Food trucks offer advantages, disadvantages to traditional restaurants

The state of the economy is a common concern for Americans. Smaller businesses falling on hard times have become a daily topic for conversation. The prospect of starting a local business has become more daunting than in recent years.

Restaurants can present a particular dilemma, as they require immense amounts of money and time before profit comes into play. Leasing a location, renovations, equipment, product and staffing are all prerequisites. For example, a quality burner can cost upwards of $4000, a two section reach-in freezer can cost around $3600, and a countertop conveyor oven will set an owner back by nearly $4600. It is easy to see how the costs can stack up before the food even enters the equation.

To help counter these high prices involved in opening a restaurant venue, many local business owners are rolling with the times and bringing the food truck trend to Charlottesville. The major benefits of this type of business include affordability, as less equipment is necessary, and mobility, which allows the restaurant to go directly to its customers, rather than making them come to it.

Joseph Mills, owner of Last Call Dogs, one of many new, local food trucks, said, “It only cost me $6000 to get Last Call Dogs up and running.” There is insurance to pay for and health codes to abide by, just as with a normal, sit down restaurant, Mills said, but overall it is easier and cheaper to do.

Still, there are some disadvantages to the food truck method, at least when compared to traditional restaurants. The smaller size of the truck means that there is typically less room to house the variety available at a venue with a permanent location. Further, maintenance costs can add up quickly, as vehicle repairs become another essential step in equipment upkeep.

While there is a greater potential for profit in an actual restaurant, the lower startup cost and flexibility can make the prospect of starting a food truck seem less daunting than the alternative. But, entrepreneur beware: competition is rising. And, in the food service industry, pitfalls are plentiful.