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About This Guide: A Message from Richard Willis Co-Owner of M&R Specialty Trailers & Trucks We developed this guide in response to the most frequently asked questions we ve been asked over our 15 years of experience building custom concession trailers and trucks. If you re new to building a custom trailer or truck the process can understandably seem overwhelming at first due to the laundry list of considerations that must be taken into account. Local health code requirements, what equipment should be installed, truck v.s. trailer, and a whole list other plumbing and fire safety considerations must be taken into account to deliver the right vehicle for your situation. This guide is intended to help educate you on the buying process by answering the most common questions that we ve gotten from our wide range of customers over the years. Our customers range from first time business owners to established restaurant owners with multiple franchise locations that want a mobile presence. We ve also worked with nonprofits organizations, universities, and even hospitals to execute their vision. Just like our tagline says: If you can dream it, we can build it. If you have additional questions beyond the scope of this guide or would like a quote for your custom build, don t hesitate to reach out to us directly at 904-397-0246. We look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Richard Willis Co-Owner of M&R Specialty Trailers and Trucks Site: www.mr-trailers.com Email: richard@mr-trailers.com Phone: 904-397-0246 2 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Frequently Asked Buildout Questions with Richard Willis of M&R Specialty Trailers & Trucks. Question: What s the most important element to consider when preparing to build a food truck? What should you have planned ahead of time? Richard: It s impossible to narrow it to one element, so I ll try to narrow it to three. 1.) What kind of food will you serve? You need to be able to get it to the customer as fast as possible. The longer it takes the less money you make and the less happy your customers are. 2.) Should you buy a truck or trailer? Total trailers cost is less to build and they are easier to design, but harder to transport and park. Trucks cost more to build but are easier to transport and park. Also, if a truck breaks down you are out of business until it is fixed. If the vehicle you are pulling the trailer with breaks down you can borrow or rent a vehicle to pull it with. 3.) What is the cost and design? How can you make a business plan without knowing the cost? We give free itemized quotes along with a custom drawing of your design. That way you know exactly how your kitchen will be designed and what the total cost is. This allows you to make changes as needed either to save money or change items(see more below). You can find more information on our M&R Trailers F.A.Q. page. Question: Do you build a food truck differently depending on what food the truck plans to offer? Richard: Yes. The equipment needed depends on the food being prepared. Specialty items may include a sandwich prep refrigerator, proofer, pizza oven, BBQ smoker etc., depending on your needs. BBQ smokers are usually on a porch separated from the kitchen. Some pieces of cooking equipment will need a grease hood, some a greaseless hood and some no hood at all. Some items will need to be ducted through the roof. The vehicle, whether it is a truck or a trailer, will 3 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
determine the design is as well. Trucks are typically not as wide as a trailer and the roof is usually lower. The wheel wells are also deeper. Certain types of equipment, like refrigerators, ovens, fryers, etc, cannot be placed where the wheel well is located in a truck. Also the lower roof does not allow for some taller pieces of equipment like some refrigerators and freezers. We have actually raised the roof on some trucks to make the design work. The power draw of the equipment is also a factor. Most of the time generators are needed and the power needed will determine the size and cost of the generator. Most quiet generators are water cooled and are very nice to have but are also very expensive. Some air cooled generators are quiet, for example the Honda or Yamaha inverter style generators but they are limited to 5.5k watts and are also fairly costly. If you are trying to save money you can use a loud generator but the noise factor can cause problems. Besides the fact you will have to hear it all day, the event managers, your own customers and other vendors around you will not appreciate the noise. Question: Is there an advantage to having a food truck custom built as opposed to buying a pre-built food truck? What about buying a used food truck? Do you recommend one method over the other? Richard: If you can afford it, it is almost always better to have a food truck custom built. That way you can get the exact design you want and the exact equipment you need. Every food truck owner has their method of cooking and prepping. Finding a pre-built vehicle to exactly fit your needs is difficult, if not impossible, to do. Buying a used food truck presents the same problem. Finding one to fit your style is tough. Also you don t know the quality of the build. You may have faulty wiring or plumbing and not know it until it is too late. Also, the equipment may be old or worn out. The engine or transmission may be shot or the axles on a trailer may be ready to give out. Buying used is a risk! As we stated earlier if you can afford a custom built truck or trailer, that is by far the best way to go. 4 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Above is a coffee truck built for Refuge Coffee Co., a charity doing great work out of Clarkston, Georgia. Learn more about their work and view more photos of the truck in action at RefugeCoffeeCo.com. Question: How much does having a food truck built cost? How much should aspiring food truckers be prepared to spend? Richard: That s a tough question to answer because there are so many variables to consider. A concession trailer may cost anywhere from $28k to over $100k depending on equipment, size, porch addition, options, etc. An average concession trailer will cost around $40k. Trucks are an aftermarket item, meaning that the truck was not designed to be a concession. For that reason, the cost is a little higher to modify the truck and make it work for our purpose. The 5 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
average cost to build out a truck, without equipment, is around $20k. Once you add cooking equipment, refrigeration etc. the cost will be around $38k. That cost does not include the truck. The truck price will be influenced by age and condition. Used trucks will typically cost between $10k and $30k. So the total cost for a concession truck will be, on average, between $48k and $68k. There are some high price items that can greatly affect the cost. One of these is the generator. The best generator to get is a ultra quiet water cooled unit. Unfortunately, these will run $4800 and up, but they are well worth the money. We have had clients try to save money by getting an air cooled generator only to turn around and buy a water cooled unit because of the noise. Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of building a food truck DIY style? Do you recommend this method? Richard: Building a concession equates to building a kitchen on wheels, only with more technical requirements. Not only do you have to plan and install the utilities like plumbing, electrical, A/C etc., you have to have the ability to weld, install hoods, re-wire existing wiring and so on. You also have to know health code requirements, gas piping codes and where to purchase all the different types of materials you need. There are so many different areas you need to be knowledgeable about. The only time I would recommend a DIY project was if you are a building contractor or have a friend that is one. Even then you may not end up saving much money. Because of the volume of concession trucks and trailers that we build we are able to demand discounted pricing on our equipment and we pass those savings to our customers. Also, if you ever have a warrantee issue, our customers can come directly to us and we help them get the service they need anywhere in the country. We do have some customers that have a partially built trucks or trailers and we work with them to get their project finished. Many times after everything is finished they realize they would have been better off coming to us in the beginning. To see a step by step of how to build a food truck, you visit our M&R Concession Truck Building Guide. 6 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Food trucks are becoming a more popular option at weddings and other special events as demonstrated by the Super Food Truck out of Jacksonville, Florida. Question: What are the planning steps to build my concession truck or trailer? Richard: The first step is to decide what you plan to cook and where you plan to do business. This will determine whether you need a trailer or truck. Trucks are more expensive to set up and operate but easier to move and fit in tight places. Trailers are cheaper to startup and operate but harder to move into tight places. See choosing a trailer or truck below. Once you have decided to go with a truck or trailer, then you need to determine the equipment you need create the foods you plan to sell. A typical concession will have a fryer, griddle and burners. These three pieces of equipment will allow you to cook just about anything. The next two most used items is an oven or charbroiler. Depending on your specific needs you may want to 7 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
