At the end of last year, there were over 5.6 thousand food trucks in Poland. In 2024 alone, their number increased by 600 such vehicles – according to data from Dun & Bradstreet Poland. This shows that their popularity is constantly growing. We checked whether it is a good business idea, and how much you can earn selling food from a car.
The centers of large cities and outdoor events are the places where you can most often find food trucks. Although they used to be associated with cheap fast food, their offer is now very diverse. You can buy Asian cuisine, Italian pizza, American burgers, vegan dishes, as well as artisan ice cream and other exquisite desserts. In addition, these are increasingly dishes prepared from the highest quality ingredients. Customers can count on exceptionally original dishes and an unconventional approach to their preparation.
All this also makes food truck rallies very popular, with fans of this form of serving food often coming with their entire families.
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You don't need a lot of money to get started
According to Jarosław Bieńkowski, owner of 15 food trucks and the Szkolafoodtruckowania.pl website, the undoubted advantage of this business is the low entry costs.
– To start a business, 40 thousand PLN is enough, but there are also those who invest even 350 thousand PLN – Jarosław Bieńkowski tells Bankier.pl. – The low maintenance costs are certainly an advantage, because the owner is not bound by any rent, as well as mobility, which allows you to change the place at any time. Unfortunately, the biggest disadvantage here is the weather. Even if a food truck arrives for a great event, the rain can ruin everything.
According to Jarosław Bieńkowski, the earnings of a food truck owner can range from PLN 5,000 to PLN 30,000 – when servicing four good outdoor events.
– However, you also have to reckon with losses. In April, I had a loss of 20 thousand, and the weather was to blame – adds the expert.
For those who don't like a full-time job
As Andrzej Ziemkiewicz, who owns three ice cream trucks where he has been selling his own artisan ice cream since 2019, says, it is a very interesting job, especially for a person who does not like working full-time.
– A big advantage is that you can be somewhere different every day, you meet new people. There is always something interesting going on – Andrzej Ziemkiewicz tells Bankier.pl. – There are also more and more people who appreciate our work. We make our own ice cream, and that is important to them. However, there are also disadvantages to this type of work. First of all, there is no free time and a lot of kilometers traveled.
You can live on this all year round
According to the owner of the ice cream trucks, they are most often an attraction at mass events, festivals or juwenalia.
– Although it is a seasonal business, it is definitely profitable – says Andrzej Ziemkiewicz. – We usually operate from the beginning of April to the end of September. Then I go abroad for work. However, even when I do not go abroad, like this year, the money I earn allows me to support myself throughout the year.
It's more profitable than a restaurant
The profitability of this business is also confirmed by Bartosz Jagielski, co-owner of the food truck “U Grzybka” located in Charzyno near Kołobrzeg.
– It is definitely more profitable than the restaurant that my wife and I used to run – Bartosz Jagielski tells Bankier.pl. – Now we pay about PLN 1,000 for the place where our food truck stands, and in the case of the restaurant, the lease alone was PLN 30,000. In addition, there were utility costs and employee salaries and ZUS contributions. Now our work gives us real pleasure. Of course, you have to live this business and devote a lot of time to it, but customer satisfaction gives great satisfaction. They share their opinions not only with us, but also on social media. That is why we take great care of the quality of the ingredients of our pizza and burgers and the repeatability of their taste, which is extremely important. Fortunately, more and more people like to eat something really good and valuable instead of junk food.
Competition is sometimes brutal
However, there are also those who have abandoned such activities.
– I closed my food truck because of the New Deal and inflation. My business costs increased so much that the dishes I served would have to become 2.5 times more expensive for me to earn as much as before the introduction of those regulations – Bartosz Możdżonek tells Bankier.pl. – In addition, the quality of semi-finished products has significantly decreased, and their prices have increased. The price of oil alone has increased by about 50 percent. Bread has also gone up a lot. When I closed my business three years ago, a hamburger cost PLN 20, and today it costs over PLN 40. In addition, the competition did not let us forget about it. Many times, food trucks were set on fire or destroyed. Unfortunately, it is not pleasant.
