The world of franchising has expanded over the years to include an increasingly diverse array of industries and business models. One model that has gained significant popularity in recent years is the food truck franchise.

Food trucks have been around for a long time, but their popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade. They provide an affordable and convenient way to serve delicious, high-quality food to a wide variety of customers. With the emergence of food truck franchising, entrepreneurs can now tap into this booming industry with the support and resources of an established franchise brand.

Firefly has worked with top food truck franchisors like Wetzel’s Pretzels, Dippin’ Dots, Kona Ice, Cousins Maine Lobster, Kung Fu Tea, and Coolhaus to provide reliable, safe and affordable food trucks and food trailers that meet franchisor standards. 

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the world of food truck franchises and what it takes to become a successful mobile franchisee.

What is a food truck franchise?

A food truck franchise is a business model that allows entrepreneurs to operate a mobile food truck under the umbrella of an established franchise brand. Franchisors provide franchisees with a turnkey business system that includes training, support, and a proven business model.

The franchisor also handles many of the operational details such as branding, creating a menu, establishing an ingredient supply chain, and providing marketing support. This allows franchisees to focus on running the food truck and providing excellent customer service to their customers.

Some food truck franchises specialize in a particular cuisine, such as tacos or pizza, while others offer a more diverse menu. Regardless of the type of food offered, food truck franchises provide entrepreneurs with a unique opportunity to enter the foodservice industry with a lower startup cost than a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Why invest in a food truck franchise?

Investing in a food truck franchise offers several benefits for entrepreneurs looking to start their own business:

1. Lower startup costs: Starting a traditional restaurant can be expensive, with costs for real estate, equipment, and furnishings adding up quickly. A food truck franchise requires much less upfront capital since a mobile kitchen costs way less than a brick and mortar restaurant.
2. Established brand: Joining a food truck franchise provides entrepreneurs with the benefits of an established brand, including a proven business model and marketing support. This can help franchisees attract customers more quickly than if they were starting from scratch.
3. Delicious recipes: Franchises are perfect for entrepreneurs who don’t already have food service expertise because popular menu items and recipes have already been developed by corporate chefs.
4. Built-in supply chain: No need to source your own quality suppliers and vendors. Franchisors typically either sell product to franchisees directly or recommend pre-approved third party suppliers. 
5. Low overhead: Food trucks have lower overhead costs than traditional restaurants, as they don’t require as much space, utilities, or staff.
6. Flexibility: Unlike a brick and mortar location, food trucks offer the flexibility to move to different locations, depending on customer demand. Franchisees can take advantage of events, festivals, catering and other opportunities to reach new customers.

What does it take to become a successful food truck franchisee?

Investing in a food truck franchise can offer many benefits. It’s important to understand the qualities and skills necessary to become a successful mobile franchisee. While some traits are necessarily for any business owner, others are more specific to the mobile food industry. Here are a few key traits that successful food truck franchisees share:

1. Financial Stability: While food truck franchises have a lower start up cost than traditional franchises and many other types of businesses, there will be some initial costs. Most franchisors require that you have a minimum amount of liquid assets and enough net worth to ensure you’re a strong candidate to represent their brand.  
2. Time management skills: Running a food truck requires excellent time management skills, as franchisees need to be able to prepare and serve food quickly and efficiently. They also need to be able to manage their time effectively to ensure that they are maximizing their earning potential.
3. Adaptability: Food truck franchisees need to be adaptable and able to pivot quickly when faced with challenges. This could include changing the menu, adjusting the schedule, or finding new locations to park the truck.
4. Customer service skills: Food truck franchisees need to be skilled at interacting with customers and providing excellent customer service. They should be friendly, approachable, and able to handle difficult customers with grace.
5. Physical stamina: Running a food truck is physically demanding, requiring long hours on your feet, in a small space, and in potentially challenging weather conditions. Successful franchisees who plan to be on the food truck daily need to be physically fit and able to handle the demands of the job
6. ​​Problem-solving skills: When running a food truck, unexpected challenges are bound to arise. Successful franchisees have strong problem-solving skills and are able to think on their feet to find solutions to any issues that come up.
7. Financial management skills: Running a food truck requires a certain level of financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and tracking expenses. Successful franchisees need to be able to manage their finances effectively to ensure that their business is profitable.
8. Marketing skills: While franchisors may provide brand marketing support, successful food truck franchisees also need to be able to promote their business at the local level. This includes using social media and developing relationships with local businesses and event organizers.

Choosing the right food truck franchise

When considering investing in a food truck franchise, it’s important to do your research and choose the right franchisor for your needs. Here are a few key factors to consider when evaluating food truck franchise opportunities:

1. Brand reputation: Look for a franchisor with a strong reputation in the industry. Check online reviews, talk to other franchisees, and do your due diligence to ensure that the franchisor has a proven track record of success.
2. Training and support: Look for a franchisor that offers comprehensive training and support to help you get your business up and running. This should include everything from menu development to marketing support to help with finding the right location.
3. Flexibility: Look for a franchisor that offers flexibility in terms of menu development, pricing, and location selection. This will allow you to tailor your business to your local market and maximize your earning potential.
4. Cost: While a food truck franchise offers lower startup costs than a traditional restaurant, it’s still important to carefully evaluate the costs associated with the franchise. Look for a franchisor that offers transparent pricing and clear information about ongoing fees and expenses.
5. Franchisee satisfaction: Talk to other franchisees to get a sense of their satisfaction with the franchisor. Ask about their experience with training and support, their profitability, and any challenges they’ve faced in running their business.

How to buy a food truck franchise truck or trailer

If you’re expecting a food truck franchisor to simply sell you an approved food truck or food trailer, think again. To date, no franchisors that Firefly has worked with commission food trucks or trailers to be built in advance to resell to their franchisees.

Instead, most franchisors simply set some basic standards about the features, appearance, and equipment they require the finished food truck must have. If you’re lucky, the franchisor may also make some food truck builder and possibly lender recommendations. From there, franchisees are usually on their own when it comes to making sure their new food truck is safe and legal to operate.

Because franchisors are often not experts in food trucks, it’s important to work with a food truck manufacturer who is. Don’t get scammed. Here are a few reasons to work with a knowledgeable food truck manufacturer like Firefly.

1. Legal permits: Your food truck will likely need to be custom built to meet your local fire or health department’s specifications and pass a rigorous inspection process. If your truck or trailer wasn’t built to pass, it may make more financial sense to sell it and start over from scratch than make the needed repairs.
2. Safety: Electrical and propane systems are often located inside the walls, ceiling and floor of the food truck. If your food truck builder takes shortcuts on these systems, you will likely never know until there’s a dangerous accident like a fire or explosion. And if you don’t have an emergency exit or fire suppression system, you may not be able to escape that accident. 
3. Cheap repairs: Everything on a food truck eventually breaks. By working with a builder who makes repairs easy and fast, you can reduce downtime and repair expenses. While it might be a little more expensive up front, this can save you tens of thousands of dollars every year in recurring expenses and lost business.
4. Peace of mind: You’ve got enough on your plate. Firefly offers our industry leading, nationwide, 2-year warranty on every new build.

Conclusion

Food truck franchises offer a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to enter the foodservice industry with lower startup costs, a built-in customer base, and more flexibility than traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants. With the support and resources of an established franchisor, you can focus on the day to day operations of your food truck franchise.

To become a successful food truck franchisee, it’s especially important to be adaptable and have excellent time management and problem solving skills. Choosing the right franchisor is also crucial, and entrepreneurs should carefully evaluate reputation, training and support, flexibility, cost, and franchisee satisfaction when considering food truck franchise opportunities. Finally, make sure to choose Firefly or another experienced food truck franchise builder with a proven track record of success.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you’re interested in starting a food truck franchise or expanding food truck franchising to mobile outlets, contact Firefly today. We offer a 2-year warranty, guarantee to pass health inspection, and expert advice to engineer your food truck or concession trailer for long term success.