Food trucks, mobile quick service restaurants if you will, have been in the news quite a bit in 2013. With lawmakers from
Chicago to
New York City to
Atlanta struggling to create policies that make sense, these traveling establishments have been in a bit of limbo. Regardless, their popularity has been increasing, and consumers have shown a willingness to line up for freshly prepared food. Perhaps its the change and variety, food trucks usually, oddly enough, move, which means consumers can mix up their choices more than with standalone restaurants. Whatever the cause, aspiring and established restaurateurs alike are looking into food trucks, for different reasons.
Website AZCentral.com has an interesting article about food trucks, that takes a look at their usefulness for restauranteurs from two different angles. The first, for aspiring restaurateurs, is the idea of opening a food truck as an introduction to the industry, sort of a restaurant with training wheels (pun intended). This sounds like a great idea - purchasing a truck is certainly less costly (upfront) than a storefront, and requires less inventory and staffing. Not to mention, no furniture and fewer utility bills. As AZCentral's article mentions, food trucks can generate a lot of money when managed properly, but they require much more investment than most people consider, with one restauranteur citing a minimum $50,000 initial cost. The issue is that you have to make sure you and your products stand out in the crowd, especially if you are serving popular items, such as tacos in Los Angeles, or coffee…anywhere.
While, because of the potentially high start up costs, a food truck might not be the best option for a
fledgling restauranteur, it can be a great opportunity for a current owner to expand their brand awareness. As AZCentral points out, for successful restaurants with a following, having a mobile unit can put your name and food in new places, and help reach new customers. Indeed, these may be the most adept candidates when it comes to managing a truck in such a way as to make it profitable and a good means of advertising. For restaurant owners who are considering opening a new location, having a food truck can help you gauge how much interest there is in for your product in a specific area or amongst a specific demographic.
Source:
AZCentral,
Image Credit
