$54K/Month Food Truck Business (What Did It Cost to Start?)
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- Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
- More than 60% of food trucks fail in their first 3 years. Aybla Grill is one that bucks this trend, growing steadily since they opened in 2004. In today’s interview, we’ll talk to the owner about how to start a food truck business that lasts.
Saied Samaiel moved to the United States from Greece in 2001 with formal chef training and a dream to own his own business. When he opened Aybla Grill, it was one of the first 10 food truck businesses in the Portland metro area. Today, they have 3 trucks bringing in an average revenue of more than $50K each month, a massive growth from the $20K Saied started the company with.
Today, we’ll hear all Saied’s advice on starting a food truck business that can stand the test of time. He’ll share how he invested his start-up funds to set his first food truck up for success, and how he built a customer base as one of the first food trucks in his city.
We’ll also find out when and why he added his second and third truck, his systems and processes for managing multiple food trucks, and what extra challenges come along with expanding a food truck business.
Finding reliable employees is a challenge for any food business, and especially so in the current labor market. We’ll get Saied’s advice for finding and hiring workers, along with his tips on marketing, scaling, leadership, and all the other behind the scenes work that goes into running a successful business.
This interview is a must-watch if you want to open your own food truck, and anyone in the restaurant industry will learn a lot from Saied’s story! You can learn more about Aybla Grill online at ayblagrill.com/.
For more advice on starting a food truck, check out the UpFlip blog: www.upflip.com/blog/how-to-st...
You can also watch our past interviews with food truck founders and owners:
How to Start and Grow a Food Truck Business in 2020 ►
• HOW TO START And GROW ...
From Food Truck to Restaurant (A Recipe for Success) ►
• From Food Truck to Res...
Resource:
www.upflip.com/academy - Launch and scale your business with our expert-led Academy
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:22 Saied’s Story
1:06 How To Break Even
2:26 Tips on Securing The Best Location
4:16 Mobile vs Stationary Food Trucks
5:01 Inside Look on Saied’s Food Truck
6:28 Saied’s Game Changers
7:05 The Margins To Expect
7:21 Let’s Talk Revenue
8:17 The Key To Good Management
9:25 Crucial Skill To Start a Food Truck Business
10:19 How To Hire Good Employees
11:33 Tips for Good Advertising
12:46 The Importance of Quality
13:33 How To Stand Out Over Competitors
14:44 How To Deal with Inflation
15:34 The Most Profitable Location
16:32 How To Find The Best Deals
17:13 The Importance of Reviews
18:27 Breaking Down The Costs
20:12 Efficiency Tips and Advice
21:29 Systems and Processes
22:23 The Advantage of Joining Festivals
23:40 Blitz Time with Saied
25:22 Avoid These Mistakes
26:58 How To Get Repetitive Customers
27:30 Saied’s Favorite Resource
#foodtruck #foodtruckbusiness #howtostartafoodtruck
Join UpFlip Academy and learn from the best in the industry: www.upflip.com/academy
Where is this truck? In Chicago, the food trucks had a hard time getting space.
No... misleading, please discuss net profit.
I’m interested in seeing the “in action” operations of prepping the orders, what system/ order they use to assemble their food, how they handle cash and food serving at the same time of it’s a one man show, how they prep their station, how they keep the food warm and fresh…
17:50 that was me eating that gyro 🥙 so bomb come to Beaverton and try it out!
He means business! Did he make you nervous? Lol
This man is very experienced, openly honest n good hearted. Its obvious, he's 100% a great business man.
He really is m&m. This has a lot to do with his success. 😀Should we feature more food trucks on the channel?
Not paying taxes for 7 years because you’re an immigrant is an astronomical advantage
@@codycoldbrewski572 I also agree with low immigration. One question how do you know he didn't pay taxes?
