Are there a lot of food trucks in your area?
Here in Texas, which I think many consider the birthplace of the whole kitchen-on-wheels concept(i.e. civil war era “chuckwagons”) there are so many food trucks that it seems like it’s exceedingly hard to stand out in 2013.
However, for every struggling taco truck owner there surely must be a couple more that are doing very well, judging by the long lines I see at many of them.
I’m not considering setting up as a vendor on a regular street, or cruising industrial areas to feed the lunch-hour crowd.
The idea is to attend weekend markets, farmers markets, festivals, regional agricultural shows…that sort of thing. So it wouldn’t be a full-time enterprise, more likely every couple of weeks or so. I’m not looking to make millions…just something to give me a chance to explore some other options in life.
At the moment I’m feeling ‘stuck’ and quite honestly I’ve got nothing to lose. If ever there was a time to take a chance on something, it’s now or never.
You want to operate a food truck, which requires a fair amount of physical work. And you’ve applied for government disability payments? :dubious: Something doesn’t add up here.
Something I recalled from when my friend set up his trailer: Don’t bolt in or weld in your equipment, it makes cleaning and maintenance very difficult. Use equipment with tubular legs and get slightly larger diameter pieces of steel tube or pipe welded to the floor of your truck for the legs to sit in. I don’t know what kind of disability you have, but also consider whether you’ll be able to manage the cleaning and maintenance work involved.
IF we can get it off the ground, this is not going to be a solo operation: my adult sons have offered their services in actually renovating the van, and my (very able) daughter is going to be doing the vast bulk of the physical work involved in the enterprise. My role is going to be limited to cooking, which a) involves me being vertical, and b) will actually HELP my physical condition according to my doc and physiotherapist. I am not intending to remain on a disability allowance for any great length of time: if this venture proves to make me a modest living, the allowance will be cancelled.
The situation currently is that I am unable to work at my usual job, and unless (or until) I qualify for retraining in something that doesn’t involve sitting for many hours a day, I need to do SOMETHING to prevent me going totally fucking insane. I’ve never been unemployed, and have never taken time off work (apart from the odd day) due to illness. This is a new experience for me, and I’m NOT enjoying it…what’s keeping me going is the possibility that this MIGHT work, and if it doesn’t, well at least we tried.
ANOTHER great idea! Thanks Tripolar. 
I believe poster fifty-six once owned a food truck. Unfortunately, he’s presently a research station staff cook in Antartica, so he’s kind of busy and might not see this thread. Maybe send a PM?
I’m pretty sure it was him.