Photo credit: Kona Ice
Food truck franchises are on the move!
Cupcake trucks. Pizza trucks. Waffle trucks. Mac ‘n’ cheese trucks. Shrimp trucks, bacon trucks and so many more… They’re rolling across the nation en route to becoming a $2.8 billion industry.
Food trucks are fun.
They have clever names like Wok n Roll (Cleveland), Oink & Moo (New Jersey), Basic Kneads Pizza (Denver) and Ms. Cheezious (Miami). And they serve everything from traditional fare to ethnic delicacies. There are even jianbing trucks (Chinese savory crepes) and gourmet bao bun trucks.
One of the most appealing aspects of this fast-growing field is that you’re in the driver’s seat—whether you’re considering starting a food truck business from scratch or investing in a successful food truck franchise.
“The best place to eat in your area might actually be a food truck. That’s right, mobile kitchens are bringing talented chefs to local neighborhoods, where they’re cooking up gourmet meals and creative new dishes at affordable prices,” according to Yelp’s report on the Top 100 Food Trucks 2025.” (Spoiler alert: Tony’s Catch in Kapa’a, Kauai, Hawaii topped this year’s list.)
Benefits of Food Truck Businesses
The benefits of operating a food truck business are significant, starting with the relatively low startup costs compared to opening other types of restaurant businesses. Additional food truck “pros” include:
• They’re a great way to get a taste of business ownership without taking on the same level of risk that comes with starting a restaurant from scratch.
• Operating costs are comparatively low (no astronomical “per square foot” leases).
• Mobility provides the opportunity to experiment with different locations.
• Ability to do business at events (concerts, festivals, etc.) and contract private catering jobs can be very profitable.
• The truck itself functions as a mobile “billboard” for your business.
Pros of Buying a Food Truck Franchise
Food truck franchise opportunities come with additional benefits. For example:
• Built-in brand recognition and customer base.
• Collective purchasing power of the franchise system can save you money.
• You’ll benefit from lessons learned from your fellow franchise owners, rather than having to rely entirely on trial and error.
Food Truck Franchise Facts & Figures
- The United States food truck market is valued at 1.09 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach 1.51 billion by 2030. (Modor Intelligence)
- By ownership model, independent operators controlled 86.23% of the United States food truck market in 2024, but franchise concepts are rising at an 8.14% CAGR. (Modor Intelligence)
- There are currently over 58,000 food truck businesses in the U.S. with an average revenue of $346,00. (The Restaurant HQ)
- Setting up a new food truck ranges from $75,000 to $150,000, while starting up a restaurant costs anywhere from $275,000 to 2 million on average. (Grandview Research)
- 50% of food truck owners are under the age of 50. (Food Truck Profit)
Photo credit: Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck
Tips for Food Truck Owners
Revolving Kitchen Food truck blog Roaming Hunger offers helpful advice in their 2025 report, How to Grow Your Food Truck Business This Year. A few of their suggestions include:
- Work on your concept. Find a unique idea that will stand out in customers’ minds.
- Find a gap in the market. Conduct research to make sure you’re not competing with multiple other trucks in your area that offer the same cuisine.
- Add seasonal choices to your menu. Keep things exciting so your customers are curious about what’s new.
- Build a strong social media presence and SEO. Create accounts on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn and concentrate on local search optimization.
- Partner with other local businesses. This is an opportunity to gain revenue while supporting your community.
Restaurant POS technology company, Toast, offers these additional suggestions, among others:
- Closely manage parking space costs, truck payments, servicing costs, and overhead. Track the numbers month-over-month to catch any spikes and work with an accountant to navigate costs.
- Maintain legal permits and restaurant licenses. These vary by state, county, and town.
- Optimize labor cost percentage.Hire and train wisely. Rising food prices and wages can affect your profitability.
- Be smart about food costs. Be proactive and continually review which menu items are most cost-effective.
Food Truck Opportunities
Cattleman and inventor Charles Goodnight is credited with rolling out the first food truck—the chuck wagon—in 1866. In the 20th century, the Good Humor ice cream truck became “one of the best-known symbols of food vending on wheels.” Today, food trucks featured in popular culture including reality shows like “The Great Food Truck Race” and “Food Truck Face Off.”
If you’re considering food truck franchise opportunities, we can offer some guidance. We compile comprehensive, timely insights into the best franchise opportunities based 100% on franchisee satisfaction. From food trucks to restaurant concepts to countless other categories like retail, real estate, fitness, home services, and travel.
For example, our research results in our annual listing of the year’s Top Franchise Opportunities includes Kona Ice, a Hawaiian-style shaved ice franchise that consistently ranks as a top food franchise on FBR’s top 200 list year after year.
Other best-in-class food truck franchises include include Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck and Cousins Maine Lobster, both of which were ranked highly by the franchisees who own them.
Whatever industry you’re interested in, the opportunities are plentiful. What matters is doing your research and finding the right franchise. We recommend starting with the award-winning franchises on our list of the Top 200 Franchises. Also, many of them offer free satisfaction reports you can download. And, every franchise on the list has received high satisfaction ratings based on feedback we collect directly from the franchise owners themselves. You could be one of them!