@@peaceformula5830 he doesn’t know that because his smooth brain just made it up. Guy is just straight up lying, immigrants pay taxes just like everyone else
@@codycoldbrewski572 it's always the same typ, thinking casue he born is in a good place he is allowed to babysit his ass daylong and expecting to end up living better than others !! any body how is working and making money will pay taxes like immigrant or not!! ....stop beeing jealous!
this dude broke it down with all the sauce i felt like i was being trained for a job
Lmfao fr
He’s a great business owner. This guy definitely is top notch CEO.
That's nice of you Miko. Thanks so much for watching. Should we do more businesses in the food industry?
@@UpFlip yes
@@UpFlip You guys do realize miko was found guilty of rape of a minor? He served 14 months behind bars.
@@UpFlip yes!!
Miko had a 3way with 2 dudes smh 🤦
I am chef for more than 25 years and i can confirm he is so honest and on point with his advices. You don't need to pay anyone to teach you about successful business. All the truth told in this video from this gentlemen. Thank you UpFlip! Only advice i can give him is be more active on You Tube. I searched Saied Samaiel and nothing comes up. I will watch this man channel every day.
This is wonderful feedback Parketus. Thank you much. What type of food do you cook?
@@UpFlip I specialise in Italian cuisine but the last 3 years i work in the mining industry so baisicly we cook all the cuisines because menu change every day. Great experience.
As an auto detailer, I always forget that you can learn from other businesses outside your own industry. Love this channel and everything you guys do!
Absolutely, learning from other local businesses. I help the local companies , Branding- Managing- getting paid all under 1 platform. Let me know if you would like to discuss. I can do a no cost business analysis for you.
So glad to hear it! You can learn something from everyone ;)
you aint learning any, the way to learn anything is to dive into it.
As a sumo wrestler, I would agree.
DO YOU NEED FUNDING?
This man is a wealth of knowledge. He just gave us a food trailer blueprint. It’s crazy how generous he is with his knowledge and lessons learned. I’ve watched this multiple times! Thank you for the amazing content❤
You're welcome, Alyssa! What would you like to see next on the channel?
@@UpFlip someone that started or curated a food trailer park, to teach us about permits, cost, how to look for the right property. how to pick vendors, ect. I’ve always been interested in the people that start these concepts how they did it.
Let us know if you have a specific one in mind! Sounds really interesting!
Sayid is the real deal, professional, sources good ingredients, pays employees well, has a smile, cares about his employees, community and customers. With that attitude he will always succeed. Bravo.
Yes he is Churchill. 😀This is very nice of you. Thanks.
Been in the restaurant business for over half my life... this guy is spot on with everything. Save this video if you have a food business, or if you're looking into getting into one.
There’s so many people out there like him, same mentality, who can be very successful in a business, but they work for a bad employer for minimum wage & fighting for that business to be successful & they are afraid to start their own business because they don’t know where to start. Some times you just need that push to be successful & start that journey.
Thank
You for sharing your experience with us!
I had a a small successful restaurant for 17 years. This man speaks the truth. Listen and you will learn.
I love his transparency. He's giving out keys.
Thank you Saeed
Glad the video was informative moosem. Thanks for watching.😀😀 Should we do a series of different food trucks?
Man this owner is dropping bomb advices…my family was in the restaurant industry for 5years and I also worked for other restaurants for extra 3years and everything he says are legit advice, facts and straight to the point.p
Now this man is a TRUE AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY! HARD WORK! YES! If I see his food cart, I'll buy!
Not just hard work, hes smart as fuck. Natural smarts real intelligence
I absolutely love how he treats his employees very well. That’s the kind of business you wanna support and eat there as often as you can.
Yes Robert, we completely agree. Not to mention happy employees will be more happy and helpful on the job. 😀Thank you for the great comment. What type of business would you like us to feature on the channel next?
Im only 10 mins in this video. and this guy is successful because he is giving, understanding, and willing to make sacrifices!! Good for him I wish him nothing but many blessings.
Man thank you for always motivating us with your interview, they keep us going when we feel like giving up on our dreams. All the way from South Africa
It's our pleasure Slindokuhle. We're so pleased that the videos are helpful to others. That's our main goal. What type of business would you like to see on the channel next?
@@UpFlip trucking company
I'm also from South Africa
I’m a business owner myself, and I myself must say, THIS OWNER IS AWESOME! Absolutely AMAZING QUESTIONS, literally everything NEEDED to be successful in this BUSINESS is LITERALLY, RIGHT HERE! AMAZINGGGGGGGG VIDEO! Owner providing GREAT INFORMATION OPENLY, while many try to keep it to themselves (FOR WHATEVER SELFISH REASON), this is AWESOME. Even down to the numbers (NUMBERS WILL VARY BASED ON WORK ETHIC), AWESOME VIDEO!!
This mans’s work ethic has allowed him to create his own empire! He’s definitely doing it right and not letting his employees earn as well. Best wishes to him!
I haven't watched your videos for several months now. I took a break from my food stand/catering business and getting back into it next weekend with two gigs back to back. I needed some motivation this morning as I am about to get started on organizing my inventory, and this was the perfect video. This gentleman gave some great tips and insight and he seems like a smart businessman. thank you for this video and hope you guys have a great weekend!
Unbelievable. What passion and feet in the street knowledge.
No restaurant owner will ever share these secrets that they learnt from losing thousands of dollars and more importantly years of experience good and bad.
So many nuggets of value for every industry, not just food, save this video!
You are a legend sir. I tip my hat to you.
Wish you all the success and a happy healthy family 🍽️🙏💐🎉
Mash'Allah, this guy gave you the full manual in how to.
This man KNOWS what he’s talking about he sounds like a great boss‼️ hope he’s doing good, and is more successful than ever!🔥
We appreciate the positive comment Juan. Thanks so much for watching. 😀Is this the first video you've seen on the channel?
There's so much more that I think he doesn't even realize that he does that has guaranteed his success. I honestly think he has a sixth sense for business. One of the keys is at the end where he says he does so many things by himself. He is interdisciplinary plus a people person. He knows what the costumer and employees needs to be comfy and knows the full operation of his truck inside and out. This is so impressive.
You can clearly see why he has made it in the food truck business! He had every angle covered. You can see his passion for the business and his dedication!
Passion and dedication definitely make a difference JajasMike. Thanks for tuning in. Are you new to the channel?
@@UpFlip yes i am new to the channel and I am loving it! Maybe one day when my business flourishes I’ll be featured on here! Until then thank you for the motivation. If these people can do it then so can we!
His secret to success is his passion for the business. Love this video it's very instructive ❤🎉
What a fantastic video/interview. He was extremely open and insightful. This is priceless for anybody looking to get into this field. Thank you to all involved, and especially to Chef!
One of the most likeable business owners I’ve seen on this channel.
Thanks for watching Jesse Cracks MTG. This business owner was very nice and informative. 😀Should we do another food trucking business video?
@@UpFlip I’d definitely tune in :)
Love this guy what a great story. Glad he's living the dream.
Thank you for watching Ogun. He's a really good person. 😀Is this the first video you've seen on the channel?
And that's why his business is booming. 100 percent right on how to start run a business. Thank you sir for telling how you did it. MUCH LOVE
He's smart, it's much cheaper to keep customers with discounts than spend money on getting new customers
This is an excellent video. From the story, to the startup, to the growth is exactly what I needed to hear as I begin my journey. Great content, learned a lot. Keep the videos coming 😁
this guy is giving life lessons in his food passion that you can apply to everyday life in whatever you are doing.... great guy
Very true jdmas. 😀Is this the first video you've seen on the channel?
@@UpFlip seen lots of your videos.its nice to real world working selfmade interviews of people of how they make a living
Free valuable information without a fee. Awesome man...
