There are certain situations when you need a mobile kitchen.  They come in a wide variety of sizes, from small, compact units to huge setups that can feed thousands of people.  Here are some of the situations that require the use of a mobile kitchen:

• Company and special events
• Food trucks and vendors
• Disaster relief:  Workers and volunteers need to be fed
• Renovations:  For when you can’t shut down your kitchen while you renovate
• Fairs and festivals
• Military camps
• Trade shows
• Temporary health care units and hospitals

Mobile Kitchens for Sale

While many people rent a mobile kitchen, there are many situations when you should buy one.  The most common reason why people buy one is because they want to use it for business.  A mobile kitchen rental is fine, but if you are going to use it more than a few times, it easily makes sense to buy one.  People all over the world have successful businesses that are run out of mobile kitchens.  If you don’t have a lot of starting capital, it is fairly easy to find a used mobile kitchen for sale.  People sell them every day, all over the world, which means that you don’t have to pay top dollar for used mobile kitchens, and can start your business with less money.

Mobile Kitchen Rentals

If you just need a mobile kitchen for one situation, you should definitely rent one.  Mobile kitchen rentals are available worldwide, and they vary from small-scale operations that rent vending trucks to large scale businesses that can customize and deliver an on-site mobile kitchen that is literally big enough to feed an army.

Mobile Kitchen Rental Costs

It is a given that the rental costs are going to vary depending on your needs, the location, and the company you choose.  Here are a few guidelines to think about:  It costs a lot to deliver and return a mobile kitchen to its location, so the prices for one day or a few days are going to be expensive.  All rental companies should give steep discounts for weekly or monthly rentals.  It is often the same price to rent a unit for a month as it is for only a few days.  Small kitchen trucks can be rented for as little as $150 per day, depending on the condition, size and intended use of the truck.  Large kitchen trailers cost $2,000 or more per day, but monthly rentals start at around $6,000 and go up from there, depending on the size and features.

Types of Mobile Kitchens

There are two basic types of mobile kitchens.  The first kind is the mobile kitchen truck.  This type of unit is an all-in-one cooking machine.  You can just drive it to wherever it is needed, and then park it and get to work.  Mobile kitchen trucks are good for smaller operations and food vendors.  The sides of the trucks generally open and awnings can be erected as well.  They are run by generators that power the stoves, grills, bar fridge, and other appliances.  These trucks can be custom made by a number of manufacturers, and are the easiest to find used.

The second type is the mobile kitchen trailer.  When you need to feed a lot of people at the same time, a truck usually just isn’t going to cut it.  Mobile kitchen trailers are the solution to large scale cooking in locations that don’t have permanent facilities.  There are different types of kitchen trailers, each specializing in a different area.  Here are some of the most common mobile kitchen trailers that are available.

• All-in-one mobile trailers:  Have everything you need in one unit to cook basic meals
• Bakery production trailers
• Food preparation trailers
• Dishwashing units
• Refrigeration and freezer trailers:  You can get them separately or together.

These mobile kitchen trailers are also called modular kitchens because you can mix and match them to fulfill your needs.  You can get any number of different mobile kitchen units and put them together to meet your demands.

Tags: Mobile Kitchens, Outdoor Kitchens by Jeffrey
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If you are going to have a go at the prepared food business, you have a few choices when it comes to getting started.  Many people lease a restaurant space and simply dive headfirst into their venture.  While this may work for some dedicated and talented people, many others see their dreams fall by the wayside when they can’t keep up with their costs.  For this reason, many people try launching their business with a mobile kitchen.  There are plenty of reasons for this.
First, it costs just a small fraction of what you would have to pay for restaurant space.  This means that you have a longer time frame to build your loyal customer base.  Second, operating a mobile kitchen lets you move your business where the customers are.  This means that you can set up shop at festivals, events, or even large construction sites.  The third reason buying a mobile kitchen for sale is a great way to get started is that you have very low overhead costs.  It is easily possible to do all the work by yourself with a mobile kitchen, which eliminates the need for hiring employees like wait-staff, dishwashers, and cooks, which are pretty much a necessity for conventional restaurants.

Types of Mobile Kitchens for Sale

There are many different types of mobile kitchens for sale, because they can be used for so many things.  Of course, you have the option to either purchase a new truck or get one second hand.  Unless you have a large amount of start-up capital, it is usually a wise idea to look for used mobile kitchens for sale.  They cost only a small fraction of the new price and there are many of them out there due to the high turnover rate of this type of business.  You should be able to find one that has the accessories you need.  If it looks a little rough on the outside, you can usually paint it and decorate it nicely for a lot less than the price of a new truck.

Here are some of the more popular items mobile kitchen trucks are selling food to people:

• Ice cream and shaved ice
• Coffee, espresso, and other drinks
• Shakes and fruit smoothies
• Hot dogs
• Tacos and Burritos
• Burgers
• Falafels

Of course, there are plenty of successful entrepreneurs who sell their own unique items.  Nearly every large university has food trucks that provide students with inexpensive and diverse lunch options.  While the school cafeterias are unlikely to offer interesting dishes like Chinese of Middle Eastern cuisine, food trucks can easily fill this void.

Popularity of Mobile Kitchens

Although there have been mobile kitchens roaming the streets for decades, in recent years some of them have achieved almost inconceivable popularity.  There are now hundreds of gourmet mobile food kitchens roaming the streets of Los Angeles and other cities.  One enterprising landowner even set up a mobile food truck station on his vacant lot, with numerous trucks offering their culinary delights.  You can read more about this story in this article.

Tags: Mobile Kitchens by Jeffrey
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