Food truck costs and turnover: With these tips to success on wheels

A mobile business idea can be your big dream, which is usually overshadowed by worries about the food truck costs and the possible turnover opportunities. But with precise planning, cost calculation and above all passion, you can implement your snack idea well and safely.

The starting point of your mobile business start-up idea is probably the associated food truck costs and sales opportunities. From the purchase of the food truck to the ongoing operating expenses or factors influencing your sales, there are numerous considerations that should be included in your financial planning. In our blog article, we show you what you should pay attention to and how high your snack turnover can be. Depending on your concept, you can weigh up whether it is worthwhile for you to implement your snack bar idea.

Financing: How much does a food truck cost?

When you start your own business with a food truck, one of the most important questions in a business plan concerns the food truck costs. It is important to note that the individual costs of your food truck depend heavily on your plan and concept. What kind of street food do you want to offer, how big should your food truck be and which features are indispensable for you? However, to give you a few pointers for your financial planning, we have compiled a list of the most important food truck costs. These are divided into investment costs and running costs:

Investment costs

In order to determine your required start-up capital, you first need a list of your investment costs. These are all the costs of your food truck that will be incurred before you open. These include:

• Start-up costs: Fees for licences, requirements and regulations that are necessary for the operation of a food truck. You should calculate with several hundred euros here.
• Acquisition costs: The acquisition costs naturally include the costs of your food truck itself. In addition, you have to take into account other equipment such as kitchen accessories or a cash register system. You can get a used food truck for just a few thousand euros, a new food truck with several metres of length and integrated equipment, on the other hand, is more likely to cost 40,000 € and up.
• Marketing: Good advertising is essential for the success of your food truck. So in addition to your investment costs, you should also include expenses for a corporate design, a website as well as advertising in social networks, flyers or posters. Here, too, several thousand euros can quickly add up.
• Professional support: Setting up a business involves a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy. It makes sense to consult a business or tax consultant. They can help you with your business plan, bookkeeping and other legal matters. A few thousand euros can quickly add up to your food truck costs, but they are worth it and you are legally on the safe side.

Running food truck costs

In addition to the investment costs, there are also other running costs for operating your food truck. These monthly food truck costs include fixed as well as variable costs:

• Costs for your products: Of course, you have to include the costs for your offer in the running costs. For example, if you offer food dishes or drinks, you need the respective ingredients. The amount depends on your clientele and your sales figures.
• Packaging for take-aways: As a food truck operator, you probably offer your products to go. For this you need appropriate packaging or accessories, such as knives and forks, which you can hand out. These are also variable costs.
• Parking fees: With a food truck, you will of course also need a suitable parking space, which is usually subject to a fee and is charged per day or month. The fees for a parking space are highly dependent on the location.
• Insurance: In addition to your fixed food truck costs, you need to include appropriate insurance. This includes, for example, insurance for your food truck itself as well as business liability and business contents insurance.
• Electricity, gas and petrol: Depending on the operation, equipment and flexible choice of location, you must also include these costs in your running costs.
• Marketing, internet and telephone: Marketing costs are a big part of your investment costs, but you should still include advertising in your financial planning. This way you can promote your visibility in the long term. In addition, costs for the internet or telephone should also be considered as fixed costs.
• Wage costs and work clothes: As soon as you do not operate your food truck completely on your own, wage costs for your employees will of course be incurred. You should also have appropriate work clothes, such as aprons or T-shirts, printed for a uniform appearance.

Financing, financial plan, calculation

Financial planning

As you can see, the exact costs of your food truck depend on your individual concept. Therefore, it is advisable to have a buffer for your financial planning. This way you have financial reserves especially at the beginning, when your food truck still has to establish itself, and you can cover your running costs.

Calculation of snack prices – This is how it works!

Based on your cost breakdown, you can calculate your snack prices. Make sure that you take your price floor into account and do not go below it. Here we show you how to calculate this and find the right price for your product. Especially in the beginning, it is advisable to offer slightly lower prices so that you can attract customers. In the long run, however, you should not only cover your costs. Otherwise there is a risk that your profits will not be sufficient for your standard of living.

Form of financing

Once you know what start-up capital you need, you can decide on your form of financing. This can be done in different ways, depending on your financial situation, goals and location. On the one hand, there is the possibility of financing through equity. This can come from personal savings, investments by family members or other private donors. On the other hand, partial financing is also a common method to cover the costs of buying or starting a food truck business. This involves not funding the entire amount from a single source, but rather combining several funding options.

Once you know what start-up capital you need, you can decide on your form of financing.

Food truck turnover: your possible sources of income

When you look at the figures in your business plan, your expected turnover is of course important, as well as your costs. A high turnover enables you to operate profitably and achieve financial success. If the turnover of your food truck does not materialise, in the worst case you will not be able to cover your (running) costs in the long run. A high turnover is therefore crucial for long-term success and sustainability. There are many ways to generate turnover with your food truck, which we will explain to you in the following.