I’m a Foodtruck owner now two for 7 years and learned so much. Thank you.
Super amazing Al. Congrats on all your success.😀😀This is very impressive. What type of food do you sell?
@@UpFlip We do Puertorican food 🇵🇷
@@MissUnoqnoeste great 👍
Love this interview. Appreciate the numerous advice shared!!
Thank you for sharing this so freely Saied!
Great video, you can tell this guy is very passionate about his work & he truly cares about informing you on this topic. I hope he is successful in anything he does
This is very nice of you Sublimation and we really appreciate your kind words to the business owner. We're sure he would be thankful. Should we do more videos on the restaurant industry?
Love this candid interview. Extremely informative
We appreciate that FootballBreakdown. Are you new to the channel?
Best interview ever, lot of info , real,open mind,vision. Good Customer service from the back,Quality
Amazing video!! 🔥🔥🔥
Many thank for sharing with us!!
Saied is right person for the interview, listening to him makes you feel soooo encouraged & motivated! 💪💪👍👌
I clicked on all the ads to support your Hard work bro!
Wonderful Ibrahem. This is amazing to hear. You are a true supporter. 😀What other business types would you like to see featured?
This guy is a legend. And I always thought the same thing. One-item menu. Or at least a really simple menu. If you're gonna do a burger van, do like 3-4 burgers, and chips. It'll keep your ingredients limited to a very easy-to-control menu, even during busy times. The only difference being 2-3 meats, and a veg option. I've seen enough Kitchen Nightmare episodes to know that 20+ items on any menu is getting crazy. And a food cart should be very simple, getting right to the point. People come for convenience, and a banging product. They know the reason they are coming to your food cart. They don't need a 20-page menu. They just want their old faithful wagyu burger, or whatever it is that you do so well.
This guy is kind hearted. Like him. God bless his soul.
Even 3.40 minutes in this information is unbelievable. What a generous man Saied is to give away the secrets. Syrian and Greek food is quite similar but there are differences and the fact he sells both is great. Syrians have immigrated to Greece and Cyprus for the last few decades but not many people know that Greek Cypriots immigrated to Syria to escape Ottoman occupation and famines and droughts via small boats from the North of Cyprus.
Will rewatch this many times.
We appreciate the wonderful history lesson and the support Mi G. Thank you. 😀Should we do more videos on the food industry?
I love that he's so passionate about what he does. Money follows
Yes, his passion really stands out Simply. Do you feel a food truck business can be successful in any state?
The knowledge this man has is crazy. Nice of him to honestly share all of this to help others.
He is awesome!
Really great interview , I'm a 1 man mechanic service in the UK and echo everything he says about being customer focused , makes a big big difference !
Thanks for the feedback random. We wish you all the best with your business journey. 😀Customer service is so important and a lot of times what can really make a business grow. How long have you been working in your industry?
@@UpFlip 23 years , started as a dealership apprentice in 1999 , finally went self employed in 2013 , been the best thing I ever did , love the channel! David
@@aspleyautomotive7352 do you want to share the pros and cons of being self employed and what type of self employment?
Wow! This is such a great interview!!
Learned so much. This man is incredible at giving you the honest truth of the biz
Love the video and the interview was great.
Great interview, insightful and captivating! You can always learn from those outside your business realm.
Absolutely Brendon. Thanks for the kind feedback and support. 😀What type of business are you in?
Great interview. Love this guy! 👏🏽
Love his energy !
Thanks for watching Moise. We appreciate the positive feedback. Would you ever get into an industry like this?
My family runs a two restaurants that sell pretzels and we are planning on creating a pretzel truck/trailer soon. This video was so informative and helpful!!
Congrats on you and your family's success Jaimeson. We're very happy for you.😀 How long have you been in the business?
Best wishes 🎉
you can see how experienced he is. Everything he learned he had to learn it himself! nothing but respect to all those hard working immigrants.
