Opening

a Food truck
Checklist
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Introduction
So, you’re thinking about opening a food truck. Let us be the
first to say, “Congrats!”
The food service industry is a vibrant, creative, and fast-paced place to work and
build a business — especially a food truck business. But it can be difficult to make
money in the industry, and competition is fierce.

Now, more than ever, new business owners need to carefully consider all of the
variables it takes to successfully open a food truck. With confidence and
preparation, you’ll be more likely to reach your goals.

That’s why we’re taking out the guesswork of what it takes to open a food
truck. From writing your business plan and getting permits to choosing a point of
sale (POS) platform and securing capital, we’re here to help you get started and
see success in the restaurant industry.

This Opening a Food truck Checklist includes what to consider at every stage of
the opening process, from the preliminary planning to the day you server your
first guest.

You can use the checklist digitally or print it out to keep on your desk —
whatever works best for you.

Let’s get into it:

Here’s how to open a food truck.*

*Disclaimer: And just so you know, this content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as
legal, accounting, tax, HR, or other professional advice. You’re responsible for your own compliance with
laws and regulations. Contact your attorney or other relevant advisor for advice specific to your
circumstances.
 What to consider What will my food truck concept be?

before opening a What cuisines will my food truck offer?

food truck
What will I name my food truck?
Before you start planning out menus or
laying out your space, it’s important to
know why you want to open a food truck. What is the mission of my food truck?

Becoming a business owner takes grit and

perseverance, but more than anything, it What will my brand be?
takes planning. Here are some questions
to consider early in your journey.
Note: This includes everything from your logo to the color palette and general atmosphere of your business.

Who is my target customer?

Tip
Note: “Everyone” or “people who like [insert menu item]” are not target customers. Your answer here should be
Jot down your answers so you can refer specific — something like, “adults aged 25-50, married without children and a combined household income of
back to them later in the process. $150k.” This may seem unusual, but it’ll help you more accurately plan your pricing strategy and branding.

What is my pricing strategy? $, $$, or $$$?

What is my unique product/service opportunity?

What are some of my favorite food trucks and businesses — and what makes them special?

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What to consider To do:
before opening a  Write a food truck business plan
 Industry analysis

food truck
 Marketing plan
 Operations plan
 Financial analysis
 Goals
 Create a budget, identifying the money needed to open the food truck as well as 6-12
months of operating expenses
 Buy a web domain to use for your website
→ Keep this simple, such as your food truck name, so potential guests can easily
find you online
 Create your social media accounts and claim your handles
→ Much like your web domain, keep this simple —@YourFoodTruckName is ideal
 Research the geographic area, neighborhood, and other businesses you’d like to
operate in
 Hire an attorney
 Find a commercial real estate agent
 Gather info on existing food trucks and restaurants in the area you’re looking to open
 Set up your EIN, or Employer Identification Number
→ This is your federal tax ID number for your business
 Research what to expect to spend on opening your food truck. Be sure to include
things like equipment, inventory, and labor
 Hire a graphic designer to create your logo and visual branding assets

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9 months To do:
before opening  Purchase your truck and begin any necessary build out
 Purchase insurance
 Get the applicable licenses and permits for your food truck, which may include:
Now that you have the basics covered,  Business license
it’s time to think about funding and  Certificate of occupancy
 Sign permit
financing. Financing refers to money  Food service license
sourced, borrowed, and/or loaned  Liquor license (if applicable)
 Building health permit
from an outside partner to help start,
 Employee health permit
expand, support, or refurbish a  Food safety certification
restaurant business.  Seller’s permit
 Dumpster placement permit
 Music license
 Resale permit
 Write a financial plan including estimated totals for each aspect of your business
 Open a business bank account
 Determine which restaurant financing option is best for you
 A term loan from a “brick and mortar” bank
 An alternative loan
 A small business association loan, also known as an SBA Loan
 A merchant cash advance
 A business line of credit
 Funds or equity from friends and family
 Equipment financing
 Crowdfunding

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9 months If you decide to apply for a business loan, here are
before opening some things you may need to get access to:
 Personal credit score
 Business credit score
 Social security card
 Business plan
Fast, flexible funding to power
 Business licenses and permits
your food truck  EIN (Employer Identification Number)
Toast Capital offers eligible Toast  Proof of collateral
 Annual business revenue and profit
customers access to loans from $5,000 to
 Bank statements
$300,000, so you can take what you need
 Balance sheet
to accomplish your goals – without any
 Personal and business tax returns
compounding interest or personal
 Copy of your commercial lease
guarantees. Learn more.
 Disclosure of other debt
 A/R (Accounts Receivable) and A/P (Accounts Payable) Aging
Toast Capital Loans are issued by
 Proof of ownership and affiliations
WebBank, Member FDIC. Loans are subject to
credit approval and may not be available
 Legal contracts and agreements, like leases or partnership agreements
in certain jurisdictions. WebBank reserves
the right to change or discontinue this
program without notice.
ba

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6 months To do:
before opening  Create a food truck design
 Purchase equipment , which may
 Safety and health
 Fire extinguishers
include:  Wet floor signs
Things are starting to feel real! Time to  Kitchen  First aid kit
make some key decisions on securing a  Ovens and ranges  Hairnets
 Fryers  Gloves (dishwashing, cut-
location and determining what will go resistant, freezer, etc.)
 Grills and flat tops
into your food truck.  Ventilation  Slip-resistant mats
 Freezers and refrigerators  Hand sanitizer
 Food processors  Begin sourcing food and
 Sinks beverage inventory
 Mixers  Identify and procure suppliers
 Slicers  Research point of
 Knives sale (POS) platforms for your
 Storage containers food truck
 Kitchen display system  Start planning your menu
(KDS)  Reach out to event planners about
 Washing equipment serving at their location
 Storage racks and shelving
 Aprons

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3 months To do:
before opening  Finalize your build out and get your equipment in and set up
 Set an appointment with health inspectors
 Determine staffing needs and begin to source employees
This time period is all about staffing  Write job descriptions for each staff member needed
 Post job listings online/in local media
and processes.
 Develop staff training documentation
 Cleaning procedures
 Training manual
 Staff onboarding process
 Safety procedures
 Cash handling

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2 months To do:
before opening 

Set up your point of sale (POS) platform and train employees on how to use it
Organize the cooking space on your truck and any commissary/prep kitchen space
 Create Yelp and Google My Business profiles/locations
During this time frame, it’s important  Order non-perishable food items
 Test recipes, lock in ingredients, and cost everything out
to think about your opening day and
 Determine everything you need on the truck to run a service
how you’re going to get guests in the  Finalize your marketing plan and budget
door — and safely.  Lock in where your food truck will be operating — if you plan to move around, be sure
to keep an organized contact list for all the event managers that schedule trucks

Just before opening

It’s almost time to open! Here are some
things to do before you serve your first
To do:
 Test all of your equipment
guest.  Set up your stations
 Host a soft opening at a friendly location
 Configure your online ordering system
 Set hours of operation, giving yourself a buffer before close of day to ensure orders
are able to be completed
 Upload your menu(s)
 Take photos of menu items and upload them to your menu
 Integrate your third-party delivery system with your POS
 Plan your grand opening

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After opening — To do:
and beyond!  Check in regularly with your staff
 Set a regular cadence for training/refreshers on policies
 Are they happy? What does your employee retention look like? Are you
Your dreams are finally coming true. But the understaffing? Overstaffing? How can you adjust staffing requirements for
each shift?
grand opening was just the beginning of
 Review your marketing plan regularly
your story. Now, it’s important to stay on top  Are you spending too much, or not enough, on marketing?
of your finances, inventory, and customer  Consider adding marketing channels, such as social media, email, or SMS
marketing, if you haven’t already
service. Here are some things to keep in  Adjust purchasing and menu based on inventory
mind after your food truck opens.  Conduct regular waste audits to track and reduce food waste
 Calculate your plate cost

The learning doesn’t end here! Join On The Line to

get real stories, dispatches from industry folks, and
not-so-typical advice for the hardest-working
professionals in the world sent right to your inbox.

Plus, check out Learn with Toast — video training

to help you start (and grow) your business.

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 Built for food
trucks. Built for you.
Thousands of businesses like yours trust Toast with their technology.
From POS to payroll, we take care of it all – so you can focus on what
you do best.

Visit pos.toasttab.com/request-demo to schedule a call with your

local Toast product expert. You’ll get a demo of Toast customized for
your business’s unique needs.

Learn more

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