School food trucks can add some excitement to your school campus while providing healthy meal alternatives you do it the right way. And with more schools are using food trucks to feed their students and teaching staff, this is the best time to join in.

This blog post will explore the trend of school food trucks and provide some guidance on building your own school food truck.

Why are school food trucks becoming popular?

Food trucks on school campuses represent the growing trend of a healthy diet that benefits your students and faculty. Students get quickly fed up with the same menu in their dining facilities and will stop participating in school lunch programs. Food trucks can cater to students by offering a variety of exciting – and even healthy – food truck menus and easily-accessible facilities on campus. 

School-based food trucks have plenty of room for new ideas. They allow for the exploration of different menus and offer exciting healthy-based menu options for students and faculty. You can extend your dining options for your university campus with a wholesome food truck menu.

5 Uses For a School Food Truck

#1. Football Games

School sports fans are loud, energetic, and often frequented by hungry fans. For decades, the food available has had no significant change, with popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, and sodas being common. Bringing in a food truck for the school stationed at the sports games is a great way to spice up the menu for football fans to cheer on their team and socialize with friends and family. Offering healthy alternatives may be a welcome change at these events and become a popular choice for regular attendees.  

#2. Charity Events

Food trucks are a great way to cater to the large crowds’ hunger at school-based fundraisers and give back to society. Your truck can reap substantial returns by selling healthy food at school charity events and donating a part of the profits to a charity of the consumers’ choice. You can also benefit from a platform to showcase your menu and acquire new customers who care about the cause you are supporting for their school.

#3. School Dances

A homecoming dance is a much-awaited event for most high school students, and you’re most likely to get a hungry crowd. Socializing, dancing, and photoshoots can take their toll on the stomach. A food truck can offer students an exciting menu during and after the school dance and a way to hydrate while dancing. 

#4. Finals Week

Finals are nerve-racking for most students. Students are busy preparing for their tests. A food truck can offer them the convenience of having food within walking distance and an excellent way to wind down with fellow students. Having healthy food options available during a stressful time in a student’s life can be essential to their performance. A great way to foster education and offer a “study oasis” is to proudly display the healthy food your food truck offers and the brain-boosting benefits that it can provide!   

#5 Lunch Trucks

Another idea is a lunch truck that caters to the mid-day students needing a meal. You can make your lunch truck more convenient by allowing students to use their dining hall IDs to pay for their orders. Another benefit of lunch food-based trucks is flexibility, as school food trucks extend the foodservice activities on campus. 

Students working for a diploma in foodservice management represent a wide range of natural truck operational talents on campus. They may benefit from learning the ins and outs of the business for their future careers. 

Entice Students With A School Food Truck

With a school food truck, you don’t need to be stressed about expanding or building a new dining facility to cater to the growing number of students. All you need is to invest in an affordable food truck and offer exciting menus for both students and staff. Contact us to learn more and start building your truck today.

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Have Environmental Awareness When Operating a Food Truck with Fryers

When operating a food truck with fryers, you must demonstrate that you have a high level of environmental awareness. It’s crucial when working with boiling oil since it prevents injury to coworkers and others. For example, you could slip on the floor and fall onto hot objects or be exposed to more flames, splashing oil or steam.

Carrying hot foods or beverages in confined areas is also perilous. When you’re moving behind someone or managing hot items, make it a practice to be vocal about your location in relation to others. To adopt proper safety procedures for commercial fryers, workers need to be aware of their surroundings and work with precaution. 

It is also recommended that you properly secure food truck kitchen equipment to prevent damage.

Clean Your Deep Fryer Regularly for Safety

Like any other kitchen appliance, a deep fryer requires routine maintenance and cleaning. Fryers must be cleaned, and the oil changed regularly. Extending the life of your deep fryer allows you to make better-cooked meals in a bit of space. Read the owner’s manual and follow instructions.

Be Sure To Adhere to Basic Rules of Frying

Even though the frying procedure is the same whether in a food truck or any other kitchen, food trucks are primarily designed to meet the customer’s need for faster meal preparation; however, depending on the food quality, be sure to comply with the basic frying regulations.

For example, never heat frying oil above 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, you should follow a standard set of procedures regarding how much food you place in the frying containers. This ensures consistency and a predictable frying time. The

 ideal ratio is 1:10, and it should not exceed that. You should filter every service to maintain high quality.

Always Have a Class K Fire Extinguisher on Hand

Oil fires cannot be put out with water, even though heated oil can quickly start them. As a result, having a class K fire extinguisher nearby and a readily available area is vital while operating a food truck with fryers. This fire extinguisher is made to extinguish fires caused by cooking fats, grease, or oils. It is not enough to have a class K fire extinguisher; you must also be well-versed in the regulations to be observed in an oil fire. If you have coworkers, educate them on using the fire extinguisher.

Food Truck Designs With Safety in Mind

A food truck is much more than a food delivery vehicle. You can customize and operate a food truck with fryers perfectly if you take proper commercial fryer safety precautions.

At Legion Food Trucks, we build all of our vehicles with quality and safety in mind. We only use commercial-grade equipment and completely weld everything together to ensure the highest level of stability. Visit our website to start building your next food truck today.

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This article highlights tips and strategies for setting the correct prices for your food truck menu.

Why You Need to Take Your Food Truck Menu Prices Seriously

Pricing is one of the most critical drivers of a food truck’s profitability. Poor pricing may cause a considerable dent in your bottom line. Going too low means your margins will be razor thin and going too high can scare away potential customers. Here are some tips to help you hit the sweet spot when setting your menu prices. 

1. Come up with a List of Requirements

Accountability breeds responsibility in a business. Therefore, as part of a business plan for your food truck, compile a list of items you will need, such as kitchen equipment and marketing costs, that will also factor into the pricing. 

2. Food and ingredient Costs

The cost of food should be the basis upon which you set your food prices. Start by figuring different food costs and determining the cost per serving for each menu item. Most food establishments run a food cost of between 28-35%. The ideal formula for pricing food items based on food cost is:

Price = Cost of Goods Sold / Ideal Food Cost. 

Some food establishments set prices with a food cost percentage, ensuring that the ingredients do not cost more than a third of the food price.

3. Current Market Rate

You should also price your menu relative to what your target customers are willing to pay. Also, consider what competitor food truck businesses are charging for comparable menu items. However, the prices shouldn’t be so low that you can’t make ends meet. Conversely, do not overprice your menu items to the point of chasing away potential customers.

4. Gross Margin

Setting your food truck pricing based on gross margin involves factoring additional expenses—save for food expenses—into the establishment’s price. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to doing this. Any method sets the price relative to several considerations like rent, labor, advertising/marketing, and equipment costs.

5. Time

You also need to factor in the time to make the food on the menu. On the one hand, basic math dictates the cost you attribute to your menu items. On the other hand, accounting for your time isn’t as cut as clearly as expected. Therefore, at this point, it is easy to shortchange yourself. 

If you want to factor time into pricing your menu items, ensure you earn a reasonable amount of money at the end of the day, compared to if a different factor is introduced—such as working two or more jobs.

Let Legion Help You Get Established

Setting your food truck menu prices will help you realize losses or profits in equal measure. Therefore, you need to invest time and resources in discovering how to price food truck menu items. At Legion Food Trucks, we help you set up and establish your food truck business the right way. Contact us to learn more about the food truck business and industry.

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Complying with food truck taxes keeps your business fully operational and avoids the consequences of tax noncompliance. Below is a guide on filing your taxes and deductions you don’t want to miss.

Food Truck Taxes: Tax Deductible Expenses

The costs of running your food truck business are deductible if they are ordinary and necessary. However, before defining these terms yourself, ensure you study the IRS’ definition of ‘regular and mandatory. Here are some of the standard deductions you should focus on to make the most of filing your taxes:

• Business expenses
• Equipment purchases
• Vehicle expenses
• Business Expenses

The costs of running a food truck include ongoing operational costs. Such operational costs may consist of the actual cost of food you prepare or the rent you pay for in a community kitchen. While some daily operational costs may not be considered hefty tax deductions, they may pile up over time. 