I love it...he comes here from Syria and worked hard to be successful. Respect.
This is worth every second to watch. Super valuable information!
We appreciate that ImJungle. 😀😀The food truck industry is a fun and fast paste business to be in. Would you ever consider opening a food truck?
He's so generous with information. ❤
thanks for sharings Sir and your valuable guest about the hints he shared
Greetings from UZBEKHSTAN 🇺🇿 I appreciate you and you give us much motivations
3:20. "Give it at least one year....sit there and wait, even if you lose money"
I always find that kind of advice to be the best. It's obvious this guy learned this from making the exact mistake.
he's so honest such a great video
That's nice of you David. Thank you. Would you ever consider getting into this industry?
Great Entrepreneur. He definitely knows what he’s doing.
Subscribed before the first 5 minutes! Excellent video production…
I see a guy that has not lost track of his passion from money. He could have and didn’t. He still maintains his standards and integrity. Respect🙏
Very generous and honest food truck man happy to see his hands expressions lol
This man is a product of hard work and success trickling from the top down. If I go to Portland I would hunt his trucks down. Amazing owner
You've been so helpful ☺️ thank you sir & good luck
You ask very good questions!
A lot of the food truck operators on this channel over the years seem to advocate for really committing to a certain location(s). Really interesting and one thing you wouldn't expect to hear from a mobile food service. Another amazing video, keep up the incredible work!
Thank you Shawn. Yes, it seems like if they find a good area to house the truck people will come back time and time again. 😀Should we do more videos on the food industry?
It’s basically like having a restaurant that isn’t expensive to operate.
Yes, what he was saying is, an actual food truck thats mobile is more based on events, because if you move a lot on the weekly, its hard to build a customer base. Its like being a new restaurant every week. Not good for reliable income or building income.
And waiting a long time in a place is before giving up because you havent "made it big" yet, find out what you can do to improve yourself. If the place has people, how do you get them to eat at your place. Also, can take time to build a reputation. if you panic and leave, you arent reflecting and you have to start over again building a reputation. So it makes sense.
BH is exactly right. Its a good small time business idea.
I come here all the time! Props to the local gov for repurposing parking lot space next to city hall/transit center to build a high quality pod in the burbs. I believe historically a majority of food carts sit in city centers however I think this pod is a great example of an emerging trend to put a high quality pod in more suburban areas. Adding the diversity of food at the price point food carts do fills a really good gap in suburban areas and I could see that trend expanding over time.
That's amazing DoctaShaud and we couldn't agree more. What other types of foods trucks are in the area?
@@UpFlip Dr.PhillyCheesesteak in SE Portland
So humble and honest! Thank you
Thank you ! This is a great interview ! Nice man. Real Gentleman. 👍
This channel should has millions of subscribers what's wrong with UA-cam not showing golden content.
I shared this with my husband. Hopefully we can start something.
Thank you for this video!! It’s an excellent resource!
You're very much welcome Shirley. 😀Thank you for watching. Would you start a business in this industry? If so, what type of food would you sell.
This video is insane!!! Thank you!!!
Awesome business owner, very informative and intelligent
That's nice of you Axeman. Thanks for watching. Should we do more videos on the restaurant industry?
Big thing here is consistency on a daily basis. The right location and the right food is obviously massively key here to keep attracted people every day.
Thanks for watching Liam. This is very true. 😀 Are you in the same type of industry?
I love this man. Thankyou for your wisdom
Love this channel and love hearing the stories of all of these entrepreneurs!
Great business man!! Made me feel like I could run my own food truck! Thanks for the info 👍 blessing for your family and your business.
You really could Chris.😀Thanks so much for watching the video. We love doing videos in the food truck industry. What type of food would you sell if you did open a food truck?
@@UpFlip home made biscuits and gravy with eggs an hasbrowns all day everyday. But my mom! She can make some amazing brown rice potatoe salad also beef tips with gravy! Making me hungry. The name of the food truck would be called "Taste the Air" because when you smell good food, it's in the air and you follow your noise. Just a spin on the saying.
Another great interview from you guys. Keep them coming please! I was just at a brewery and buying good from a food truck trying to figure out how much their costs and profits could be. This definitely exceedes what I thought
Thanks for the wonderful feedback Alexander. We appreciate that. Did you see any similarities in the food truck you visited and the one we featured?
@@UpFlip A key similarity would be both trucks focused on less expensive types of bulk offerings. The food truck I was at was a taco truck. Also, they were parked outside of a brewery which is key to the volume. I have seen other food trucks that are probably doing around 20k per weekend in revenue just based on the number of people in and out of the brewery
This is amazing. Opening my own the end of the year.
This is a great interview wow
Love seeing the diversity of a successful owner on this video. It's interesting to see what each owner believes make them successful. I 100% agree with his approach to customer retention. I own and operate a retail water facility and getting to know my customers has been the essential to our growth especially when you have a limited marketing budget.
Thanks for watching Luis. We couldn't agree more! Each business owner sees running a business from a different perspective, which has helped them in their success. We wish you all the best.😀 How long have you been in the water business and what motivated you to get started?
Yeah i also feel that way, good mouth to mouth advertisement will most likely always lead to succes
What is a retail water facility?
This is so cool. I used to eat at Aybla all the time in high school
That is really cool Aquarius. Are you still in the area?
@@UpFlip No sadly! Although I will visit again as soon as I get the chance. Really great to see that his business is thriving. It was one of my favorite food carts when I lived in Portland.
This is gold thanks
I love his energy. This guy really cares about the business and you can tell he wants everyone to be successful within the food cart/truck business.
Saied is really amazing! Thanks for showing support, Bryce.
Nice interview at best. I don't particularly agree with a few of his statements regarding food truck success. I've been in this business for over ten years and am ranked among the Top Ten in my state. One does not have to locate near a bar or brewery. One should not have to park where there are ten or more other food trucks. He is correct in mentioning labor and food costs as heavy expenses. Also there are many, many high traffic locations that can be found for free. Paying rent can sometimes be a huge detriment to one's bottom line. I do.wish him continued success though!
I’m proud of you 😍keep the good work 👍🏻
So nice Sola. We're sure he appreciates the well wishes. 😀Is this the first video you've seen on the channel?
the way he talks man straight to the point, i love it.
Very good information
Amazing owner, he clearly knows how to run a business. He has so good advices. Thank you for the video.
We appreciate the great feedback Lordnoashi. He is a great owner .😀Should we do more videos on this industry?
@@UpFlip I like food industry because I want to open a restaurant in the future. but what makes the video good is the questions asked and how the owner is replying. but I won't complain to have more food industry videos 🙏😁
Shout out to this food cart owner. For the advice an motivation "Don’t be afraid" .
Yes, Renard. Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there. 😀Would you ever consider opening a food truck?
This was fantastic! It answered many of my questions and concerns with a food truck. Your questions are 😄excellent! The owner is very experienced and a huge wealth of knowledge. Great business owner to interview. Thank you guys!
Saied thank you for sharing your knowledge with us
Thank you for watching stealthhop. 👍😊We love doing videos in the food industry. What type of business would you like to see featured next?
Hahahaha I love this guy, nice video, real life! 👏🏽
Glad you enjoyed it JC JC. He's very nice and comes for humble beginnings. 😀Should we do more videos in the food industry?
@@UpFlip sure that would be great
Good video! This owner needs to get his website on the 1st page of google and top ranking on Google Maps and he'll cut his advertising cost more than half. Yelp sucks sometimes. By anyhow, Mediterranean Food is delicious!
extremely valuable information thank you
Just won a new customer, he is honest and seem like a genuine dude. Thanks for sharing