include these as well. If you are a BBQ er we can build you a smoker to sit on a porch which will add a whole other dimension to your concession. You then need to consider refrigeration and storage. Coolers, freezers, sandwich preps., proofers, steam tables etc. need to be decided on. Be careful with adding too much electrical equipment because you will need a generator large enough to power these items. If you need help with this step we will be glad to help you determine what will work best for you. After these decisions are made then we go to work. We will design your kitchen to your specs. and determine what size of trailer or truck you will need. We will also create a design of your kitchen and an itemized cost sheet showing you where the costs are and how your equipment will fit. This is only a preliminary stage in the process and it will allow you to change the design or size to what will make your concession work best for you. This process may go back and forth many times until you are completely happy with the end results. You will also need to check with your local health code dept. to understand the requirements in your area. Every state and county has their unique requirements that must be met. We have concessions all over the country, including Hawaii, and we understand most of the requirements needed but there may be additional considerations to fulfill your local government requests. Question: Can I provide my own equipment? Many concession builders will not allow you to provide your own equipment. We have no problem using your equipment if you are looking to save money using pre-owned equipment or if you already have some. But if you are buying new equipment we suggest using our equipment. We buy a lot of equipment and have negotiated very good prices from our distributor and using our distributor allows us to help with any warranty issues that may arise. Question: Should I choose a concession trailer or truck? Richard: Very good question, let s look at the pros 8 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
and cons of each. Truck Pros: Easier to drive and move. Takes less space to park. May be a requirement in a few(very few) areas of the country. Can use the truck fuel to run the generator allowing you to refill the propane tanks less often. Truck Cons: More expensive to build. Insurance cost will probably be more. Any mechanical breakdowns and you are out of business until it is fixed. Kitchen space will be smaller in most cases. Limitations on kitchen design. If you need to make a supply run during working hours you will have to move your truck from your location. Limited on what type of generator you can use. Trailer Pros: Less expensive to build. You get more for your money. You can design the trailer to fit your kitchen. Insurance should be less. If you need to make a supply run during working hours you can leave the trailer where is sits. If your pulling vehicle breaks down you can borrow or rent a vehicle and you are still in business. Allows for more options of generators. Trailer Cons: More difficult to maneuver. Takes more space to park. May not be accepted in a few (very few) areas of the country. 9 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Must provide a fuel source for the generator. Must have a vehicle strong enough to pull the trailer. Question: Do you provide a truck and how much do they cost? Richard: Some builders sell the truck as a package deal. We chose not to do that. We want you to be able to decide how much money you want to put into your truck. Truck prices will vary greatly because of engine type, age and condition of truck. We can make recommendations and we have relationships with a number of dealers and we can help you find a truck that fits your needs. Occasionally you can purchase a good truck for around $8000 but you will typically spend $12000 to $18000 for a truck in really good shape. When it comes to your business trucks are truly a you get what you pay for item. Your business can make or break with your truck. If your truck spends more time in the shop, than out making you money, is it really worth saving a few thousand dollars? How much more does it cost to convert a truck compared to a trailer? If you were to outfit an 18 trailer and an 18 truck with exactly the same design it will cost approximately $2000 less to modify the truck. But in this example the cost of the truck is not included but the cost of the trailer is included. So you would add $10k to $30k to the cost for the truck. The reason for the increased price of modifying the truck is that you are working with an aftermarket item. The trailer can be designed and built with the framing, insulation, walls, electrical etc. incorporated in the creation of the trailer. The truck will need to have the framing, walls, insulation, electrical etc. added to an existing vehicle which was originally designed for a different use. Also, the generator can be installed on the tongue of the trailer where as a generator compartment will have to be built in the truck taking up valuable space. 10 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Question: How do I power my concession trailer or truck? Richard: Powering your concession is a balancing act for sure. It is important to use as much LP equipment and avoid electrical equipment when possible. All concessions should an external shore power plug that can be used to power your concession when an external source is available. When it is not, you will need to use a generator. The size of the generator you need will depend on the electrical devices you have. We calculate all your power needs when we design your concession and will recommend the generator for you. It is very important to understand that just any generator will not work. Noise is an issue that must be controlled and a cheaper generator is simply too loud. You and your customers will be very unhappy with a loud generator connected to your concession. I m sure you have been at events and become annoyed at a loud generator making it impossible to enjoy the day! There are no shortcuts when it comes to power but there are ways to use the most affordable means available. Once we have designed your kitchen we will be able to determine the best way to power your concession. This is a very important issue and where a couple thousand dollars will be the difference between you and your customers being satisfied at the end of the day versus going home with ringing in your ears and a migraine. One thing to consider when choosing which generator to use is the fuel efficiency. 