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Your food truck business plan

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We advise writing a business plan for your food truck. Below are seven sections to include in your plan.

Sample Menu

Your menu must have at least one healthy meal option. A healthy meal does not include any fried food, trans fats, or high fructose corn syrup.

A healthy meal must include three of the following:
  • ¾ of a cup of fresh fruits, or packed fruits with no added sugar
  • ¾ of a cup of fresh or frozen vegetables with no added salt
  • 8 ounces of low-fat dairy, like yogurt
  • whole grains, or
  • 2 ounces of reduced-fat or lean meat that's grilled, broiled, or baked.

What makes your truck unique

Describe how your products are different from other nearby offerings. You should mention the quality of your ingredients and if your food is culturally diverse. Your products shouldn't compete with any establishments within 100 feet.

'Rethink your drink' plan

Describe how your truck will meet the "Rethink Your Drink" City campaign.

Operation Plan

You should have a plan for the operation of your truck at each site. Your plan needs to include:

  • What times you will arrive for setup, open, and leave a site.
  • The names of the staff who will work on your truck.
  • How you plan to have customers line up for your truck. You need to keep a minimum of four feet of the sidewalk clear.
  • Your strategy for keeping other vehicles from parking around your truck. You need to make sure you have 20 feet of clearance in front of and behind your truck.
  • Your strategy for keeping the site clean. You should keep a trash can next to your truck, and plan to take all trash with you when you leave. You also must sweep your site and wash the sidewalk — if you need to — at the end of each shift. We’ll give you a violation if you dump food in the sewer.
  • Where your staff will use the bathroom at each site.

Proof of Service

You need to give proof of service from a commissary (where you cook and store food between shifts).

Community Engagement

Write a statement on how your food truck fits into the community. This could describe hiring practices, using local ingredients, or other ways your truck benefits residents.

Environmental Sustainability

Write a statement on how your truck practices environmental sustainability.

Examples of sustainable practices include:
  • using locally grown and sourced ingredients
  • using alternative fuels or vehicles with low emissions
  • using bio-based service ware, like utensils and plates, and
  • recycling or composting waste.
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