The food truck business is expected to hit $1.1 billion in 2022, but the industry is showing slower growth in recent years due in part to tighter regulations and increased competition.
In Houston, once you buy the actual food truck, you're likely to spend another grand just to bring it in-line with the city's health department.
“You get the medallion which says we've inspected it. You pay for the monitoring and there's another fee for making sure before they start operating they submit plans on how it is set up,” says Porfirio Villarreal, spokesman for Houston'sDepartment of Health and Human Services.
Houston is a bit more strict when it comes to food trucks, only because Villareal says the city doesn't want anyone getting sick.
“For every 24 hours they operate, they have to go to a comissary to receive fresh water for consumption, but also to clean the utensils and clean pots and pans,” he says.
“Just like a regular restaurant we're looking at procedures, protection of the food, how they are operating and they have to have a food manager available on the mobile unit.”