What should I ask about the cold storage and prep kitchen a food truck uses?
Ask where the truck stores and prepares food, who owns or rents the space, and whether the arrangement is written. Visit it. Check refrigeration, cleanliness and capacity for a busy week. Find out whether the agreement passes to a buyer, and what it would cost to replace if the host says no.
Many trucks rely on a shared or rented kitchen, and that space can matter as much as the truck. Ask who the landlord or host is, how long the arrangement has run and what the terms say about fees, access hours and storage space. Ask for a copy.
Visit during a prep session. Look at walk-in fridges and freezers, shelving, sinks, ventilation and cleaning. Check temperatures with your own thermometer. Ask who maintains the equipment, who pays when something fails and whether other tenants share it.
Then ask about the future. Will the host accept a new owner? Is there room for you to grow? If the space went away, where would the food be prepared? A backup option is worth locating before closing. Ask your lawyer to read the agreement, and your accountant to include the full cost of the space in your forecast. The food safety authority can tell you what inspections the kitchen needs. Also ask how daily routines work: loading times, shared fridge space and who cleans. Friction with other users is easy to miss on a short visit but shapes how the truck runs every morning. Ask other users how reliable the host has been.
Key takeaways
- Get the agreement for the prep space and confirm who owns it.
- Inspect refrigeration and cleanliness during a working session.
- Identify a backup location before the sale closes.
- Ask about loading times, shared space and cleaning duties.
Related reading
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Due diligence
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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