15 Food Truck Business Ideas To Start In [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: July 11th, 2024

15 Food Truck Business Ideas To Start In [2024]

Food trucks have been a successful business model for years, with the first food truck appearing in Los Angeles in 1975. Since then, the industry has grown dramatically and today, food trucks are found all over the world. Some cities even have entire districts dedicated to these mobile restaurants.

The food truck business can be a profitable one, but it's not just about the food. It's also about the location and events you choose to attend.

If you want to start a food truck business, make sure you have enough money to purchase or rent a vehicle and pay for gas. You'll also need to hire employees and pay them.

You should also make sure that your menu appeals to your customers' tastes and preferences. This way, they will keep coming back for more!

Here is a list of the top Food Truck Business you can start:

1. Open a hot dog truck

Ever thought about starting your own hot dog business and getting out of a 9 to 5 job?

Hot dogs are a popular food item that people can enjoy on the go. Serving hot dogs from a food truck can make a really profitable business if done right. Hot dog sales have been steadily growing in the past several years, and some of the leading hot dog vendors are making millions of dollars per year.

Opening a hot dog truck is going to require its fair share of research, planning, and preparation. You will need to buy or rent a truck, build a menu, and buy equipment & materials before you can start rolling. But with the right plan in place, you’ll soon be out on the streets, selling the best hot dogs while earning money & making people happy.

2. Start a Japanese food truck

Opening a Japanese food truck is an exciting prospect, and it's one that any aspiring entrepreneur can take on with confidence. It's an industry with a lot of potential for growth, and there are many ways to get started.

First, you'll need to find the right vehicle for your business. You're going to want something that looks great, but also has a large enough kitchen and storage space for all your supplies. Once you've found the right truck, it's time to think about what kind of menu you want to offer customers.

Once you've settled on a menu and a vehicle, it's time to get moving. Start by getting your permits in order—you need these before you can even begin cooking or selling anything! Then hire some staff (preferably people who have experience working in restaurants). Finally, start advertising! Make sure everyone knows about your new business by putting up flyers around town and posting on social media.

3. Start a burger food truck

Starting a burger food truck is one of the best decisions you can make as a business owner because who doesn't love a good burger?

The first step in opening a burger food truck is to consider the location and your start-up budget. Some businesses allow you to lease the truck, which can be less costly than buying one. A small, older trailer that's been outfitted could run you $100 a day or $500 a week. You may also need extra equipment such as a one-burner stove, refrigerator, and sinks.

You Can Follow This Step-by-Step Guide:

Selecting the concept for your food truck
Obtaining permits, and licenses and fulfilling regulatory requirements
Purchasing the food truck, outfitting it, hiring staff, etc.
Running and promoting your burger food truck

4. Start an ice cream truck business

Do you have childhood memories of a neighborhood ice cream truck that reminded you anytime is a good time for ice cream?

An ice cream truck is one of the truck business ideas with great potential. So long as you choose high-traffic streets and a business strategy, an ice cream truck business could be profitable.

Starting an ice cream truck makes you your boss and helps you reach your financial goals. To start the ice cream business, research the nearby ice cream businesses and identify some potential gaps, prepare a business plan, customize your ice cream truck and launch your business.

5. Open a pizza truck

Pizza is one of the most popular Italian dishes in the USA plus, people around the globe also love it too. It's now estimated that Americans consume 3 billion pizzas annually, with that number increasing every year.

So, it’s definitely a great idea to sell pizzas from a food truck as there is a high chance of it being profitable. Food trucks are getting more popular and are more cost-effective business ideas compared to starting a restaurant.

Starting your own Pizza truck business can be a great way of making money. There are many benefits of owning your own pizza truck. The ability to choose your own schedule, work anywhere, and the satisfaction of running your own business are only some of the benefits of owning a food truck.

Get a vehicle, buy the equipment, create a menu, learn pizza-making skills or hire a chef, and start sling pizzas.

6. Start a vegan food truck business

Today many new industries are starting to appear across the world, and one of them is the vegan food truck business. This is a very good business as it has opened up new doors for many people and you can make as much money through this business as you can from any other business.

As more and more people are choosing the vegan lifestyle there's a lot of scope in starting your own vegan food truck business. Since, this is a fairly new concept you'll have less competition and more chance of scaling your business. Read about vegan food and learn about the ingredients & cooking method, select a menu, and focus on marketing. You can also consider promoting your vegan food truck on social media by a vegan lifestyle influencer from your local area with a significant number of following.

7. Open a BBQ food truck

People enjoy having a barbeque meal, be it any special occasion or their everyday meat cravings. There are a lot of restaurants adding bbq items to their menu as this food item is getting more and more popular.

Starting a BBQ food truck is a great way to get into the business of food trucks. While it may seem like a lot of work, there are many benefits to starting a BBQ food truck.

The first thing you need to do when starting a BBQ food truck is to decide if it's going to be a mobile or stationary restaurant. Mobile restaurants have the benefit of being able to move around wherever they want, but stationary restaurants have set locations where customers can find them.

You should also think about how much money you want to put into this venture. You can start small by purchasing just one type of meat and serving it on-site, but if you want more variety in your menu you'll need more equipment and supplies.

8. Start a Chinese food truck business

Chinese is one of the most popular cuisines in the United States loved by Americans for many years. The Chinese community had about 45,000 restaurants in the US in 2014, and the global Chinese restaurant industry is one of the largest in the world.

