What Can You Sell in a Food Truck Besides Food?
Created on 20 September, 2023 • 4 minutes read
Everyone knows the best way to make money off of a food truck is by selling food. But, what if you have an idea for a different type of business--like say, selling coffee or ice cream?
Key Takeaways Table
| Beverage Type | Regulation |
|---|---|
| Sodas and Sports Drinks | Cannot be sold in more than 1.5-litre containers |
| Alcoholic Drinks | Cannot be sold or offered from a mobile vending device |
| Nonalcoholic Drinks | Restrictions apply if alcohol content is above 2% |
| Coffee and Tea | Cannot be sold on a mobile vending device |
Discover more about diversifying your food truck offerings.
The only things you can sell in a food truck besides food is drinks. There are many different options that you could choose from including juice, coffee, soda and even tea. If you are considering expanding your food truck offerings, you might want to look into the different items that could be sold on a food truck.
In this article I will be going over the regulations for selling coffee and tea on a food truck.
This will apply to every State in the US and Canada.
Be sure to check with your local or state department of health first as some States have different rules
than others. It’s crucial to be well-informed to ensure your food truck menu adheres to all local regulations.
Also, be sure to check with your local or state health department as some cities may have different regulations than others.
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Drinks in Food Trucks
These are the things you can legally sell on a food truck or to be fully honest these are the things you can't sell on a food truck at all. Crafting a comprehensive menu that abides by these regulations is crucial for the success of your food truck business.
- Sodas and sports drinks: You can not sell (or offer for sale) any liquid nonalcoholic drink on a mobile vending device (milk, water, juices, etc. and sodas. If these items are available, then they must be sold in individual containers of no more than 1.5 litres.
- Alcoholic drinks: You can't sell or offer for sale any alcoholic or nonalcoholic drink in an open container, on a mobile vending device (unless it's a single serving) or from a self-contained refrigerating unit and you can't allow anyone under the age of 19 to handle, dispense or consume any alcoholic beverage from a mobile vending device.
- Alcoholic beverages: You can't sell or offer for sale any alcoholic beverages on a mobile vending device.
- Nonalcoholic drinks: You can't sell or offer for sale any nonalcoholic beverage that would contain more than 2% alcohol on a mobile vending device.
- Liquor: You can't sell or offer for sale liquor on a mobile vending device.
- Bottled water: You can't sell or offer for sale bottled water on a mobile vending device or from any other motorized vehicle, except from fixed locations such as convenience stores.
- Coffee and tea: You can't sell or offer for sale any beverage made with milk or coffee on a mobile vending device. You can sell some plant-based beverages such as lemonade, watermelon juice, etc.
- Milk and cream: You can't serve or offer for sale any beverage made with milk on a mobile vending device.
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Garnishes and Sugar
In order to sell beverages on a food truck you need the proper permits from your State and County.
You also need the proper permits to have garnishes or sugar on your food truck.
Your State and County Health Department will tell you what you can and cannot serve, which is very helpful. Understanding how to price your menu items effectively is also a crucial aspect of ensuring profitability while adhering to regulations.
SUGAR: You need a permit for any food truck that serves food that contains sugar. This includes sugar, syrup, honey etc.
Sugar is not subject to any of the above restrictions as long as it is not sold directly from the food truck.
GARNISHES: You need a permit for any food truck that serves food that contains garnishes, such as cheese sauce, BBQ sauce, mustard, etc.
These garnishes are not considered to be part of the food item and are separate from what you sell.
So, Where Do You Get a Permit?
The permit is issued by your County Health Department not the State Health Department.
You will need to fill out a form and send in an application fee of $15 for a food truck permit.
Once you receive your permit make sure to place it prominently on the side of your vehicle so that it is visible to the public.
It must also be displayed during operations.
Key Takeaways Table
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Permit Application | Issued by County Health Department, $15 fee |
| Permit Display | Must be visible to the public and displayed during operations |
Learn more about crafting a compelling menu for your food truck.
Note: if you get a permit for a food truck, you should assume that it applies to any motor vehicle you operate since it is difficult to differentiate between the two.
I hope this article was helpful and informative for you and cleared up some of the confusion around selling coffee and tea on a food truck.
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