Need inspiration for your new food truck business? Then check out these 10 food truck business ideas for 2023
Food trucks are now a familiar feature around the world and firmly embedded in our cultures. The food truck scene, especially in the USA & UK is also very diverse with many street foods to choose between – from spicy tacos and jerk chicken to wood-fired pizza and Turkish wraps.
This means there is plenty of food to inspire you if you are thinking of ideas for a food truck business…
So for inspiration here are the Top 10 food truck business ideas for 2023 to help you on your way.
1. Vegan Food Truck
Vegan food (meat substitutes) is now a billion-dollar industry and is growing year after year. From vegan burgers and hotdogs to chilies and curries. Pretty much any cuisine you can think of can now be found as a vegan alternative.
This is good news for starting a food truck business as there will be a very wide scope to craft your menu and come up with some tasty and interesting dishes.
And if you want to keep it simple go for vegan burgers and hotdogs. These are becoming wildly popular and in some chains, outselling their meat counterparts.
Vegan Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Burgers
- Hotdogs
- Chillies
- Soups
- Wraps
2. Mexican Food Truck
Mexican food and food trucks have a long tradition in the US for a very good reason. Aside from the big Hispanic community, the food is absolutely delicious.
And there are quite a few different dishes you can choose from to create your food truck menu. Think fish or beef tacos, Tostadas (fried tortillas with toppings such as beans, cheese, and meats), and tamales ( corn dough stuffed with a sweet or savory filling).
Mexican Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Taco’s
- Burritos
- Quesadillas
- Chilli Con Carne
3. Caribbean Food Truck
Personally, Caribbean food is one of my all-time favorite street food cuisines. And for very good reason.
It’s also very popular amongst the massive of hungry office workers and festival-goers and a strong favourite as a food truck business idea. Caribbean cuisine is highly diverse and offers a variety of meats as well as fish. There is nothing else quite like it, which is a strong selling point.
Caribbean Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Jerk chicken
- Curry goat
- Brown stew fish/chicken
- Ackee & saltfish
- Rice & peas
4. Indian Food Truck
Indian street food is world-renowned not only for its taste but diversity. It also has a wide vegetarian offering and differs in style depending on where you go in the county (north/south)
So if you are thinking of a food truck business idea for 2023 why not bring the taste of Mumbai to your hometown or country?
Indian Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Kolkata Egg Roll ( egg and vegetable-filled wraps)
- Aloo Tikki Chaat ( spiced potato croquettes, chickpeas, yogurt, and chutneys)
- Churumuri ( healthy street food made by mixing puffed rice and vegetables and tossing them with spices)
- Samosas (deep-fried, savory pastries filled with peas, potatoes, and spices)
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5. Grilled Cheese Food Truck
A simple concept but very tasty indeed, and let’s face it most people love cheese!
And it’s not just about the cheese – you can get very creative with what you can put into a grilled cheese sandwich. This is an extremely basic food truck to run and does not require anywhere near the level of culinary skill compared to national-based trucks such as Indian or Thai.
Grilled Cheese Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Avocado
- Chicken
- Tomatoes
- Bacon
- Olives
6. Vietnamese Food Truck
Vietnam is quickly becoming a more outward-facing country and this can be seen in the number of new Vietnamese restaurants, street food stalls, and food trucks opening in the West.
Vietnamese food is fresh, healthy, and very tasty and because it is a relatively new cuisine in the West, it will likely be one to watch out for on the street food and food truck scene.
Vietnamese Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Banh Mi (baguette filled with herbs, veg, pate, egg and/or meats)
- Pho (noodle soup broth with a choice of meats)
- Spring rolls (rice paper filled herbs, minced pork/shrimp, green and dipped in chili sauce)
- Pancakes
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7. Turkish Food Truck
Turkish food is world-renowned, so it probably needs very little introduction.
Many people are familiar with Turkish cuisine and because of this starting a Turkish food truck business is a relatively good idea for 2024. The fact that Turkish food is often made so poorly and cheaply (In the UK). If you were to make classic and original Turkish food that tasted authentic, there is a good chance you can become successful.
Turkish Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Doner Kebab
- Sis Kebab
- Pide (Turkish pizza – boat-shaped flatbread stuffed with a range of toppings)
8. Korean Food Truck
In recent years South Korean food and food trucks are becoming ever more popular in the West and for very good reason.
From succulent BBQ meats and stews to chilies and pickles (Kimichi), Korean food is a firm favorite if you are looking for food truck business ideas.
Korean Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Bao buns
- Bulgogi ( grilled meat marinated in soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil)
- Korean Barbecue (a selection of BBQ meats with sides of lettuce, peppers garlic, and chilli pastes to make wraps)
- Yukgaejang (spicy shredded beef stew)
9. Sushi Food Truck
Many of you are probably familiar with this Japanese favorite, but it seems like this little fun-sized snack is making a resurgence.
Sushi food trucks and street food stalls are especially popular in countries like Thailand and Japan but are now finding their way to places like the UK and the US.
Sushi Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Vegetable sushi
- Fish sushi (salmon, tuna, prawn)
- Sushi rolls (large, tubular sushi)
10. Thai Food Truck
I have to confess, Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines and in my opinion, there are not enough Thai food trucks in my home town.
But on the plus side, this is a business opportunity for anyone looking for a food truck business idea. And when it comes to Thai food there is plenty of options to choose from to put on the menu.
Thai Food Truck Menu Ideas:
- Pad Thai
- Pad See Ew
- Tom yum soup
- Thai omelette
- Thai green curry
- Mango sticky rice
All the food truck business ideas outlined above are foods people are familiar with, which should put you in good stead for selling straight away. It can be hard to sell concepts people are not very familiar with.
So if you are looking for business ideas for 2024, a food truck venture is a good idea. Relatively inexpensive compared to a restaurant and other businesses and being mobile you can take your food to wherever the masses are.
Good luck with your new venture!
Author
Gavin D is the founder of Street Food Central and Tru Foo Juice Bar Co. and has worked in the mobile catering industry for over 7 years.