Food truck at the carwash

[Kimberly Berg]

I just received a phone call from a local food vendor who wants to sell tacos and hot dogs at my carwash site on weekends. He has a small 7' x 14' trailer to sell food out of. He already has a license from the county health board, business license and liability insurance - he's just looking for a location to setup. This is a new venture for him. I told him that I'm interested in trying it out for a probation period, to see how well it does and my customers like the food. My only concern I have at this point is that it *might* encourage more customers to socialize and linger. My carwash is located on a very narrow lot, and I don't have a lot of space for my customers to hang out and eat. The natural flow is that customers pull in, vacuum, wash and then drive off. Does anyone have any experience with food trucks/trailers? We're also trying to negotiate what the rent would be. Any feedback and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Earl Weiss]

Business is all about trying different things.

 

[rph9168]

How will you be compensated?

 

[Kimberly Berg]

We haven't discussed an exact dollar amount, but they are offering to write me a check for leasing a corner of my carwash. They are also willing to give me FREE tacos! LOL

 

[MEP001]

Are they good tacos?

 

[Stuart]

You may want to go to one of their other lunch locations to see how they operate and test the food. You said it is on a probationary period, just spell out what your expectations are for time frames, area to be used by them, etc. Not sure if this would be a draw for you or how it would benefit. If it is a busy weekend you may want the room for your customers. The rent for the long run needs to be worth it.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

I let a guy try it rent free for a month before we decided what adequate rent would be. Before the free month was over he left. It wasn't worth it for him even with free rent.

 

[Jeff_L]

I would try it, but you do need the space to not interfere with traffic. It'd probably take a month just to educate your book of business. I could envision dads who bring their kids to the wash could buy them a taco while they wash. Might naturally allow the dad, or mom, wash longer.

I'd be more excited about having a snow cone vendor there than a taco roach coach.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Thank you for all your great feedback, this is very helpful! Creating a list of expectations is a GREAT idea (thanks Stuart)!

My carwash is VERY busy on the weekends, and my main concern is safety. I don't want the food line, to interfere with customers trying to drive into my lot or line up to wash & vacuum. Here in Central California (Sacramento), food vendors are very popular! If his tacos are any good, customer will easily line up for them, and the extra traffic is a concern. I may have him come during the week instead of the weekends.

I thought about an ice cream or sno-cone vendor, but was concerned about the sticky remains on my asphalt from the sugar. With the drought, you absolutely cannot wash off your asphalt. Meat and salsa are easier to clean up than sticky syrup or ice cream. There is also garbage waste to consider, and how it might attract ants, bees and wasps. I have also decided no tables and chairs, I don't have the room and I don't want to particularly encourage customers to eat and hang-out. Let's keep 'em moving! I put a call into my liability insurance yesterday to see how they feel about it. I'm all about trying new things, but especially here in California, you have to protect yourself from lawsuits. I'll keep you posted...

 

[pgrzes]

I have an ice cream stand adjoining my parking lot. I do get lots of trash, unfinished ice cream cones, cups sodas and more. The ice cream stand beneefits more from my customers then I do from hers. I am trying to work together and do some marketing, but some people are tough to work with. One thing we watch out for is people on busy days will leave their car in a bay and walk over to the ice cream stand to purchase food. They will walk right by people waiting to get into the bay and disappear for 10-15 minutes. I must say we do have some of the most intelligent people on earth!!!! Good luck.

 

[rph9168]

I remember one time I was at a full service wash there was a sign at the entrance of the wash "Did you leave your keys"? A lady saw the sign, went into her car and removed the keys and went to the restaurant across the street. The car was blocking the entrance to the conveyor so they had to put it up on a jack with wheels and move it off to the side. When the lady came back a half hour later she was irate that they had moved her car.

 

[MudMoney]

My wash is next to a McDonalds and it is a regular occurrence for customers to eat in the bays or walk over and leave their car .My question would be what to you have to gain by this arrangement?

 

[soapy]

Around here most of the food trucks try to build business during the lunch hour on week days. That would be a little better for your business I think. I would try to keep it a easy as possible for your weekend customers.

 

[carwash11147]

My question would be what to you have to gain by this arrangement?

I would have to agree with this. Will this arrangement bring YOU more customers? Is the extra rental revenue worth the liability, traffic congestion and garbage the arrangement will create? I would stick to washing cars. A lot of customers are too confused as it is when they pull on to my lot.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Excellent questions to consider! I'm glad I waited on this issue, instead of jumping in with an agreement. I don't think a food truck will bring me more customers. It was more a convenience for my current customers. You're right CARWASH11147, the extra revenue would NOT be worth the liability, traffic congestion or extra garbage this would create. After considering everyone's advice, I have decided to pass on this business venture. Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your advice and questions with me! I'm keeping it SIMPLE!!

 

[Kimberly Berg]

UPDATE! Here's a follow-up to my food truck experience from May... I arrived at my carwash yesterday morning, and noticed a small red trailer parked at the donation drop-off center behind my carwash, selling tacos. Coincidence? Hmmm... Out of curiosity, I headed over there and turns out it was the SAME guy who called me in May. Our location would NOT work because the county health board REQUIRES that he have access to a bathroom facility, which we don't have at our SS carwash. I think it's all worked out for the best! He's happy with his new location, because it gives him lots of room for customers to park, eat and hang out. And, I have a new lunch location that's close-by! I bought a couple of his tacos yesterday and they were pretty good. Yesterday was their 1st day on-site. I'm still curious what he's paying the donation center. If I talk to him again, I'll ask him what he's paying and post it here...

When I called my insurance company with WCA (Oregon Mutual). They said they were okay with it, as long as the food vendor didn't impact the safety of my carwash customers. They would NOT allowed to setup tables or chairs on-site. And, the food vendor would need to have their own liability insurance, with us listed as additional insured.

 

[jimbeaux]

One of my locations had a snowcone stand on it when I bought it. I let him stay for about a year but made him move because his customers would block my bays, throw trash on my lot and let the kids run all through the carwash. It was a nightmare.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Sounds like an accident just waiting to happen... Good thing you moved the snow cone stand! If one of your customers had hit one of those kids running around, it would have cost you way more than whatever rent he was paying you. Your nightmare would have gotten worse.

 

[chiggybite]

I own car washes and have a restaurant. We have a mobile unit for our restaurant. I tried putting the mobile unit at the wash, we did some business but not enough to warrant paying any rent. My guess is they would be willing to stay there as long as it's free, but will not be able to pay much in the line of rent due to low profit margin on the food truck. At least not enough for the headaches it creates for you. Good luck