I'm thinking of getting a food truck built and have been kicking around some ideas with a chef. They're finally taking off here in Chicago. Been held back by restaurants who don't want them taking away business. Now the city is allowing them in 23 locations must be 200 ft away from restaurants and can't stay in one location for more than 2 hours. The idea is centered around fried chicken with sandwiches being the main driving force. But having actual bone in traditional fried chicken keeps more windows open in the form of catering and summer fests.


It's relatively cheap to get up and running (wont have to worry about losing more than 100k) which is a big draw for me. And you don't have a lot of entrenched competition in the area.
We have some good ideas but would love to hear OTs opinion.

What are your general thoughts on food trucks? Good and bad experiences?
What type of menu items would you like to see in a chicken food truck?

Social media will be real key.

Chocolate covered pickles. FTW.

Fucking love food trucks. Every Wednesday they have about 30 different ones that gather in downtown Phoenix. If u are doing fried chicken id suggest going the soul food route, a lot of black people in Chicago....

I lived on food trucks while in college.

2 hr max limit sounds absurd tho. All the ones I used to eat from in Philly were in the same spots everyday. Some never even moved.

A food truck is a lot harder to start up than people think, I've been game planning one for awhile. Depends on local law, but costs include renting a commissary kitchen, being able store your truck in that same location as well as dumping waste and grey water. Chicago may be different, but in Wa, you are not allowed to do hot prep on the truck(may not be an issue if you're frying to order), and you can't use your residence as your kitchen. You'll still need the permission of a local business to use their restroom (this could cost $, maybe just free food if you're lucky).

A truck will most likely cost a minimum of 20-30k, unless it's dumpy. A trailer might be ideal for you, as a new one outfitted with brand new equipment will be less, and there will be far less maintenance down the road (literally).

With that said, good luck!

build an audience in the universities....like try to make sure you are there mon/thurs at uchicago, fridays at northwestern, etc


i see this business as one with very variable revenue, but it is def interesting.

good luck

You sure the new regulations are going to allow you to make a decent profit?

 

These nefarious new regulations mandate that food trucks stay at least 200 feet away from restaurants—a near impossibility in downtown Chicago, as the handy graphic at right produced by the Institute for Justice illustrates. “Our map showed the Loop, Chicago's downtown area, where there are hardly any slivers that are safely 200 feet away from a restaurant,” says Beth Kregor, director of the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School, which provides free legal advocacy and assistance for low-income entrepreneurs in Chicago—including many food truck owners and operators. “The chance of finding a legal parking spot in one of those slivers is almost non-existent." The new rules also require food trucks to submit to constant GPS monitoring. Violations of the proximity restriction or other rules carry harsh fines of up to $2,000—a staggering fine for a small business.

http://reason.com/archives/2012/07/2...on-food-trucks

find spots with a lot of construction workers

 

Originally Posted by Dyzalot

You sure the new regulations are going to allow you to make a decent profit?



http://reason.com/archives/2012/07/2...on-food-trucks

they've come up with 23 locations where food trucks can locate. They mayor wanted it so it's done. Thats the one good thing about having a mayor as a bulldog. When he wants something he gets it. Plus I have a good in. He likes my wife. :)

I also see catering and fests as a major revenue source

I consider myself an expert on food trucks since i've been watching 'The Great Food Truck Race' on the Food Network. What I can tell you: Asian themed trucks ALWAYS win, and sell like crazy.

If you get a good idea, and a good cook and stuff together - you should apply for the great food truck race, they give the winner $50K and the food truck (you don't have to have one going in).

Seems like the 2 hour limit is a bit ridiculous, but I suppose you could probably get a solid rotation down if you did it everyday - picking out which spots were best at what times, etc.

completely retarded that they have to move every two hours, you build business by consistency, if you can establish that your food truck is the best you want to be in the same place all day every day so people always know where to find you

lol now who's being a mexican?

I think there are still too many restrictions on where you can set up. Especially in the loop, which is obviously the best place for food trucks in the city.

I think they're trying to ease the laws, but once they do you will have a ton of competition.

Hope you succeed and I'll def come get some chicken if you get set up.

Margins are slim food regulators on your ass food gas prices going up shit breaking down . Good luck. But if you think only losing 100k is NBD you should def go for it.

We have a lot of food trucks in the DC area and they are ridiculously popular. I love most of them but it blows my mind whenever I see a huge line at the lobster truck in Rosslyn that charges $25+ for a sandwich.