Food truck ideas

Real quick back story. I've been turning wrenches of one kind or another for 20+ years. While I am still a relatively young man I can still feel the years of blue collar labor adding up on my body. That being said I can never see myself sitting behind a desk. Since I enjoy cooking I started kicking around the idea of starting a food truck. I figure I need to find a niche/specialty. What are some different kinds of food trucks you guys have seen? My initial idea was a grilled cheese theme and it was a such a good idea there is already 2 of them with the same theme here in the valley.

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms

Before you develop a specialty you have to develop a reputation. Be on time on your route, have fresh food and fair prices.

Stiff competition, hard work, your day never ends. Up before dawn loading the truck, prepping, moving all day, and cleaning up when you get home.

Egyptian street food... its easy, tasty, and CHEAP. Like offer versions of Koshari/koshary.

allrecipes.com...

You get this stuff served on the street in a paper bowl or funnel. Its healthy, filling and SUPER tasty!

Steamed sandwiches. In South Carolina (and maybe other places, too) they have the best steamed sandwiches. Hoagie bun, thin sliced deli meet, cheese. You stick it in a steamer for a few seconds and it comes out warm and delish. Served with a side of dipping sauce. Yum yum.

Sell pizza. Those are all over the news right now.

/scnr/

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms
tacos.

Restaurant business is TOUGH. Low margins. Hard work. High rates of failure.

Since you don't have an "idea" yet, I be cautious. Most of the food trucks that I've seen that are successful are extensions of someone's food passion. Meaning they were already making some phenomenal dish as a hobby or professionally and decided to extend it to a food truck.

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms

How about breakfast? Lots of people like breakfast foods at lunch... dinner... anytime. It's fairly cheap, quick, and plenty of variety but not too much. Plus, breakfast foods are generally filling and nutritious (plenty of protein!).

HORCHATA!

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms

Make one called Fries With That! and serve all kinds of different fries as the main course?

You could have a 2 sided menu kind of thing:
one side with what kind of fries (waffle, steak, crinkle-cut, curly, shoe-string, etc. )
one side with what kind of "that" (different toppings or mini burgers or whatever you wanted to do)

and if you could have the menu without names or numbers so they had to point at something and say "that", it would make it perfect.

Potatoes are cheap.

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms

Grilled cheese sandwiches with potato chips.

Make the grilled cheese sandwiches with different cheeses, let the customer choose which cheese and bread they want. It's simple and sounds delicious.

How about a rolling bar with a nice sound system so people can dance and fight.

Cornish pasties, or various types of calzones.

Late night college food trucks usually do very well. When they came to schools around me people would go crazy and drunk kids each spending 10 bucks. Could easily get a hundred people at multiple stops around a campus. Foods with cheese, and also invent some crazy desserts with combinations of different ingredients that will make people have no choice but to try it.
Example... A hot cookie with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, and teddy grahams or something classic.
Also doesn't have to be just for late night college visits. Make unique varieties of all the normal stuff.

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms

Mango habanero wings and raspberry chipotle ribs.

Damn now you guys got me hungry. All excellent ideas though

Satay , Rojak or Char siu pau .

No idea what foods are popular over there .

a reply to: Bodybagkustoms
A moving soup kitchen. We used to have a truck around here that was called The Moving Soup Kitchen. They served different kinds of homestyle soups. (If business allows you could also add sandwiches).

They always had some of the most amazing soups!!!! I soooo miss them.

deep fried stir fry cakes. Make a patty out of my modern stir fry (rice, bacon bits, egg whites, chicken or steak etc.. protein, celery, carrots, peas, water chestnuts etc...)

I've never done that, but stir fry is my favorite meal, and..... deep fried stir fry just sounds good at this moment in my brain.

Good luck with your endeavors hope you think of something awesome or get some great ideas.

-Alee

Before starting you need to be able to handle the requirements when 'nature calls' and be able to wash afterwards.

Follow the KISS principle and work to try and reduce waste, you will know your local people and what they like.

Also look to side sell so that you make the most of it, paid for advertising of someones tattoo studio etc that doesn't interfere with your sales stream.

Be able to get used to the boredom, there will be times when you're 50 deep and suddenly theres no one around for an hour.

and probably the most important thing is to check the local rules on running such a thing as getting raided and slapped in the pokey won't be fun or cheap.