese can be served at any time and comes with a variety of different snacks, from bread to sweets. Everything generally depends on the imagination of the chef and the free-thinking habits of the eaters themselves.

Check out Carrie for decent fried cheese.

Many countries call dumplings their invention. Chinese jiao-tzu, Asian manti, Italian ravioli, Georgian khinkali, Japanese gedza and, of course, Russian dumplings - pelmeni, are small boiled pies with meat.

Samara's geographical location and eclectic tastes in food make it an unexpectedly interesting location to search for unique takes on common food.  Pelmeni is a staple of Russian cuisine, yet local recipes with different spices, the addition of sour cream, experiments with peppers and vegetables, different stuffings, and other roads their culinary imagination takes the locals. Still, there's always a chance to get some good old-fashioned pelmeni with pork filling wrapped in dough, if that's your fancy.

A place called Pelmennaya №1 , which literally means "number one place serving pelmeni", will cover all of your bases in terms of the heart of Russian cuisine.

Shchi is an easy-to-prepare Russian soup made of cabbage, potatoes and tomatoes on the meat broth. Sometimes they use sauerkraut instead of the fresh cabbage, this way the soup is called sour shchi.

If you're breaking your tongue trying to pronounce the name, that's perfectly normal. The extremely Slavic phonetics only highlight how amusingly local this take on cabbage soup is. Shchi  has been known as far back as the 9th century, soon after cabbage was introduced in Rus' as an import from Byzantium. Now it's a staple food in modern Russia, being both nutritious and made from very traditional components — cabbage, meat,  mushrooms, flour, and basic spices. There's even a saying "Shchi and kasha are our food". It rhymes in Russian.

Great shchi can be found at Pasternak .

Beef Stroganoff is a traditional Russian dish, although it has a French name. It has become widely known all over the world. It is thin pieces of beef in sour cream sauce. Today, there are various recipes, in some of them, you can use other meat, chicken or pork, instead of beef.

In the olden days, there have been quite a few influential families that affected the shaping of Russian history, politics, and the way of life in general. The Stroganovs were one of those families. The dish that finished our list, the Beef Stroganoff , is named after them and remains essentially Russian despite the French overtones. It was a French chef that invented the food made from sauteed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream. More recent variations add onions and tomato sauce along with potato straws.

If you want to feel like a Russian boyar, check out places like Ferma .

As you can see, Samara is a diverse and ever-changing city with foods from across the globe and from all corners of Russia. Have fun discovering its unique and universal appeal.

Great food and best restaurants in Samara

Tasty dishes and restaurant features in Samara

You may be interested in

Explore our collection of recipes

Fabrika Pizza

FABRIKA PIZZA, Samara - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor