Food Truck For Sale”: 8 Things to Consider Before Buying

If the thought of owning a food trailer has now turned into a reality, you’ll likely be pretty ecstatic to

make your most important purchase yet: the trailer.
It’s not a decision to be made hastily though; this initial investment could be the downfall of your entire
business plan, if the right things aren’t considered before buying.
Similar to buying a vehicles, there are mechanical factors to look out for- but there are specific things to
look out for when buying mobile kitchens.
Whether you are buying new or used, consider the following before handing over the cash:

Ask These 10 Questions Before Buying a Food Trailer

Does it satisfy all the federal and municipal requirements and bylaws for food trailers?

You’d be surprised at how much the rules change from location to location.

(These first time food truck owners sure were.)

A trailer may satisfy all legal and municipal bylaws in one city but completely fail in another nearby. Permits, licences, food safety, staffing regulations and dozens more all differ based on where you end up. Prior to purchasing a food truck, you should have a defined location where you will be serving- or a path of multiple locations if that’s your game plan.

And pay really good attention to the bylaws and requirements in each area. Ensure that the food trailer satisfies each, or you could be left with a trailer that you’re not even allowed to use.

Does it come with warranties?

Geared mostly towards new food trailers, warranties are a beyond valuable thing to have- granted you know what they are. Used, but newer trailers, could also have existing warranties worth checking out.

Repairs on food trailers can get costly if paying out of pocket, so if possible- look for trailers with some good warranties attached.

Can it be rewrapped?

You don’t get a whole lot of space to show your brand off, and the visual look of a food truck can make
or break a sale for you.

If a food truck doesn’t look good from the outside- like clean, fresh – I won’t eat
there. Just looks like the food would be how it is on the outside, you know? – self admitted food truck addict

Some older trailers, oddly shaped trailers or those with heavy rust may not be able to be rewrapped- so you either make sure you love the design, or move on.

Will it accommodate your menu?

The ability to accommodate your menu is a factor you should consider in many decisions regarding your food trailer. Just like the decision to build your own food trailer or not, you have to consider whether the core of the trailer is built to support your menu or whether it can be adapted to do so.

If you’re planning to sell a lot of pre packaged food, you’d need to look for a trailer that houses a lot of storage or the ability to integrate additional storage in.

If your menu is intricate and detailed, your trailer would need to support a long prep line and
organization options.

You get the idea.

Will it hook up to mobile technology?

Gone are the days of cash, and while some mobile kitchens get away with cash only, a lot of urban cities and towns will demand debit and Wi-Fi options.

Customer service and inventory is greatly improved with a POS system, but you need to make sure that your trailer can support it.

Where did the trailer come from?

Whether you’re buying used or new, buying food trailers from places like Ebay, Craigslist or
Kijiji is never highly recommended.

There can be great trailers for sale in the mix, but with these platforms you really have no guarantee of what you’re getting. Sellers on these platforms can easily mislead buyers about the condition, any hidden problems, it’s history and warranties.

Choosing a reputable dealer- who often sell both new and used food trailers- pays off in the end, as you know exactly what you’re buying and from who.

What size and shape should the food trailer be?

You can do a thousand things with mobile kitchens, as these entrepreneurs show. With so many options as what you can do with a food trailer, you need to define the size and shape of the food trailer you need to suit your needs.

These beauties aren’t just standard size boxes anymore- there are some crazy variations of these mobile kitchens out there!

Has it been involved in any accidents?

Things happen, but you’ll want to know about any accidents the food trailer has been involved in.

You might not see the damage, but it certainly could be in there. And, as with everything in life, the outside appearance doesn’t always tell the full story – the damage could be worse than what it appears to be.

If the trailer has been in an accident, it doesn’t mean you should nix the idea- but you’ll want to check where it was repaired and grab a copy of the accident report to read over.

Sometimes mechanical problems come to the light somewhere down the road, and this you want to
avoid.