How do I check a food truck’s supplier invoices and ingredient waste?

Start with a stack of invoices from each main supplier, and ask for the statements that sum them up. Choose a few weeks, including a busy one and a slow one. For a few popular dishes, work out roughly how much of each ingredient the menu should use, then compare that with what was bought. A large gap is a question for the seller, not a conclusion.

Look at how the truck handles spoilage. Ask how often stock is counted, how leftovers are used, and what happens to prepped food at the end of the day. Ask whether there are dated storage labels and a rotation habit, and whether the seller keeps notes on what got thrown out. Watch for cash purchases at stores that never reach the books, and for suppliers who have been paid late or not at all.

Also ask how dependent the truck is on a single supplier. If one supplier supports the signature item, ask whether alternatives exist and whether any terms or credit would carry over. Your accountant can help you read the purchases against the sales. Ask for the same weeks from the bank statements, so that what was paid matches what was invoiced.

Key takeaways

• Compare purchases with sales for a busy week and a slow one.
• Ask how waste is tracked, and how often stock is counted.
• Check for single-supplier reliance and unpaid supplier balances.
• Match supplier payments in the bank records to the invoices you are shown.