Every concept we have researched, from a $5,000 shave ice cart to $190,000+ builds — what each one really costs to launch, and where the money goes.
The concept you pick sets your startup budget more than any other decision. A cold-assembly menu like sandwiches or bubble tea skips most of the hood, fire-suppression, and ventilation spend that a fryer or wok concept requires — which is why the ranges below run from under $5,000 to close to $200,000 for what is nominally the same business.
Below: 21 concepts compared with real cost ranges, then links to our 21 full launch guides for the concepts we cover in depth. Costs assume used vehicles; new custom builds add $50,000+ to any of them.
The cheapest real entry point in mobile food. A functional cart launches for under $5,000, and the workhorse Swan SI-142 shaver runs $1,200–$1,500 new. Margins on ice and syrup are enormous; the trade-off is a hard seasonal ceiling and weather risk.
A used cart with a 4-drawer steam warmer runs $4,000–$9,000 turnkey, and par-baked reseller programs let you skip commercial baking entirely. For contrast, a franchised mall pretzel location costs $200,000–$400,000 — the cart is the value play on the same product.
Everything from a used step van running novelty bars to a full soft-serve build. Small operators who buy used, wrap it, and run summer routes can net $40,000–$80,000 across a four-month season — but the season is the business; plan the other eight months.
A used trailer with a lean classic-milk-tea build runs $30,000–$45,000. Drinks sell at $6–$8 with strong margins on tea, tapioca, and sealing film, and the equipment footprint is small compared to any cooking concept.
The lowest build cost of any true cuisine truck: a single-lane Italian sub or banh mi concept starts around $35,000–$50,000, with serious builds topping out near $75,000. Cold-heavy menus mean less hood, less fire suppression, and faster health approval.
Runs on blenders and refrigeration instead of a hood line — a used sprinter van build keeps it at the low end. Morning-market, gym, and school-event routes suit it better than late-night lots.
The kitchen kit — convection oven, two burners, prep rail — is roughly $7,000–$14,000, dramatically less than the $20,000–$35,000 typical for a full cook line. One base product with rotating toppings keeps food cost predictable.
Costs mirror whatever cuisine you cook — the premium is discipline, not equipment. One fried item shared with a non-vegan fryer can break the brand with your most loyal customers, so the line and the commissary plan have to be genuinely separate.
A used truck with a focused bulgogi/bibimbap build sits at the low end; wood-fired or full grill concepts push the top. Korean flavors carry premium pricing at breweries and festivals, and prep-heavy menus reward a good commissary schedule.
A lean burrito-or-bagel build with drip coffee only is the cheapest entry. The morning window is short and unforgiving — routes near offices, hospitals, and trade yards decide the P&L more than the menu does.
A used trailer with a commissary-smoke workflow keeps the build manageable; live-fire drum setups push cost and permitting complexity up fast. The aroma is the best free marketing in mobile food.
A curry-and-noodle concept without a wok burner keeps the build near $50,000–$75,000 on a used truck ($30,000–$45,000 with hood). Add a true wok station and both the fire-suppression bill and the ventilation spec jump.
Wide range because the concept spans lean commissary-smoke builds up to full jerk-and-seafood lines. Plates carry $13–$22 price points, strong for festival and event work.
Banh mi-led builds are the efficient entry — mostly cold assembly plus one protein station. Pho service is the expensive path: broth holding, bowl service, and dish logistics push you toward the top of the range.
Fryer-centered build with serious ventilation and fire-suppression requirements baked in. Sauce variety gives menu breadth from one station, and late-night and game-day windows are the natural revenue peaks.
A used trailer build runs $25,000–$55,000; custom trailer-mounted pit rigs reach $80,000+. Budget $400–$1,200/month for a commissary — you cannot legally run a BBQ operation out of a garage, and overnight cooks make the commissary relationship the real constraint.
A used trailer with Tijuana street styling covers most launches. Consomé service needs dedicated holding, and the concept still earns lines — but it is no longer an empty niche, so location strategy matters more than it did in 2022.
A fried-basket or fish-taco concept on a used truck is the practical entry. If raw shellfish is on the menu from day one, budget another $5,000–$15,000 for the cold-chain and permitting program — raw programs are a different regulatory tier.
A sandwich-led build keeps the line manageable at the low end; full smothered-and-sides service needs more holding equipment and more hands. Sunday and event catering often out-earns street service.
A one-pot-focused concept (gumbo, étouffée, jambalaya) concentrates equipment spend into holding and burners rather than a wide line. Big-batch cooking rewards tight commissary prep discipline.
The highest-startup-cost mobile category relative to its ticket: even a shoyu/chicken-base concept on a used trailer ($25,000–$35,000 with electrical) lands at $70,000–$85,000 all-in, and bowls sell at $17–$24. Broth logistics are the whole game.
These concepts have dedicated step-by-step guides — permits, equipment lists, menu math, and first-customer plans for each.
Whatever you launch, the trucks that survive year one are the ones customers can find again. VendorLoop texts your schedule to your customers automatically — free to start.
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