Direct street sales

The main business of a mobile street food shop is to offer high-quality and delicious food every day. If you choose your location wisely, you can quickly build up a regular clientele who are looking for a tasty regular table for their lunch break. If your customers are happy with the quality of the food you offer, word will spread quickly. They might even bring colleagues with them on their lunch break or recommend you to their friends. As an entrepreneur, you also have the advantage that the lunch business is easy to plan. In a period of about two hours, it is easy to estimate how much will be consumed and how much you have to prepare accordingly. The disadvantage is that you depend on many external factors and your turnover is not always guaranteed. For example, during holiday periods or bad weather, your number of customers may be significantly lower than at weddings.

Catering at private events

Here you can adjust the prices of the event accordingly and add any travel costs. This is advantageous for the calculation, as your food truck turnover remains the same despite possible non-consumption.

Events and festivals

The time frame for events or festivals is often very large. Most of the time you work almost non-stop for a whole weekend. This is exhausting for you as an operator:in, but can generate a good food truck turnover. Typically, prices at festivals are often a bit higher, so you can charge a bit more than usual. Plan for enough staff and make sure you have a unique offering so that you stand out from your competition, which is usually heavily represented on site.

Branding and partnerships

If your street food business is successful, it’s time to think about partnerships. After all, it can make perfect sense to enter into collaborations with other local businesses. This allows you to better promote your products or even your location – ideally, expensive brands can even be linked together. Through a product cooperation, you also have an additional source of income by giving out certain products. But make sure that you stand behind the products and that they fit your concept – otherwise you might lose authenticity and your food truck turnover will suffer.

How high can my food truck turnover be?

Apart from the numerous possibilities of how you can generate the turnover of your food truck, the question naturally arises as to how high your turnover will ultimately be. On the one hand, this depends on the prices of your products, but on the other hand, of course, it also depends on the number of your customers.

On which factors does my food truck turnover depend?

Your snack turnover per day is influenced by a variety of factors: the location of your site, the weather conditions and also whether it is holiday time or holiday time. You should therefore take these factors into account in your planning and be aware that daily fluctuations are completely normal. However, by making strategic decisions, you can ensure that your stand location is at least in line with your target group, thus creating the basis for good day-to-day business. A food truck with high-priced dishes will probably get fewer customers in the immediate vicinity of schools than a burger snack bar that is a comparatively cheap offer for students. Through personal commitment, such as a particularly customer-oriented appearance or little extras like tastings, you can also stay in the memory of your customers and ensure a positive customer experience. This way, your satisfied customers also become ambassadors for your food truck and attract more customers.

How much turnover can my food truck generate?

You are now familiar with the possibilities and locations of your mobile business. Whether it is worthwhile to operate a food truck depends, of course, on the concrete turnover potential of your food truck. To illustrate this, we asked our customers about their experiences:

Mareike from Café deluchs reports in an exclusive interview, answering the question “How many customers do you have a day and how many cups of coffee do you serve on average?”: That’s hard to say across the board. But my maximum was probably last autumn: I was on duty at the artists’ market in Emmendingen and was overrun.

Asude from Die Eistante reports in an interview when asked how many ice cream scoops she gives out on average per day: The amount always depends somewhat on what we offer in addition to ice cream – such as coffee variations, waffles or crêpes. And with ice cream, the weather also plays a role, of course. At an event with bright sunshine, we have even sold around 350 scoops of ice cream.

At a price of €2 per coffee, this brings you to almost €900 in sales per day, and selling a scoop of ice cream for €1 also adds up to several hundred euros.

With these simple tips you can increase your food truck turnover

• Ask customers for feedback on your food and service. Then use this information to make improvements and increase customer satisfaction.
• Promotions and special offers such as “2 for 1” or discounts for groups could attract new customers and increase the snack sales per day.
• Share photos or videos of your dishes on social media to promote your food truck. By integrating possible trends into your social media strategy, you can increase the reach and appeal of your food truck.
• A friendly greeting, courteous service, personal recommendations – all leave a lasting impression on the guest. By providing hospitable customer service, you will not only receive positive reviews, but also gain repeat customers. Remember that success doesn’t come overnight. It takes time, patience and adaptability to increase your food truck sales in the long run. By following these simple tips, commitment and creativity, it is possible to maximise your food truck sales.

Conclusion – Is it worth opening a food truck?

The business of a food truck is dynamic and varied. It requires good organisation and especially financial planning. However, with a coordinated concept you have a good chance that your food truck business will flourish. No matter if you decide on day-to-day business, catering or events – with the right offer, the right location and an eye-catching design of your food truck, all possibilities are lucrative. However, it is important to be realistic in planning your food truck costs and expectations. For a high turnover, you need to invest a lot of work and constant optimisation in your business. Above all, a strategic snack calculation is the key element to achieve long-term success.