What do a food truck’s regular lunch spots depend on?
Regular lunch spots usually depend on permission to be there, the people nearby who come at midday, the timing of the truck’s arrival, and the owner’s relationship with whoever controls the site. Ask which spots are written arrangements, which are habit, and whether each would continue under a new owner.
Take the spots one at a time. For each, ask who gives permission to park and how: a written agreement with a property owner, an event organizer, a business that invites the truck, or a public location with its own rules. Your lawyer or the local office that handles such rules can tell you how those arrangements transfer. Never assume a spot goes with the truck.
Then understand the crowd. A spot may rely on an office tower, a construction site or a college, and each can change quickly when a tenant leaves or a project ends. Visit during the service window and watch the line. Ask how weather, holidays and nearby competitors change it, and whether other trucks are circling the same location.
Finally, ask how much of the draw is the owner. Regulars may come for a particular person or a signature dish. Talk to the people who control the spots, with the seller’s permission, and ask whether they would welcome the new owner. Plan a few shifts working beside the seller before closing, so the regulars see you as part of the arrangement, and so you learn the routine of loading, driving, setting up and closing down at each stop.
Key takeaways
- For each spot, ask who grants permission and whether it transfers to a buyer.
- Visit during the lunch rush and watch the line yourself.
- Meet the people who control the spots before you commit.
Related reading
12 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
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Due diligence
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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