Catering vans

IDK how many food trucks are operating in Lafayette
I have tried several and all have been good.
One truck specializes in wraps, another in Tex Mex, another in soups and gumbo. All good and affordable.
Not a cheap proposition. A used food truck in good condition will run $50k. Add licences, inspections, accessories and start up costs. Big bucks. Food truck operators must focus on an exceptional niche product in order to survive.
 
ElizabethB said:
IDK how many food trucks are operating in Lafayette
I have tried several and all have been good.
One truck specializes in wraps, another in Tex Mex, another in soups and gumbo. All good and affordable.
Not a cheap proposition. A used food truck in good condition will run $50k. Add licences, inspections, accessories and start up costs. Big bucks. Food truck operators must focus on an exceptional niche product in order to survive.
Click to expand...

I didn't realise it was so expensive. I've occasionally thought it would be fun to own and operate a catering van Its a fantasy of course!

I have a friend who used to make a small fortune selling food from a catering truck at Glastonbury festival. It was serious money he made - yet everything he sold was very cheap. Queues all day and night for his 'kitchen'. Festivals guarantee customers I suppose. He usually made 10 thousand pounds plus in the few days the festival ran.
 
@morning glory
I am talking U.S. cost
Government and Health Department regulations make it an expensive proposition. The trucks are so expensive because they have to meet health Department and insurance regulations.
When I was in high school a classmate's Father had a hot tamale cart. He sent his children to Catholic school and to college.
His cart would not be allowed to operate today
 
ElizabethB said:
Government and Health Department regulations make it an expensive proposition. The trucks are so expensive because they have to meet health Department and insurance regulations.
Click to expand...

I think it is probably the same here. Health & Safety is paramount. Paying for a pitch at a festival is also expensive. I think its simply that the Glastonbury festival (teaming with people day and night) made it profitable.
 
Last edited:
I saw one for sale today. We do visit them but I wouldn't run one. I see my local fish n chip shop is for sale, 25k walk in. That would prolly be cheaper than setting up a truck.

Russ
 
epicuric said:
View attachment 27236

Britain's answer to street food. No road in this country is complete without a few of these parked up in lay-by's, offering sausage, bacon and egg sandwiches or the odd burger at £3 a go including a mug of tea. Usually the meat is cheap catering grade stuff; best not inquire on its provenance. However, sometimes it really hits the mark - cheap sausages and a runny egg between two slices of 'plastic' white sliced bread and a mug of steaming hot tea by the side of a busy road just seems to work. Do you use them, or do you even have them in your part of the world?
Click to expand...


I Like it and want to buy one for me!
 
I’ve had some really good food from food trucks. Some are just OK but we have had a few that were fantastic
 
Nobody has mentioned the good ole' American Roach Coach, source of sustenance for construction workers for probably 100 years.

roachcoach.jpeg


CD
 
Real food oases. In Italy you find them almost at every street corner, even those you don't expect. I love them, I like to stop for a giant hot sandwich with the roast pork or sausage and peppers, drinking a beer. Years ago after an evening at the disco or at a gig, stopping at one of these 'shacks' (baracchini) was almost a must. I guess even now.
There is one by my part that sells only fried fish, awesome.
 
Last edited:
morning glory said:
Are those grills on the right?
Click to expand...

No, a "Roach Coach" has basically the same food as a 7-Eleven (convenience store). The difference is, the store comes to the job-site. They may have a microwave oven on board.

There are some that offer real cooked food. In Texas, that would be Tex-Mex foods -- breakfast burritos, tacos -- nothing fancy. But mostly, it is something to grab in a hurry.

CD
 
caseydog said:
No, a "Roach Coach" has basically the same food as a 7-Eleven (convenience store). The difference is, the store comes to the job-site. They may have a microwave oven on board.

There are some that offer real cooked food. In Texas, that would be Tex-Mex foods -- breakfast burritos, tacos -- nothing fancy. But mostly, it is something to grab in a hurry.

CD
Click to expand...

Our "Roach Coaches" have mostly Cuban food, with "Jamaican Patties" thrown in for good measure. Sometimes when I cross the "Alley" for my west coast route, I see an east coast based Roach Coach heading to the west coast. Hope that round trip is worth it.:ohmy:
 
We have a lot of food trucks around here. (Okay, not where I actually live, since I'm 35 minutes from the nearest supermarket, but if you go to college town areas, or places where they have short term festivals... Food Trucks.)

Most at country fairs are horrid deep fat fried things with "wonderful" inventions such as Battered Oreo Cookies, and other breaded, fried, oily monstrosities. BUT there's a new generation of food trucks that actually care about what they cook. Most have some ethnic background - Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican... Some have other choices, including vegetarian. It all depends and you have to read the menus and see what people are walking away with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom