Opinions Please?

[BarleySugar]

My nephew decided to give a burger van a go, in our area (and I suppose everywhere) the council licenses the pitches, and there are rules about where and how close vans can trade etc. Also he found out that pitches at the DIY store's car parks are very expensive. Obviously there are all the food hygiene regulations etc. to comply with, and the logistics of carrying enough supplies (including water) for the amount of trading time. As he intended to work alone, the other problem was toilet breaks, impossible to pack everything up and drive off to find a loo!
He bought the van, did one run, and then decided it wasn't for him. We did try to explain it would take time to build a good reputation etc, but he was offered a better paying job by a mate's dad, so he sold the van!

My brother and sister-in-law used to run a very small sandwich shop and she used to deliver to all the offices/businesses round about them as well as catching any passing trade from shoppers. Much of the stock was pre-ordered, but she did take extras on spec. They didn't do too badly, there wasn't much competition about and many of their customers couldn't be bothered to pack their own stuff. However it was before the time when premade sandwiches were on sale in places like Boots etc, I think they would have a much harder time now if they were still in business. They prepared the food at the shop, not at home.

A carefully thought out business plan will be essential as there are lots of factors to consider. If you are preparing food at home your kitchen will need to be licensed and pass inspection. The requirements can vary enormously from area to area. I was surprised to find that I would not have to make any major changes to my domestic kitchen, although regulations for a commercial one were much more stringent. I was told I needed to register 28 days before I intended using the kitchen to prepare food for commercial sale. During that time an inspection would be carried out, and any recommendations would need to be implemented. Spot checks could be carried out at their discretion after trading had started.

[Snadger]

You're right Di. Eating soup is not easy at the best of times and soup from a plastic cup is not very pleasant. Good soup deserves respect! Changing tack a little, I remember eating sweetcorn chowder in a San Francisco market that was served in a hollowed out loaf of bread. You ate the soup and finished off by eating the bowl too - no washing up and little waste. Definitely a sit-down job though!!

A series of 'olde worlde' books I am reading at the mo regularily have there knights and surfs eat there meals this way. Half a hollowed out loaf of bread or roll, filled with a variety of nice things. They call it a 'charger' of food.
Sounds delish and would certainly save on the washing up!

[Two_Sheds]

Still not 100% on location. We started thinking maybe a town street..

As has been said, look into licenses that are needed.

There is very little veggie food available at most outdoor events.

Or anywhere else !
I am always the one to compromise, which sometimes means eating chips or something that may or may NOT have been fried in lard. This is why I tend to carry cereal bars etc with me, because I just can't trust that I'll get a decent veggie (or even vaguely healthy) meal anywhere we go

... premade sandwiches were on sale in places like Boots

Mr TS and his office eat out every lunchtime (they aren't allowed a microwave and sarnies are too "studenty". They spend about £10 each on lunch, often from mobile type stalls: they want something different, Thai is popular at the mo (very warming on a winter's day).

[zazen999]

My friend's wife did this ; just down the road from you - 20 years ago. She built it up, used to get a local butcher to make up the meat pies and a baker to make the sandwiches and non-meat stuff [she used to have the most delicious veggie pasties ever] - she did it for 2-3 years and then sold it on.

They lived in Barming...and she used to come as far as Aylesford and pick up all the industrial estates each day.
Not sure about soups and stews - only because of the heat aspect and they always taste a bit funny. But hot pies and pasties, with the usual sandwiches and snack selection should be a goer with maybe a selection of soups as an addition.

[chris]

Can I just say, if you do do it please either use gloves or wash your hands after handling money. When I give some money to a mobile caterer, and then they handle my food straight away I avoid in the future and complain. It's just disgusting!!

If you use gloves, either take off to handle the money or food (imo, pref handle food with gloves). Also, I'd like to see some hand sanitising solution on the van too, so I can give my hands a once over before I eat.

But then again, I am a real picky so and so

[chris]

Good grief, TS £10 a day?!

I thought when I spent £3/day it was a big waste of money compared to the cost of adding a bit more to the dinner to take for lunch the following day

[veggiechicken]

I don't spend £10 a week on food!
PS Chris, I agree about the money/food handling. Filthy lucre indeed!