Therefore, ensure you track all these minor daily expenditures, and you will be amazed at how sizable the tax deduction will be at the end of the tax year. Such costs may include:

• Food purchases
• Utensils
• Advertising costs
• Employee salaries and wages.

Equipment Purchases

You can deduct a limited amount of the cost of purchasing new business equipment—from taxable income—in a year instead of depreciating the cost over time. Whether you need new ranges, grills, generators, ovens, or any large business equipment, you can claim a sizable, one-time tax deduction. Ensure you write it off when filing your taxes.

Vehicle Expenses

Vehicle-related expenses are part and parcel of operating a food truck business. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) permits you to claim the standard mileage rate or deduct the actual food truck tax-related expenses. The standard mileage rate is a specified amount of money you can deduct for each business mile you drive.

When preparing to file your food truck expenses, ensure you keep a log of all the miles you cover with the track. Additionally, keep track of related costs such as parking fees and tolls since these may amount to a sizable deduction. 

Travel Expenses

It is possible to get tax deductions on expenses you incur when traveling for your food truck business. Ensure you keep logs and records showing the amount of every expense during your trip, whether accommodation, meals, or transportation. Additional crucial information you need to keep track of includes the exact period of the travel, essential locations, and venues—in case of a meeting—or the reasons for your travel. 

Take Advantage of Your Deductions

Taking advantage of tax deductions when filing your food truck taxes helps reduce a certain amount from your taxable income and save plenty in tax. Are you planning on setting up a food truck business? Reach out to us to advise you on setting up a food truck business, including every critical business component such as financing and filing taxes. 

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For starters, the capital outlay required to get your truck up and running is minimal when compared with the prohibitive costs of setting up a coffee shop. Additionally, a truck allows excellent flexibility – you can decide to serve clients in varied locations or opt to market to special events such as weddings and corporate meetings. Since operating a truck is much cheaper than running a coffee house, such operations will be profitable.

Let’s look at how to get started.

1. Develop A Unique Mobile Coffee Truck Brand

Your success as a coffee truck business will be influenced by the uniqueness of your products and services. Look around for companies with which you’ll be competing. What will make your product more appealing than what’s already there? In answering these questions, it’s imperative to choose the kind of coffee to be offered carefully and uniquely designed for your truck.

2. Find Out About The Licenses And Permits Required

To operate the coffee truck legally, you’ll be required to obtain various licenses and permits. Find out all the requirements needed. Apart from the permit, getting health certificates is necessary. To ensure full compliance, visit the local licensing authorities and align all paperwork.

3. Identify Your Customers

Customer identification is of critical importance. Are you entering the business to fill a void existing companies have failed to address? Is there an intent to locate your business in a particular location for certain days of the week? Could you also be considering serving customers at special events? Identifying potential customers will help decide the equipment to acquire and the menu type.

4. Compile A List Of The Equipment Required On Your Truck

The mobile truck could be your most significant piece of equipment, but the business will require other pieces of vital equipment. For instance, a generator that will provide an alternative power source. Depending on what kind of coffee you intend to serve, coffee grinders and a fridge are additional equipment required. Making a complete list of the equipment you need will help create a reliable start-up budget.

5. Identify Sources Of Funds

There are many choices of mobile coffee trucks depending on the number of funds available. Are you buying a new truck or a used one? Does your vehicle need a trailer? What’s the process of ascertaining that the truck does not fail the health inspection checks? Before buying the truck, you’ll need to complete your budget and weigh it against the available funds. If the funds are insufficient, look around for financing options from traditional lenders, family, or strategic investors.

Own A Mobile Coffee Truck Today

Starting a mobile coffee truck is a great way to break into the food truck business. They require less equipment, have fewer overhead costs, and are not subject to as many food safety regulations as a typical food truck.

Legion Food Trucks is here to provide assistance with vehicle and equipment selection, licensing and permitting, financing, and anything else you need to launch your business. Contact us to learn more.

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Deciding on whether to purchase a new or used food truck may be the most challenging part of the truck buying process since one has to consider various factors such as prices, maintenance cost, truck value, and reliability over time to get the perfect fit. 

Here are some insights to explore whether to buy a used or new food truck.

Buying a Used Food Truck

Buying a used food truck is an investment that will save you a lot of time when it comes to redesigning and giving your truck a personal touch. Also, buying a used food truck may be the best solution when on a tight budget with limited financing. 

However, you should conduct an adequate inspection before purchasing a used food truck to save you the time and money of replacing fittings and maintenance.

Pros of buying a used food truck

•   Used food trucks are cheaper than newer ones 
•   Reduces the time used in decision-making with regard to making personal designs
•   Used trucks are already built out and may even have equipment installed for use; you only have to check if the fittings are what you need.

Cons of buying a used food truck

•   They are expensive in the long term in terms of costs used in maintenance.
•   Lower life expectancy compared to new ones since they may break down easily in case of mechanical default
•   It may be difficult or costly to remodel them to suit your needs since you may need a complete overhaul of the initial design
•   Unknown mechanical issues including wear and tear

Buying a New Food Truck

With adequate finances and in need of a fresh-looking, fancy and polished food truck, buying a new food truck is undoubtedly the best-foregone option. The pros and cons of a new food truck include:

Pros of a New Food Truck

•   They are cheaper to maintain and have no hidden mechanical challenges that you would incur expenses on
•   Personalized customization that matches your taste and preferences without depending on a previous owner who doesn’t exist.
•   Have warranties from the seller or manufacturer since it is new
•   Longer life expectancy, which means you can control how you use the truck

Cons of a New Food Truck

•   The initial cost of purchase and investment is high
•   It may take a longer time to customize the truck before getting it to work

Your Food Truck Is Your Foundation

Getting a new or used food truck has its share of advantages and disadvantages. The choice of which to purchase will depend on the financial position and urgent needs of your business that each of the trucks can tick. For instance, the initial investment costs differ between the two vehicles influencing your purchase decisions.

Legion Food Trucks is the solution if you need food truck customization and design services. At Legion Food Trucks, we offer personalized building and customization services that suit your food truck needs perfectly. We also offer consultancy services when it comes to purchasing food trucks. Contact us today to reach our expert team.

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However, knowing when the exact right time is to make that move can be difficult. In this post, we’ll help you identify the right triggers for upgrading your mobile kitchen from a food trailer to a truck. 

1. You Want To Be More Mobile

Nothing beats the convenience that comes with a food truck. It allows you to get to your customers with ease. A food trailer may not give the level of flexibility you desire, considering that you have to tow it when you need to move to another location. 

Food trucks make it easier to move from location to location. This means you can easily test new locations to see how your menu does in different neighborhoods or with different demographics. 

2. You Want to Maintain a Certified Food Business Look

To some consumers, food trucks can appear more trustworthy than food trailers. They tend to look more professional than a towed trailer and also lend themselves to better branding and vinyl wrap designs. 

If your business is growing steadily and you’ve gotten to a point where you want to work on your brand to continue that trajectory, upgrading from a food trailer to a food truck may be the right move. You can also add upgrades such as menu boards, signage, and lighting to elevate your brand even further.

3. You Want to Downsize on Portability and Paperwork

Food trailers can be pretty big, giving you more space to run your kitchen. But, despite their size, they can occupy large spaces which may not fit the allowed space in specific places. This also means that you may need to deal with lots of paperwork before you get it to the streets.

Selling your food trailer makes sense if you’re trying to do away with a lot of paperwork. Besides, you will not have to worry about your parking spaces since you will only have your food truck to worry about.

4. You Want More Room for Creativity

In many cases, a food truck will have a more spacious interior than a trailer. This means you’ll have room to fit more equipment and/or staff in your kitchen than before.

