9755 S.R. 121 SOUTH - MACCLENNY FL 32063 HOURS: M-F - 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EASTERN TIME)
9 06, 2017

How Much Does a BBQ Concession Business Cost to Start?

2019-11-27T16:00:02+00:00June 9th, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

For the purposes of this particular blog post we will be focusing on the costs to start a BBQ concession, catering, or vending business using a mobile unit like a trailer or truck. At M&R Specialty Trailers and Trucks one of our specialties is manufacturing BBQ trailers, trucks, and smokers built to our customers needs and desires. Not only do we understand the cost to operate this type of business, but understand the different goals people have when investing in a BBQ trailer. Some of our customers like Wade, an active service member of the United States military, invested in [...]

1 06, 2017

What is a Roach Coach? Where Did the Term Come From?

2019-11-27T16:00:05+00:00June 1st, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

Before the rise of gourmet food trucks there was the "roach coach." In fact, a small number of people (generally over the age of 60) still refer to mobile food units by the name roach coach. Fortunately, over the past 20 years the perception of the quality of food that can be served from a truck has been completely transformed and flipped on its head thanks to the innovative chefs that operate food trucks in the 21st century. In today's post, we discuss how that name came to be and dive into the history of the food truck so you [...]

24 05, 2017

What Are The 20 Most Popular Food Truck Menu Concepts?

2019-11-27T16:00:09+00:00May 24th, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

Thinking about getting into the food truck business, but struggling to find your perfect menu? In today's post our goal is to help solve this problem by organizing a list of the most popular menu concepts we've seen executed well on food trucks in recent years. In our 15+ years in business, we've had the opportunity to help hundreds of food entrepreneurs launch their own mobile businesses each of these concepts on our list have produced numerous successful businesses for our customers. Often, if you want to be successful in the food industry you don't need to have the most [...]

16 05, 2017

Three Types of Food Truck Blueprints with Examples

2019-11-27T16:00:10+00:00May 16th, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

There's a lot more that goes into the planning and manufacturing a food truck than most people think. Take for example the layout and installation of the cooking equipment inside the truck. As a straight-forward example, a tater tot truck would need to make sure they had deep fryers, a fridge to keep product cool, and a prep station to add all the yummy toppings like sour cream or chives. Another satisfied customer of Smokin' Bull Shack. Built by M&R Specialty Trailers and Trucks. But having the tater tot equipment is installed in the food truck is not [...]

26 04, 2017

What are the Most Common Food Truck Floor Plan Sizes?

2019-11-27T16:01:07+00:00April 26th, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

What floor plan is right size for you? In this guide our goal is to outline the most commonly used food truck floor plan sizes and demonstrate the pros and cons of each. The ideal floor plan for you will depend largely on a combination of these three factors including: local laws, menu, and personal needs. Ready to find the right layout for your unique situation? Read on. Local Legal Requirements If you're just beginning the food truck research process, you may soon discover that your local health code requires your truck to be a certain size. One example is [...]

22 03, 2017

Does Attending Craft Shows Make Sense For Your Concession Business?

2019-11-27T16:01:17+00:00March 22nd, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

Searching for new ways to increase revenue for your concession business? The often-forgotten craft show could be the answer to unlocking consistent profits in your area. In today's post we show you where to find these craft shows and things to look for when determining whether or not you want to test these events for your existing food business. Enjoy! Food vendors at a local craft show. Photo Credit: Pinterest Advantages of Art Shows From an economic standpoint, people at craft fairs are an ideal customer for a concession vendor. People that can purchase hand-made necklaces or custom [...]

8 03, 2017

How Much Do Food Truck Vendors Make at Fairs & Festivals on Average?

2019-11-27T16:01:19+00:00March 8th, 2017|Getting Started|0 Comments

Ever been waiting in line at a fair or festival and wonder how much those food trucks or concession stands are making? Well, there's actually a pretty simple formula you can use to estimate the sales a food truck will make at per event. If you're considering this as serious business venture, you can also use this estimate when conducting the financial planning for your business. Ice cream is a popular product at fairs.  The short answer, of course, is that each festival is different and will yield different sales numbers. Bigger events that attract more potential customers [...]

28 12, 2016

How to Schedule Catering and Special Events for Food Trucks

2019-11-27T16:03:10+00:00December 28th, 2016|Getting Started|0 Comments

Built by M&R Specialty Trailers and Trucks. Event sales are pretty similar to your daily sales but, to me, are much more of a gamble. Some events will be a home run where you have access to thousands of people willing to spend top dollar (think theme park prices) and you’re expecting to make over $1000 for the day. Some events will have only about 100 people who aren’t hungry and don’t want to spend money and you end up making $100 or less. It will be up to you to figure out which events are worth the [...]

27 12, 2016

Custom Built Soft-Pretzel Concession Trailer Business Overview

2019-11-27T16:03:12+00:00December 27th, 2016|Getting Started|0 Comments

Pretzel Wagon. Photo Credit: Pinterest Some concession owners know the exact type of food they plan to serve from their vending unit before they ever start a business. There is a group of food vendors that invested years perfecting the perfect BBQ through years of testing and know exactly what they plan to serve before they ever turn their passion into a business. Another category of vendors have been handed down a specific style of food that represents their family like grandma's secret meat ball recipe that they plan to share with the world from their concession trailer. [...]

23 12, 2016

How To Start a Kettle Corn Concession Trailer

2019-11-27T16:03:17+00:00December 23rd, 2016|Getting Started|0 Comments

Fresh and delicious kettle corn. Photo Credit: JV Foodie Kettle corn is not just a snack, but nostalgia in a bag. It's a food item that brings us back to simpler times and enjoyed regularly by people of all ages. From an operations perspective there's also a lot to like about this time tested concession business too! For one, kettle corn businesses can focus on one doing one core product really well. There are a lot of vendors that try to do too many things on their truck or trailer. One challenge is that there's only so much [...]