Starting a Chinese food truck business can be a great way to get into this food industry. You can start small and build your business from there. It is also a good way to avoid some of the pitfalls that come with opening a restaurant, such as high overhead costs and the need for expensive equipment.

You need to choose a perfect location for your food truck, build a menu with the most popular Chinese items, decorate your food truck with a Chinese theme, and focus on marketing. Make sure you use good quality products and there is no compromise in the taste, that way your business will grow and you can make more profit.

9. Start a vegetarian food truck business

There are a lot of people who have a vegetarian diet and as more and more people are turning to healthier & sustainable lifestyle the demand for vegetarian restaurants or food trucks are increasing.

Starting a vegetarian food truck business can help you to reach a wider demographic, increase profits and earn more money.

The first step to starting a vegetarian food truck business is to decide what kind of food you want to serve. You should choose dishes that have a broad appeal and can be sold at all times of the day. This will ensure that you have customers who buy your food throughout the day and not just during lunch or dinner hours.

There are many benefits to starting a vegetarian food truck business, including:

The low start-up costs associated with opening a food truck
The ability to use social media marketing and word-of-mouth to spread the word about your dishes and attract new customers
The flexibility of being able to work from different locations.

10. Open a mobile juice truck

If you're thinking about starting a juice truck business, you're not alone. Juice trucks are booming right now, and there's no doubt that they'll continue to grow in popularity as more people become health-conscious and look for ways to incorporate fresh, healthy foods into their diets.

Starting a mobile juice truck is a great way to get your foot in the door of the food industry. It's a low-cost entry point that can help you build your brand and make money, even if you don't have a lot of capital to start with.

To start your own juice truck, all you have to do is get a small truck, find the best recipes, buy a great juicer and get it set up in a beautiful location and you'll be making money in no time!

11. Start an organic food truck business

The organic food truck business has been on the rise for the past few years as more people choose to eat organic instead of processed food.

From the farmer's market to the big box supermarket, more consumers demand high-quality, organic foods with all the flavor and half the processing.

Starting an organic food truck business can be a great way to get into the food industry and make a name for yourself. If you're looking to start an organic food truck business, but don't know where to begin, here are some tips:

Research your market. Find out what people in your area are looking for, and how they want their food served.
Find a good location. Find a place that will attract the type of customers who would want to eat at your restaurant.
Build a menu that will appeal to your target audience. You want to make sure that whatever you're serving is delicious!
Hire staff members who will help you run the business and make sure all of your customers have a great experience!

12. Open a dessert food truck

Starting a dessert food truck can be a great way to make money while pursuing your passion. If you have experience in the kitchen and have a background in baking, this is a great way to combine your love of cooking with your natural talent for creating delicious desserts.

First step: You need to decide what kind of dessert food truck business you want to start. Some of the popular dessert food truck items include cake pops, brownies on a stick, donuts, pancakes, cupcakes, churros, funnel cakes, etc.

Choose a menu that takes less time to make and that people can enjoy on the go. It is also important to select a location with a good amount of footfall not just on the weekend but on the weekdays as well.

Next step: getting the vehicle and making it equipped with all the tools and amenities to start making & selling desserts out of it.

Then you’ll need to apply for the license and take care of the legal parts before you can take your dessert food truck out on the streets

How much you can make: $50,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $8,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

How We Started A $50K/Month Food Truck In Colorado

Roll Up Food Truck started as a $2,700 trailer selling gourmet egg rolls in Widefield, Colorado in 2018, and has since expanded with a five-person staff and monthly revenues of $50k, due in part to a customer- and community-centric approach and emphasis on digital marketing and social media.

Read this case study

Read by 7,878 founders

13. Open a taco food truck

Taco is a popular Mexican dish that people from all around the globe love to eat. Tacos have been around for centuries, but they have become increasingly popular in recent years.

Tacos are great for food trucks because they're easy to make and easy to serve. They're also affordable and customizable; customers can choose their own fillings and toppings, so they can get exactly what they want at an affordable price point.

Opening a taco food truck can be a great way to create a business that is both fun and profitable. A taco food truck is an investment, but it can be an incredibly rewarding one.

To open a taco food truck, you'll need to:

Get the proper permits from your state's department of agriculture
Find an appropriate location for the truck, such as near a park or a beach
Set up an online ordering system so customers can place their orders and pay for them

How much does it cost to start: $70 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

14. Open a waffles truck

Waffles are one of the favorite breakfast items for Americans. They are quick to make, can be customized, you can serve them with a variety of toppings, plus they can be made in both sweet & savory options.

If you are looking to start a food truck business, you should really consider starting a waffle truck as the potential for success is really high. There are a lot of people craving a warm & soft waffle for their breakfast or brunch meal but very few restaurants or food trucks are serving it.

So, buy, or rent a truck, get a waffle maker & other equipment, perfect your waffle recipe, and start selling. However, you will need some initial capital to kickstart your waffle food truck and will need to apply for a license and fulfill other legal procedures depending on which state you are looking to operate your food truck business.

15. Open a sea food truck

Seafood trucks are a great business to get into, especially if you're passionate about seafood. The preparation of seafood is quick and easy, so it's a good option for those who want to work part-time or have other jobs.

It's not as expensive as a brick-and-mortar restaurant, but it also allows you to have more freedom than other types of businesses.

However, cooking seafood can be a little tricky at times so either you will need to perfect your seafood recipes or hire a professional chef to make the job easier for you.

If your food truck serves fresh & delicious seafood dishes people are ready to pay a good price for it and great quality food combined with excellent customer service will ensure repeat customers & more profit.

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Pat Walls