If you are at a point where you want to introduce new menu items, expand your kitchen, or serve more customers, upgrading from a food trailer to a food truck can help you accomplish those goals.

Elevate Your Food Truck Business

Food trucks are undoubtedly an upgrade to trailers when scaling your mobile kitchen. If you’re ready to sell your food trailer and upgrade to a larger vehicle, Legion Food Trucks is here to guide you through the entire process from start to finish. We’ll help you select the right vehicle and equipment. We’ll even help you with financing and all the health department paperwork. 

Download your free food truck financing guide and use our online food truck builder to get started with your food truck upgrade.

The post ​​When Should You Sell Your Food Trailer and Upgrade to a Food Truck? appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

This article will discuss the different types of loans available, what they are used for, and how to apply for a food truck loan.

Different Types of Food Truck Loans Available for You

If you want to finance your food truck business, you have a few different options. They may differ based on the specifications you need as a borrower, the loan size, and the cost. As a result, it’s wise to explore available loan options to obtain the most outstanding deal if you’re looking for a food truck loan.

You can choose from the choices below if you need a long-term or short-term food truck loan.

Equipment Loan

An equipment loan is ideal if you need a fast-food truck loan with a cheap interest rate. These loans employ the food truck equipment you’re buying as collateral, resulting in a lower interest rate than some of the other alternatives on the list. In the event of a default, the lender is authorized to liquidate equipment to make the difference.

To qualify for this type of loan, you must have strong credit and maybe make a down payment on the items, ranging from 5% to 20% of the overall cost.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans

If you have a vested financial stake in an American-based business, you may be eligible for SBA loans to establish a food truck business. Through certified and verified loan providers, an SBA loan can assist you in avoiding financial risk.

Business Lines of Credit

A line of credit is another alternative for a food truck loan. Unlike a loan, which offers you a lump sum upfront and requires you to pay it back over the loan’s term, a line of credit allows you to draw money out should you need it and only pay back the amount you use. However, small business finds it challenging to get this type of loan because banks require you to have an excellent financial standing.

Business Term Loan

A business term loan is a suitable alternative for food trucks that need to finance a specific expense. It relieves the worry of not being sure how you’ll pay for something by allowing you to take out a lump sum payment that will be reimbursed at the end of the agreed term length.

How To Apply for Food Truck Loan

You can only apply for a food truck loan if you meet some general requirements. For example, to qualify for an online loan, you must have been in operation for at least six months and have a monthly revenue of at least $10,000.

As previously stated, some new businesses find it difficult to obtain bank loans because the conditions may include being in business for not less than two years. Moreover, if you do not meet the minimum criteria, you may be forced to offer collateral for a down payment along with your loan application.

Get Started with Legion Food Truck Financing

Getting a loan may seem complicated for most food truck business owners; however, at Legion Food Trucks, we make your goal of starting a food truck business a reality. We’ll help you find the right loan for your business and even help you with the applications.  Get in touch with us to begin exploring your financing options today.

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Here are seven reasons for choosing stainless steel for your food truck. 

1. Stainless Steel Makes It Easier to Clean the Food Truck Interior

Stainless steel is easy to clean and does not promote the growth of bacteria. Hygiene is an essential element of food handling and preparation. Public food vendors should maintain high levels of hygiene. Customers will always come back when you sell them clean and safe food.   

Its mirror-bright appearance also adds an impression of cleanliness. Since you have limited space on your food truck, customers will often look at your food preparation surface to satisfy their curiosity. The mirror-bright appearance of a clean-wiped stainless steel surface is an advertisement tool for attracting more customers. 

2. It is Durable 

Stainless steel is one of the most durable alloys used on food trucks, kitchen interiors, and other food processing surfaces. Its durability justifies the high installation cost since stainless steel is more expensive than other metals. Using stainless steel on your food truck interior reduces repair and replacement costs. 

