The Pros and Cons of Having a Mobile Restaurant

The Pros and Cons of Having a Mobile Restaurant

Owning a food truck is a wonderful journey. The satisfaction of being your own boss, coupled with operating a mobile business, is a recipe for happiness for most entrepreneurs. But food truck ownership has its own set of challenges. Here are some pros and cons of owning a restaurant on wheels.

Pros

You’re Mobile

Your biggest advantage to owning a mobile business is, well, that it’s mobile. You’re not obligated to any particular parking spot if opportunities are better elsewhere. You can test different streets, at various times of the day, to get a feel for where your target customer is. And who doesn’t love a frequent change of scenery?

No Set Hours

As an entrepreneur, you’ll want to open up shop as often as possible to maximize profits. But what if there’s an emergency? What if you’d like to spontaneously take off for a few days with no explanation to your customers? In the food truck business, you technically don’t have to be open on any particular day. This is in sharp opposition to a brick-and-mortar location, where regular business hours are standard practice in the restaurant business.

Unlimited Creativity

The opportunities to be creative with your food truck business are endless. From daily menu changes to social media campaigns, being mobile assures that your marketing efforts are regularly challenged. Neon lighting, digital menus, and local, handcrafted art are just some of the many ways to deck out your truck.

Cons

Long Work Hours

Depending on the type of food, your workday in the food truck business can be much longer than a 9-to-5 job. Some operators wake up in the middle of the night and head to their commissaries to start baking for the breakfast rush. Aside from preparation, a food truck requires driving, cooking, stocking, washing dishes, taking orders, and other labor-intensive operations that can drag the workday into the late hours.

Breakdowns

Equipment and machinery failure is common in the food truck business. With high-powered generators running, sometimes in extreme hot or cold temperatures, power failure and equipment breakdown is almost certain to happen. Make sure to have a backup plan for when the inevitable happens so you’re not stranded during the busy lunch rush.

Working in Extreme Climates

Speaking of hot or cold temperatures, working in a kitchen already has the disadvantage of hot ovens and fryers running all day. Pair that with a hot summer day and you’ve got the formula for a very hot work environment. The same holds for cold days when the brisk air won’t hesitate to sneak in through your serving window. Proper heating, cooling, and ventilation are required to improve work standards and keep your employees safe.