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Home › Forums › Restaurant Professionals Forum › Restaurant Professionals Forum › Questions from prospective cart buyer › RE: Questions from prospective cart buyer

May 26, 2005 at 9:58 pm #2226508
festivalfood
festivalfood
Member

You have to check with your board of health,but if it complies to the requirements of a commercial kitchen I don’t see why not.I see them all over the place in NJ and other places.I am not talking about the catering trucks that the sides pop up and people buy sandwiches and coffee off the sides of them commonly called "roach coaches" by the people who eat off them(no disrespect to anyone who owns one,but that’s what they are jokingly called).I am talking about the "California " type lunch truck that is enclosed,with stainless and washable walls,commercial refridgeration,three bay,plus handwash sink,NSF commercial cooking appliances with an exhaust hood(if required,you don’t need one for just a steam table).It is basically a rolling commercial kitchen,and usually does not require a commisary if you can store all your food and supplies on board.You cannot store your food in your home fridge or a freezer in your basement,it has to be in a commercially inspected kitchen or commisary.Health inspectors are like cops,some are nice and try to help you do the right things,and others are like storm troopers looking to trip you up.I have dealt with and handled both types,if you know the regulations and comply,you will have no problems.Remember what ever you do,try to be ,and look as professional as possible,it helps with health inspectors and with people feeling comfortable enough to buy from you.I don’t care how good,or clean it is,if I see someone with an old school bus with a household refigerator,crock pot,and dollar store microwave selling hot dogs or whatever on the side of the road,Im not stopping,it could be great food,but the perception of getting ill later in the day scares me more than maybe missing out on some great food.Commercial concession equipment is expensive,and some concession trailers cost around $250,000 believe it or not(go on Waymatics website and look up some of their top of the line trailers),but there is a reason for that,you can make very good money in the concession business,and it takes money to make money like anything else.It all depends on how much you want to make,some people are happy with a hot dog cart making a couple hundred a day,and some people make hundreds of thousands a year with big dollar concession equipment(and the right contacts to get into the right events).The failure of many people is not researching first,and running into problems at every turn with their new venture.Do your homework,and have fun!

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