Deciding on the Perfect Food Truck Location

The success of any food truck business depends on several key factors, but perhaps the most important one is location. You can move around as often as you’d like or offer the lowest prices on the block but if you’re not in the right place serving the right food, your business will fail. Here are five tips on how to decide on your food truck’s location.

Figure Out Where You Can Park

The most obvious yet crucial step is to figure out where you can legally park your food truck overnight. Only then can you actually start comparing your options. Street parking laws and regulations can vary by location. For instance, Chicago laws prohibit food trucks from operating while within 200 feet of a restaurant. Some cities, such as Tacoma, have designated curbside zones that licensed food trucks or trailers can operate at.

Figure Out the Cost of Parking

Food trucks that are parked on public property, such as near a town square or park, may be required to pay a leasehold excise tax. Food truck parks, on the other hand, are charged a daily rate. Park rental rates cost anywhere between $500 to $1,000, again depending on location. If you decide to park at certain locations during special events, like a major holiday or citywide celebration, you can expect to pay upwards of $75 per event.

Look for High-Traffic Areas

Areas with high foot traffic tend to be the most profitable for any type of business, including food trucks. More people passing your food truck means more opportunities to sell your menu. Food trucks often find steady business by setting up near local parks, college campuses, and business districts. Parking close to a salvage yard or close to a bridge, on the other hand, won’t make strategic sense since these places have relatively lower foot traffic. Other examples of good spots to park your food truck in are bars, nightclubs, farmers’ markets, and sports venues.

Park Where There’s Less Competition

If you have to compete with a dozen other food trucks serving Mexican food within a two-mile radius, chances of getting business are slimmer. You’ll want to park your food truck at a spot where your menu is a hot commodity. This is also where your menu and cuisine selection play an important role. The more eccentric your food options are, the less competition you’ll have to contend with.

Decide on How Often You Want to Move

Mobility can be a double-edged sword for food truck owners in that it can be confusing to determine when and where to work. You can decide to work downtown in one spot or you can go about hitting one event after the next. Since your business has wheels, you can enjoy the best of both worlds. That said, make a clear schedule and plan on how to move around to avoid running into legal and operational issues.

Take the time to find the right location for your food truck. Don’t be afraid to test out the waters, either. If one spot doesn’t work out, just move on to the next.