The Operator's Library

Guides for food trucks and market vendors

Everything we've written for the people who run the booths and trucks. Permits, startup costs, booth design, customer-list playbooks, and state-by-state guides for farmers markets and food trucks across the United States.

Section 1

Farmers Market State Guides

State-by-state guides for selling at farmers markets — cottage food laws, state agricultural department rules, seller's permits, top markets, and realistic booth-fee ranges. 42 states covered.

Alabama

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Alabama.

Arizona

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Arizona.

Arkansas

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Arkansas.

California

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in California.

Colorado

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Colorado.

Connecticut

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Connecticut.

Florida

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Florida.

Georgia

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Georgia.

Hawaii

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Hawaii.

Idaho

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Idaho.

Illinois

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Illinois.

Indiana

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Indiana.

Iowa

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Iowa.

Kansas

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Kansas.

Kentucky

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Kentucky.

Louisiana

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Louisiana.

Maine

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Maine.

Maryland

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Maryland.

Massachusetts

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Massachusetts.

Michigan

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Michigan.

Minnesota

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Minnesota.

Mississippi

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Mississippi.

Missouri

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Missouri.

Nevada

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Nevada.

New Hampshire

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in New Jersey.

New Mexico

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in New Mexico.

New York

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in New York.

North Carolina

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in North Carolina.

Ohio

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Ohio.

Oklahoma

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Oklahoma.

Oregon

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Oregon.

Pennsylvania

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Pennsylvania.

South Carolina

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in South Carolina.

Tennessee

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Tennessee.

Texas

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Texas.

Utah

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Utah.

Vermont

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Vermont.

Virginia

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Virginia.

Washington

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Washington.

West Virginia

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in West Virginia.

Wisconsin

Permits, fees, top markets — everything to sell at farmers markets in Wisconsin.

Section 2

Start a Food Truck — by Cuisine

Cuisine-specific startup playbooks — equipment lists, build-out costs, target margins, and the operating quirks that matter for each menu. From taco trucks to mobile bars to halal carts, plus the umbrella food truck startup guide.

Food Truck (Umbrella)

The complete startup playbook — costs, equipment, permits, and the first 90 days on the road.

BBQ Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a bbq truck.

Birria Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a birria truck.

Breakfast Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a breakfast truck.

Bubble Tea Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a bubble tea truck.

Burger Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a burger truck.

Cajun Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a cajun food truck.

Caribbean Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a caribbean food truck.

Cheesesteak Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a cheesesteak truck.

Coffee Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a coffee truck.

Crepe Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a crepe truck.

Cuban Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a cuban food truck.

Dessert Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a dessert truck.

Donut Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a donut truck.

Empanada Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a empanada truck.

Filipino Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a filipino food truck.

Greek Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a greek food truck.

Halal Cart

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a halal cart.

Hot Chicken Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a hot chicken truck.

Hot Dog Cart

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a hot dog cart.

Ice Cream Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a ice cream truck.

Indian Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a indian food truck.

Jerk Chicken Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a jerk chicken truck.

Korean Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a korean food truck.

Lobster Roll Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a lobster roll truck.

Mac and Cheese Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a mac and cheese truck.

Mediterranean Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a mediterranean food truck.

Mobile Bar

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a mobile bar.

Pizza Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a pizza truck.

Pretzel Cart

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a pretzel cart.

Ramen Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a ramen truck.

Sandwich Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a sandwich truck.

Seafood Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a seafood truck.

Shave Ice Business

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a shave ice business.

Smoothie Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a smoothie truck.

Soul Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a soul food truck.

Sushi Burrito Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a sushi burrito truck.

Sushi Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a sushi truck.

Taco Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a taco truck.

Thai Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a thai food truck.

Vegan Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a vegan food truck.

Vietnamese Food Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a vietnamese food truck.

Wings Truck

Startup costs, equipment, permits — your guide to starting a wings truck.

Section 3

Start a Food Truck — by State

State permits, health licensing, commissary requirements, and a startup checklist for every US state plus a Los Angeles city guide. 51 guides covering the entire country.

Alabama

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Alabama.

Alaska

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Alaska.

Arizona

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Arizona.

Arkansas

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Arkansas.

California

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for California.

Colorado

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Colorado.

Connecticut

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Connecticut.

Delaware

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Delaware.

Florida

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Florida.

Georgia

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Georgia.

Hawaii

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Hawaii.

Idaho

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Idaho.

Illinois

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Illinois.

Indiana

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Indiana.

Iowa

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Iowa.

Kansas

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Kansas.

Kentucky

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Kentucky.

Los Angeles

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Los Angeles.

Louisiana

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Louisiana.

Maine

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Maine.

Maryland

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Maryland.

Massachusetts

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Massachusetts.

Michigan

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Michigan.

Minnesota

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Minnesota.

Mississippi

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Mississippi.

Missouri

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Missouri.

Montana

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Montana.

Nebraska

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Nebraska.

Nevada

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Nevada.

New Hampshire

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for New Hampshire.

New Jersey

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for New Jersey.

New Mexico

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for New Mexico.

New York

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for New York.

North Carolina

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for North Carolina.

North Dakota

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for North Dakota.

Ohio

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Ohio.

Oklahoma

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Oklahoma.

Oregon

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Oregon.

Pennsylvania

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Rhode Island.

South Carolina

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for South Carolina.

South Dakota

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for South Dakota.

Tennessee

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Tennessee.

Texas

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Texas.

Utah

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Utah.

Vermont

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Vermont.

Virginia

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Virginia.

Washington

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Washington.

West Virginia

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for West Virginia.

Wisconsin

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Wisconsin.

Wyoming

State permits, health licensing, and startup checklist for Wyoming.

Section 4

Vendor Operations & Growth

Evergreen guides on the work that fills booths, lots, and customer lists — sales tactics, booth design, money and pricing, and the permits and applications that get you started.

Sales & Customer Growth

Build a Customer List for Your Food Truck

The exact playbook for capturing repeat-customer phone numbers from the truck window.

How Customers Find Food Trucks

Where buyers actually look — Google, Instagram, schedule SMS — and how to show up there.

How Food Trucks Build a Following

From first regulars to a thousand-strong contact list — what the busiest trucks do differently.

Get More Customers at Food Truck Events

Pre-event promotion, on-site funnel, and post-event follow-up to convert one-timers into regulars.

Customer Retention for Market Vendors

Why most vendors lose customers between markets — and the simple system that fixes it.

How Small Event Vendors Keep Customers Coming Back

Capture, remind, reward: the three-step retention loop for craft and event sellers.

Increase Sales at a Farmers Market Booth

Pricing tiers, sample strategy, and traffic-flow tweaks that boost per-customer spend.

Why Vendors Need a Customer List

The single highest-leverage asset for any market vendor — and how to start building one this weekend.

Organize Customer Phone Numbers

How to store, segment, and message a customer list without it becoming a spreadsheet mess.

Tell Customers Where Your Truck Will Be

SMS vs Instagram vs schedule pages — which channel actually drives a line at the next stop.

Promote a Food Truck Location

The day-of, day-before, and week-out promotion stack that fills lots and corners.

How to Post Your Food Truck Schedule

Where, when, and how often to publish your weekly schedule so customers actually see it.

Food Truck Marketing Ideas

20+ low-cost marketing tactics that actually move tickets — ranked by ROI.

Permits & Getting Started

Ready to put this into practice?

VendorLoop gives you the QR code signup, the SMS tool, and the customer list — all in one place built for vendors.

Start Free