3. Corrosion-Resistant 

Some foods, spices, or kitchen supplies could be alkaline or acidic. These food chemicals may corrode surfaces made of weaker metals. However, stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, making it the best material for food preparation surfaces. You can comfortably prepare or cook foods without worrying about their impact on your truck interior.

4. Does not Influence the Taste or Color of Your Food

Stainless steel does not give your food or beverage a funny taste. You can place foodstuff or prepare it on the surface without worrying about changes in color or taste variation. In addition, stainless steel is nonporous and does not support the leaching of harmful chemicals that contaminate your food. 

5. Withstands High Temperatures 

Your food truck interior will mostly be hot. Hot cookware placed on surfaces from time to time could affect them. However, stainless steel can withstand sudden temperature changes and kitchen heat without warping. 

6. It Is Easily Recycled 

In addition to its durability, stainless steel is easily recycled or repurposed after the end of its shelf-life. Using it on your food truck interior helps in environmental conservation. The repurposing or recycling process uses less energy and reduces environmental degradation.   

7. It is Easy to Fabricate 

Stainless steel is easily manipulated to fit in the limited space in your food truck. Using it for your truck interior allows optimum use of the limited space.

Do You Want to Build a Food Truck? Contact Us

At Legion Food Trucks, we turn your dreams into reality by customizing or providing you with ready-for-business food trucks. We use stainless steel to fabricate the food truck interior to make it easier to clean and reduce food contamination, among other benefits. Contact us today to place an order and start your food truck business. 

The post 7 Reasons to Use Stainless Steel for Your Food Truck Interior appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

The critical factors for food-borne illness are at the top of an inspector’s checklist. Many towns highlight these items in red on the inspection sheets. Any major violation requires urgent attention and remedy, or a follow-up assessment will be planned. This article explores the things you should cover.

What is a Food Truck Inspection Checklist?

A food truck inspection checklist assists food truck owners in ensuring that their operations comply with established food safety and hygiene, housekeeping, and food truck maintenance standards. Regular inspections with a checklist keep your employees on their toes in case of surprise health inspections by the local government. It maintains your food truck up and running at maximum capacity, and keeps your clients safe from food-borne illness and health concerns.

List of Items to Cover Before Inspection

When an inspector inspects your food truck, he looks at specific areas to help protect the public. To train your employees and keep a watch on these issues yourself, you must first recognize what the health inspector is searching for.

Potentially hazardous foods

Health inspectors must concentrate on potentially hazardous foods because of the increased danger of food-borne illness. To avoid bacterial growth and food-borne infections, you must monitor certain foods at specific times and temperatures.

The health inspectors will spend significant time checking all of your meat, poultry, and seafood items’ holding and storage temperatures to ensure they are safe.

Food safety knowledge

Food truck owners must thoroughly understand their local public health codes. Your employees must have current food safety training and thoroughly understand proper food preparation and handling techniques. Inspectors will frequently test you and your food truck employees on their expertise.

Water

Sinks should always have running water. You should provide at least five gallons of potable water for handwashing alone. For facilities with little food preparation, including an additional 15 gallons of potable water, and a minimum of 25 gallons of potable water for meals for trucks with preparation and ware-washing functions. 

Waste Disposal

Ensure the wastewater tank (s) has a minimum capacity of 50 percent more than your water tank and no less than 7.5 gallons where applicable. Fix any leaks in the drain lines from the sinks and the coffee urn. Ensure you have connected all your drain pipes to the wastewater tank.

Food Storage

Keep the refrigeration units in good condition. Remove rust from the refrigerator’s racks. In the refrigerated unit, place an accurate thermometer. All hazardous goods should be in a separate space.

Upgrade Your Food Truck Business With Legion Food Trucks

Legion Food Trucks offers you the tools and resources to help your restaurant succeed. We ensure that every food truck that rolls off our floor is guaranteed to pass health inspection by even the strictest health departments. In many cases, we are even able to expedite the approval process and get your vehicle on the streets as soon as possible. Contact us for assistance with your food truck licenses and permits.

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