[Glutton4...]

I agree with Zaz regarding the taste of food that has been stored for transportation, however fresh - remember school dinners!? Personally, I loathe aluminium pots/pans, but I know a lot of caterers use them as they are light. Steel is heavy, but preferable in my opinion (and my Hubby's who used to be a Chef), but that isn't always the answer, either. It would need research and practice.

Why not spend time targeting your local businesses, and just driving round and asking people in heavily populated areas? That will give you an idea of whether it would be worth your while. I don't 'do' plastic food, and as far as I'm concerned, 'proper' food is the way to go. Good luck with your venture!

[veggiechicken]

Another version of street food that I've eaten with relish are the pita bread wrapped falafels with salad and yogurt that you can have in Turkey, Greece, Syria and so on. Meat versions are also sold. This idea seems to have been usurped by those awful "wraps", cold flabby things that taste like kitchen roll.
OR there's the takeaway Indian food van that calls at our Farmer's market and always does a brisk trade with samosas to eat then and curries to take away. The more I think about it, food sold from a catering van needs to be something you can hold in your hand and eat without getting in a mess, unlike the filo pastry wrapped, deep fried eggs they sell on the streets in Morocco, which break open and decant runny yolk over the unsuspecting! Absolutely delicious though!

[Hilary B]

A pasty is only a stew in a pastry holder, much easier for a customer to manage! Great variety is possible...
Soup in disposable cups is feasible, but keeping it safely hot over a 'lunch hour' would probably need an electric supply (gas versions are not so controlable in this instance)

[Newton]

An idea if you go roadside. Given that lorry drivers are from all over you could specialise in regional stews to cater for a variety of origins. Not just scouse to scousers or Lancashire hot pot to Lancastrians but cross selling to them all. Regional stew of the day......

Same would work for some soups I suppose".....

Watch out for ice cream wars though......protection and security charges.....

[Two_Sheds]

Good grief, TS £10 a day?!

I thought when I spent £3/day it was a big waste of money

Me too. I despair of him. However, he's just had a big shock this month, because he can't pay his tax bill. I sat down with him and after a few tantrums he did go through his bank statements with me, and I wrote down where his money goes.
I was shocked (but not surprised) and he was shocked.
£50 a week on lunch was the tip of a very big iceberg. Basically, he's spending more on entertainment and treats than he is on the mortgage and household bills combined.

I've now changed the passwords on his eBay, amazon and paddypower accounts, and he's taking Pot Noddles in for lunch.

[Two_Sheds]

Soup in disposable cups is feasible

A latte is lunch enough for me, and I love those little coffee vans. I asked the driver of one if he does cuppa soups (Mr TS loves them) but he didn't. I said you should, they'd fly, but he didn't seem bothered.


Cuppa soup and a finger roll, perfect.

Pies sell very well at footy matches, I guess pasties are the same.

[morverngirl]

If i was travelling (A road)then I'd rather soup than burger/sausage, especially if home made/fresh veg and not packet stuff. How much "healthy" food is sold on the vans travelling around Industrial Estates, my daughter worked for 2 large building societies/banks -out of -hours ,their canteens had closed and it was impossible to get food after 5o/c. They often went out to nearest Pizza place.

[chris]

Me too. I despair of him. However, he's just had a big shock this month, because he can't pay his tax bill. I sat down with him and after a few tantrums he did go through his bank statements with me, and I wrote down where his money goes.
I was shocked (but not surprised) and he was shocked.
£50 a week on lunch was the tip of a very big iceberg. Basically, he's spending more on entertainment and treats than he is on the mortgage and household bills combined.

I've now changed the passwords on his eBay, amazon and paddypower accounts, and he's taking Pot Noddles in for lunch.

I recently have done similar, and it is shocking how easy it is to flutter money away. BTW, not sure if you have it, but that river cottage veg book has home made pot noodles - they're great for lunch and cheap to make too - if he gets sick of that (you could add some meat in if your other half isn't keen on it all being veg).

If not, I'll post the page up for you if you like?