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I have always wondered why more people in NYC dont start with food trucks. That would be the most "antifragile" approach to starting a restaurant -- if the foo

I have always wondered why more people in NYC dont start with food trucks. That would be the most "antifragile" approach to starting a restaurant -- if the food isnt working, change it, if the location isnt working, drive somewhere else you could approach the restaurant game like you are a/b testing a sign up page until you got it right, then nail down a location etc. disclaimer: I have never worked in the food industry

venomsnake 10y ago
Regulations? Inability to test some types of food/techniques.
wmil 10y ago
There's a long wait list for street food vendor permits, so it's not as simple as you think. But the bigger issue is that's it's glamorous to own a restaurant. You can take your friends there and brag about owning it. Taking your friends to your poutine truck just doesn't impress them.
- spacehome 10y ago
  > There's a long wait list for street food vendor permits Maybe there shouldn't be?
fatjokes 10y ago
> if the location isnt working, drive somewhere else If that location is working, it's probably already occupied and you will get physically attacked [1] [1] http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/food-vendor-slashes-rival-back-west-side-turf-feud-article-1.2683855 http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/food-vendor-slashes-riva...
tptacek 10y ago
Besides permits and competition, some other issues with trucks: * You might not be able to make much money on liquor sales. * There's a price point for food truck food ($10-$15 for the whole meal) and it's much lower than that of a fine dining restaurant. * Even with an off-site kitchen, your menu is probably limited --- that's why two of the food truck people I've met in Chicago opened restaurants after a year --- and also possibly why their trucks went idle (in one case, parked behind the restaurant) once the restaurant opened.
canada_dry 10y ago
A reasonably well equipped truck will run you upwards of $400K+

venomsnake 10y ago

Regulations? Inability to test some types of food/techniques.

wmil 10y ago

There's a long wait list for street food vendor permits, so it's not as simple as you think. But the bigger issue is that's it's glamorous to own a restaurant. You can take your friends there and brag about owning it. Taking your friends to your poutine truck just doesn't impress them.

spacehome 10y ago
> There's a long wait list for street food vendor permits Maybe there shouldn't be?

fatjokes 10y ago

> if the location isnt working, drive somewhere else If that location is working, it's probably already occupied and you will get physically attacked [1] [1] http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/food-vendor-slashes-rival-back-west-side-turf-feud-article-1.2683855 http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/food-vendor-slashes-riva...

tptacek 10y ago

Besides permits and competition, some other issues with trucks: * You might not be able to make much money on liquor sales. * There's a price point for food truck food ($10-$15 for the whole meal) and it's much lower than that of a fine dining restaurant. * Even with an off-site kitchen, your menu is probably limited --- that's why two of the food truck people I've met in Chicago opened restaurants after a year --- and also possibly why their trucks went idle (in one case, parked behind the restaurant) once the restaurant opened.

canada_dry 10y ago

A reasonably well equipped truck will run you upwards of $400K+