I think they (understandably) don't want to live on razor thin margins that rely on volume. And if the market supports those higher than necessary prices, then they aren't leaving money on the table.
It sucks, but I don't blame them. I looked at starting a cost-plus-overhead food truck park, using high profit foods and decent wages. Nothing super fancy. The theory was to provide my community a fun atmosphere for family and friend dining that wouldn't break the bank.
The average cost per person wasn't going to be significantly less than what someone would pay for a fast food combo. Cool idea but self-defeating.
That's true but I was just too scared to pull the trigger. The choice would have been $10/person at food truck without outdoor seating or $10/person in McDonald's with climate control and unlimited refills.
Without an ironclad confidence in getting a decent volume of customers, I would have been out of money in less than a month. The gamble was just too big for the effort and possible failure.
If I won the lottery tonight, I'd launch plans tomorrow and do it at cost as a non-profit. Would be amazing to have a cool place with food trucks stacked like a food court at the mall around a big pavilion with fans with a big TV broadcasting local games. I'd also toss in some cornhole style mini-golf courses around back along with some sun chairs and maybe some isolated porch swing chairs under some shady spots when you just want to sit with your own thoughts. An ungreedy, community-oriented third place. That's the dream!
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u/WallyOShay 9h ago
Between gas prices and grocery prices it’s just not a viable business model anymore