11 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Below is the typical fuel consumption for different generators in gallons per hour: Half Load Full Load Onan Diesel 6.0kw 0.40 0.70 Onan Diesel 7.5kw 0.56 0.96 Onan Diesel 8.5kw 0.61 1.02 Onan Diesel 10kw 0.43 1.01 Onan Diesel 12kw 0.43 1.01 Onan Gasoline 5.5kw 0.60 0.95 Onan Gasoline 7.0kw 0.73 1.22 Onan Propane 5.5kw 0.80 1.10 Onan Propane 6.5kw 0.90 1.50 Honda Propane GX 630 10kw 0.81 1.26 Honda Gasoline EU6500SI 6.5kw 0.32(1/4 load) 0.956 Question: Are you able to customize for special needs? Richard: That is a very good question. If your builder does not have the ability to do all the customization needed, they will have to subcontract that out, which usually means higher cost, longer build time and less control over quality. It will also mean you may have to deal with multiple companies for warranty issues that may arise. It is smart to research and find out how much of your buildout will be done in house and how much will be contracted out. We are a full fabrication shop. We are constantly adding personnel and equipment to allow us to be more versatile and provide as much service as possible without having to use subcontractors. For more information go to our parent website at http://www.mr- Trailers.com. We are proud of our ability to give you exactly what you want! 12 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
If you can dream it, we can build it. When Steve Parry approached us with his idea for a mobile cooling station, we knew he was onto something big. The Polar Pod is now used by everyone from athletes to first responders to combat heat related illness. Question: How much does my trailer weigh and what will I need to pull it? Richard: This will vary widely depending on trailer size and equipment. We automatically upgrade your trailer, to the next size axle, if the total approximate weight is within 1500lbs of the gross trailer weight capacity. Most finished concession trailers will fall in between 5500lbs to 6500lbs. We recommend pulling these with a ¾ ton truck. You could use a ½ ton truck but may need an enhanced towing package(ie: air bags or additional springs) to offset the tongue weight. We do try to minimize the tongue weight by moving the axles forward slightly to distribute some of the weight towards the back, but tongue weight can still be an issue. 13 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
BBQ trailers with a smoker on the back could add up to about 1000lbs to 1500lbs to the trailer. In that case a ½ ton truck is definitely not recommended. Approximate tongue weights are listed below but may be higher depending on the generator and gas bottles: 14 long 735lbs 16 long 840lbs 18 long 945lbs 20 long 1,050lbs 22 long 1,155lbs 24 long 1,260lbs Question: Is weight distribution important? Richard: YES. Weight distribution is a very important aspect of designing your concession. Trailers and trucks have different concerns regarding this. With trailers the biggest concern is tongue weight. Trying to keep the heaviest equipment towards the back is a goal. In many cases you already have the generator and propane tanks on the tongue so any added weight is something you don t need. As mentioned earlier we can move the axles to offset that but you will still have heavy weight on the tongue. With trucks the side to side weight distribution is the biggest concern. In many cases the springs of the trucks are old and well used and just can t hold the weight they were designed to hold. About half of the trucks we convert will need a few new springs added for support. We have a company we work with that can easily add springs for around $800- $1100 and will fix the problem. 14 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com
Question: What finances do you need to get started? Richard: Most builders will require a 50% to 75% deposit to start the process. Over the years we have found that most of our customers would rather make a smaller deposit, so after we have your final design finished we request a 1/3rd deposit to get started. Question: How long will it take to build my concession trailer or truck? Richard: That will vary among builders. A trailer will average between 6 10 weeks depending on the builders work load and trailer availability. We do offer a fast track program that we guarantee a 6 week build. An average truck build will take 4-8 weeks depending on the builders work load at the time. M&R Specialty Trailers & Trucks also specializes in building custom BBQ smokers like the one shown above. Click here to learn more about our BBQ smokers. 15 of 15 www.mr-trailers.com