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.
Every permit, license, and fee in the order you need them — with a direct link to the official government page behind each one.
Built for food trucks, trailers, carts and food stalls at farmers markets, plus cottage food operations. Not for craft or other non-food vendors.
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Permits, fees and who issues them are decided state by state, so the only useful version of this page is your state’s. Pick it and we will show you exactly what applies.
Vendor toolkit
The tools vendors reach for at this stage — each one takes a few minutes.
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.
Price Swan SI-142 shave ice machineA 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.
Price pretzel drawer warmersEverything 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.
Price bubble tea sealing machinesThe 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.
Price commercial blendersThe 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.
Price countertop convection ovensCosts 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.
Price offset smokersA 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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