The term “Mobile Food Service” is a fancy name for any kind of restaurant or food vending business on wheels…and includes everything from simple hot dog and ice-cream carts to barbecue trailers to lunch trucks and catering trailers. There are some huge business advantages unique to the food service operator who chooses to “go mobile” over operating from a fixed-location:

LOCATION SELECTION: A typical restaurant operator is generally required to commit to a long-term lease and hope he chooses the right location…if he doesn’t, he’s stuck in a bad location or forced to pay a hefty penalty for getting out of the lease early. On the other hand, the operator of a mobile food business has the ability to change locations at almost any time should business conditions warrant or change. Further, the owner of a mobile food business may find that they can operate in more than one location. For example, a hot dog cart operator may run a lunchtime business in one location, then move to another location better-suited for evening business, and operate in still another location on weekends.

TIME COMMITMENT: A typical restaurant owner is tied to his business for long hours, 6 or 7 days a week, every week, and every month (ask any restaurant owner if this isn’t true…many restaurant owners will confess that their restaurant owns them). While many choose to make their “mobile kitchen” a full-time occupation, an operator of a barbecue trailer may easily choose to operate only on weekends, or only weekdays, or any combination they desire. Many ice cream cart vendors profitably work only evenings and/or weekends during the summer to supplement their family’s income. With a mobile food business, you can choose to work as many or few hours as you like...AND you can start your business as a part-time venture to build your success before you make a full-time committment if you choose.

UP-FRONT CAPITAL COSTS: The costs for a building lease, improvements, equipment, seating, (and on and on and on) for a fixed location restaurant can easily surpass your available cash. With a mobile food service business you can start a business with as little as a few hundred dollars for a simple hot dog or ice cream cart, or spend tens of thousands of dollars for a sophisticated barbecue trailer or lunch truck. If you haven’t ever owned a restaurant before, consider starting small until you feel confident in your ability to make the right (profitable) decisions, then grow. Most successful mobile food operators started with a simple coffee van or hot dog truck, and grew as they learned the ropes. (In fact, quite a few small restaurant owners got started with a cart in a popular location and grew their business into one or more fixed-location “restaurants”.

STARTING YOUR PROFITABLE FOOD VENDING BUSINESS can be as simple as reading the articles on the site, and learning from the vendors who advertise here. You'll find the resources you need here to help you decide what type of food concession you want to run, the equipment to make it successful, and even a variety of new and used catering trucks and concession trailers. You can be on your way to a new a lucrative career in mobile food service before you know it!

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