The Gastrotruck Guide
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Practical advice and free tools for your food truck.
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Articles, guides and checklists to help you get started in the street food scene.
18 detailed guides
Find answers to your questions.
A comparison of Germany, Austria and Switzerland
All the key differences at a glance: business registration, tax, till systems, hygiene, gas inspections, staff – and what you need to bear in mind when buying abroad.
14 Min. reading time →BuyBuying a vehicle from abroad: Customs and import duties
What you need to know when importing into Switzerland and from Switzerland to the EU – with calculators for customs duties, import tax and registration.
12 Min. reading time →BuyBuying a food truck: what really matters
New or second-hand, base vehicle or fully fitted-out model, price ranges and the areas where most people cut corners and later regret it.
12 Min. reading time →BuyChecking a second-hand food truck: the checklist
What to look out for during a viewing, what documents to ask for, and how to spot a food truck you’d be better off giving a miss.
10 Min. reading time →Technical aspectsGas, electricity and water in a food truck
The three systems that every business relies on – with the mandatory inspections and the figures you need to know.
14 Min. reading time →LegalLicences: what you need before you open
Itinerant trade licence, authorisation, special use permit, trading pitch – which document is required for what, and the correct order in which to proceed.
13 Min. reading time →LegalHygiene, HACCP and the information required under Section 43 of the IfSG
Was das Gesundheitsamt bei der Kontrolle sehen will, wie ein brauchbares HACCP-Konzept aussieht und welche Temperaturen gelten.
11 Min. reading time →Technical aspectsDriving licence and maximum authorised mass
The 3.5-metric-tonne limit is the most common stumbling block when buying. What you’re allowed to tow with a Category B licence and how to work out the remaining weight.
9 Min. reading time →BusinessHow much a food truck costs – and how much it needs to bring in
Initial investment, running costs, cost of goods sold and the calculation you use before buying to check whether the whole venture is viable.
12 Min. reading time →BusinessInsurance and financing for food trucks
Which policies are really necessary, where standard insurance cover falls short, and what financing options are available.
10 Min. reading time →BusinessFinding a pitch: where food trucks make money
Industrial estates, weekly markets, festivals or corporate events – where your turnover really comes from, how much a pitch costs and how to secure one.
11 Min. reading time →SellSelling a food truck: Find the right price and complete the sale securely
What your truck is worth, what documents buyers want to see and how the handover works, without anyone arguing afterwards.
12 Min. reading time →BuyPlanning the fit-out: from an empty van to a kitchen
Whether to fit it out yourself or have it fitted out: the tried-and-tested order of steps and the mistakes that can prove costly later on.
14 Min. reading time →LegalFirst steps towards self-employment
Business registration, tax office, health insurance, small business owners – the order in which you should tackle these, and what it costs.
10 Min. reading time →BusinessConcept and menu: what sells
How many dishes to include on the menu, how many portions you can serve per hour, and how to price each dish correctly.
12 Min. reading time →LegalCash registers, TSE and the obligation to issue receipts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
What the regulations are in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, what a till in a food truck must be capable of, and how much card payments cost.
11 Min. reading time →LegalPackaging, the requirement for reusable containers and how much it costs
The requirement to offer reusable options, the ban on single-use plastics, licensing – and why packaging is more expensive than most people think.
10 Min. reading time →BusinessEmploying staff and temporary workers correctly
Registration before your first day of work, mini-jobs and marginal employment, the minimum wage and the cost of staff per working day.
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