Cities are opening up to food trucks
According to Beata Kleszcz from the Economic Development Office of the Wrocław City Hall, there are more and more people willing to run such activities.
– There is a lot of activity in this business. Over the last five years, there has been a clear increase in the number of mobile catering points, both food trucks and bicycle carts selling coffee and snacks, among other things – Beata Kleszcz tells Bankier.pl. – The city has become very open to such activities. Of course, people running such points care about the best possible location on pedestrian routes or in parks, where residents are increasingly willing to spend their time.
According to Beata Kleszcz, owners of small mobile catering establishments, i.e. bicycle or hand-pushed carts, who want to use land belonging to the commune, take part in a draw for places where they can conduct sales. On the other hand, entrepreneurs running mobile catering in larger vehicles most often agree on locations with the property manager, e.g. the road lane manager or the municipal greenery manager, and in the case of private properties with their owner.
They should come and go
As explained by the representative of BRG in Wrocław, food trucks are supposed to arrive at a set location every day and leave at the end of the day. Some owners of these businesses would prefer to stay in a given location for much longer, putting up a trailer instead of a food truck.
– In addition, they want to be able to use electricity and water connections – says Beata Kleszcz. – In Wrocław, we have such a place at the market on Niedźwiedzia Street, where it is possible. However, it is not so easy elsewhere. Especially since according to the law, a trailer standing in one location for more than 6 months requires completion of formalities resulting from the provisions of the construction law. That is why we focus more on those mobile catering points that are not permanently located.
It is necessary to meet strict requirements
To operate a food truck, it is also necessary to obtain appropriate permits and a license to operate in public places.
According to Katarzyna Chmielewska, who helps companies meet sanitary requirements, in order to run a food truck it is necessary to obtain a decision and an entry in the register of establishments subject to official food control by the State Sanitary Inspectorate.
– Sanepid arranges an inspection with the owner, i.e. collection of the mobile point – Katarzyna Chmielewska tells Bankier.pl. – To obtain a positive opinion, GHP/GMP and HAACP documents are necessary, as well as information on allergens of the products sold. The point must be partially hardened and meet other hygiene requirements.
According to the expert, entrepreneurs often do not have adequate knowledge about the requirements that need to be met.
– For example, they do not always realize that not all products can be prepared at such a point, among others due to limited space or sinks. You cannot work with raw meat or fish. These must be semi-finished products, i.e. ingredients that are already partially processed – adds Katarzyna Chmielewska.
The fine for non-compliance with sanitary regulations can be up to PLN 2,000.
Parking on social media
In addition to obtaining the appropriate permits and the best possible location, it is also necessary to properly promote such a business, especially in social media. It turns out that it can help build a loyal customer base. According to Mateusz Nawrocki, creative director and co-owner of the Jasne marketing agency, food trucks are a great example of generational change and how the entire world is evolving, and this determines how they must fight for customers.
– They used to be a symbol of meeting outside, the offline world. Today, however, food trucks need to park in social media and de facto invite, call to stop by their trailer – Mateusz Nawrocki tells Bankier.pl. – They increasingly invest in the production of creative video reels, tik-toks, and publish posts on an ongoing basis. After all, the Zs and to a large extent the Millennials, not to mention the Alpha generation, make their choices mainly by phone. The latter de facto live their entire lives there.
Food trucks' lives also take place online
According to Mateusz Nawrocki, today, even if they are already at a chosen food truck event, before young people approach a given trailer, they will check its social media.
– That's why, despite the best booth and great food, it's often more important whether a given food truck has been visited by the famous YouTuber Książulo. It's no wonder when we meet Mariusz Pudzianowski on the street recording for a kebab ad. These are the times we live in and this trend has no intention of slowing down. Even food trucks are moving to the online world – adds the marketer.
Business for the patient
So it seems that running a food truck is a good idea for enterprising people who like people, have a passion for cooking and a passion for promoting their own business. However, it is worth considering that the road to high earnings may be blocked by, for example, strong competition or weather, which, despite the best intentions and many efforts, can cause significant losses instead of profits.
