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• Cover
• Introduction
• About This Book
• Foolish Assumptions
• Icons Used in This Book
• Beyond the Book
• Where to Go from Here
• Part 1: Rolling into the Food Truck Industry
• Chapter 1: Food on Wheels: The Lowdown on Food Trucks
• Checking Out a Typical Day in the Life of a Food Truck Owner
• Discovering Whether You Have What It Takes to Run a Food Truck
• Doing Some Initial Work to Start Your Food Truck
• Preparing to Launch Your Business
• Keeping Your Food Truck Business Running Well on All Levels
• Luring (and Keeping) Crowds
• Chapter 2: Deciding What Kind of Food Truck Is Right for You
• Generating Your Food Truck’s Concept
• Evaluating Different Types of Vehicles
• Figuring Out How to Get the Vehicle of Your Choice
• Naming Your Food Truck
• Another Possibility: Joining a Franchise
• Chapter 3: Understanding and Researching Your Local Food Truck Market
• Understanding the Importance of Competition in the Food Truck Industry
• Connecting Profitability to the Competitive Response Cycle
• Identifying and Analyzing Potential Customers
• Keeping an Eye on the Competition
• Building Your Food Truck Battle Plan
• Part 2: Getting Your Food Truck Ducks in a Row
• Chapter 4: Writing a Food Truck Business Plan
• Understanding Why a Business Plan Matters
• Looking at the Parts of a Business Plan
• The Bottom Line: Looking Deeper at the Financials
• Chapter 5: Securing Financing for Your Food Truck
• Do the Math: Knowing How Much Money You Need for the First Year
• Considering the Use of Your Own Funds
• Understanding Different Types of Capital Funding
• Chapter 6: Understanding Business Structures, Licenses, and Other Legal Stuff
• Identifying the Help You Need
• Surveying Different Structures for Your Food Truck Business
• Familiarizing Yourself with Local Laws
• Looking at Food Truck Licenses and Permits
• Buying the Insurance You Need
• Chapter 7: Parking and Presenting Your Food Truck
• Discovering Where the Street Traffic Is
• Exploring Other Excellent Parking Options
• All Dolled Up: Presenting Your Vehicle
• Part 3: Preparing to Open Your Service Window
• Chapter 8: Creating Your Food Truck Menu
• What Do You Have Today? Making Major Menu Decisions
• Validating Your Menu with Taste Tests Before You Go Prime Time
• Pricing Principles: Figuring Out How Much to Charge
• Designing Your Menu Board
• Hiring a Consultant (If You Need One) to Help with Your Menu
• Deciding When to Change Your Menu
• Chapter 9: Finding a Commercial Kitchen for Your Food Truck
• Getting to Know Commercial Kitchens
• Exploring Other Kitchen Options
• Chapter 10: Purchasing and Managing Supplies
• Assembling Your Supply List
• Working with the Best Suppliers for Your Food Truck
• Building an Efficient Inventory System
• Chapter 11: Hiring and Training Your Food Truck Team
• Finding and Hiring the Staff You Need
• Using E-Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification
• Setting Up and Using Policies to Live By
• Training Your Staff
• Making Staff Schedules
• Motivating and Retaining Your Staff
• Chapter 12: Setting Up Your Office and Managing Money Matters
• Deciding Where to Set Up Your Office
• Creating Lines of Communication with the Right Office Equipment
• Investigating Payment Issues
• Part 4: Keeping Your Food Truck Running Smoothly
• Chapter 13: Running a Safe, Clean Food Truck and Keeping It on the Road
• Making Sure Your Food Is Safe
• Keeping Your Food Truck Clean
• Protecting Your Food Truck Customers and Staff Members
• Keeping Your Truck Comfortable in All Temperatures
• Fueling, Maintaining, and Repairing Your Kitchen on Wheels
• Chapter 14: Evaluating the State of Your Food Truck Business
• Investigating Key Performance Indicators
• Evaluating and Using Feedback
• Part 5: Generating Buzz and Growing Your Food Truck Business
• Chapter 15: Mastering Food Truck Marketing and Public Relations
• Defining Your Marketing Message
• Communicating Your Marketing Message with Public Relations
• Putting Together Press Releases
• Creating a Compelling Website for Your Food Truck
• Chapter 16: Handling the Art of Social Media
• Sounding Off on the Importance of Social Media to Your Food Truck Business
• Talking about Twitter
• Paging through Facebook
• Checking In with Foursquare
• Attract More Business with an Instagram Account
• Considering Other Social Media Platforms
• Chapter 17: Attracting and Retaining Your Customers
• Getting a Handle on Who Your Customer Really Is
• Setting and Exceeding Expectations
• Always Treating Customers the Right Way
• Establishing Email Lists to Promote Special Deals
• Distinguishing Your Food Truck from Your Competitors with a Catchy Line
• Converting Unsatisfied Guests into Repeat Customers
• Chapter 18: What’s Next? Determining the Future of Your Food Truck Business
• Expanding Your Fleet
• Providing Catering Services
• Franchising Your Food Truck Business
• Opening a Brick-and-Mortar Restaurant Based on Your Food Truck’s Concept
• Rebranding Your Truck If Your Concept Just Isn’t Working
• Selling Your Food Truck
• Part 6: The Part of Tens
• Chapter 19: Ten Myths about Food Trucks
• Running a Food Truck Is Easy
• I’ll Get Rich by Owning a Food Truck
• I Love to Cook, So I Should Open a Food Truck
• I’ve Worked in a Food Truck, So I’m Ready to Run the Show
• I’m Going to Be a Celebrity Chef
• Food Trucks Compete Unfairly with Restaurants
• Food Trucks Don’t Pay Rent
• Food Trucks Go Only to Trendy Areas
• Food Trucks Create More Traffic and Pollution than Restaurants Do
• The Health Department Doesn’t Inspect Food Trucks
• Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Preventing Food Truck Failure
• Develop an Identity and Stick to It
• Analyze Your Market Carefully
• Write a Business Plan
• Plan for a Year’s Worth of Capital
• Hire and Train Wisely
• Have a Grand Opening
• Ensure Consistency
• Control Your Food Costs
• Solicit Opinions Other Than Your Own
• Be a Present Leader
• Chapter 21: Ten Tips for Dealing with Food Truck Health Inspections
• Inspect Your Food Truck Every Month
• Schedule a Mandatory Staff Meeting to Delegate Tasks
• Figure Out What to Fix from the Past
• Ask for an Inspection by an Exterminator
• Check Your Refrigeration
• Keep Your Cooler Shelves Clean
• Check Your Water Temperature
• Clean Your Drinking Glasses
• Proactively Make an Appointment for an Inspection
• Inform Your Staff that the Health Inspector Is Coming — It’s Showtime!
• About the Author
• Advertisement Page
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement