Real estate is expensive and so is rent. For the person who wants to open a restaurant, the brick and mortar can make it an impossible dream. For years, there have been food trailers that park on street corners, in festival grounds and parking lots. These business people run low overhead operations that are less expensive than rent and easily moved where the revenue will be best. Today, hip cities, like Austin, Texas are embracing a whole new food culture. These days, the food trailer business is booming.
Take a ride up Congress Avenue in Texas’ capitol city, and you’ll come across a bustling lot full of food trailers selling everything from tacos to cup cakes. There must be a heck of a lot of profit in this business because another food trailer park is established a few blocks away on South First Street. Others are dotted randomly throughout the city. Once it’s hip in Austin, it can work anywhere. The creativity in the design of the rolling restaurants is part of their marketing appeal. These are not just the boxy white utility trucks of days of old. These trailers are brightly painted to match the food they’re selling.
Investing in one of these little mobile restaurants would have a multitude of opportunities. There’s the street scene, but when that wanes, there’s the street scene somewhere else. Folks willing to work late hours can profit from the late night club scene. A well place coffee trailer can busk up a brisk drive through morning business. Taco trailers always do well. Seasonal festivals are great revenue streams for a food trailer business. In some areas, one good festival can increase profit enough to hold the business solvent for a whole year.
The start up investment for a fully operable trailer is around $60,000. It’s possible to do it for less. Then it’s getting the proper licenses and permits. Get creative and have some fun selling food on the street.