You are the proud owner of a food truck. You have all the right licenses, secured your supply chain, and have a map of all the best places to park for the lunch crowd. The only question left for you is: Where can I park my food truck overnight?
The answer depends on your city, local laws, and a few other important details. Join us as we walk through the essentials of food truck parking and how to find the best place to keep your food truck at night.
Where Can Food Trucks Be Parked Overnight?
There are three options for food truck overnight parking, depending on local laws and venue policies.
1. Food Truck Commissary Parking
Food truck commissary parking is a special parking lot with facilities to clean, maintain, and store food trucks. You’ll likely need to pay rent, but this option is available even in cities with very restrictive food truck parking laws. Some food truck commissaries also include a commercial kitchen where you can do daily prep.
2. Storage Facilities
You can rent a spot in a vehicle storage facility or parking area. Regulations may vary as to whether you can simply rent a paid parking location or need a special facility for your food truck.
3. Venue Private Property
If your food truck is located on private commercial property, like a mall parking lot or event space, you may be able to simply lock up for the night and leave your food truck in place. This is considered an ideal arrangement if security is good.
Can You Park Your Food Truck on Your Property?
Most would assume that you can park a food truck at your house or on personal property, but this isn’t always true. It depends on local laws, neighborhood regulations, and whether you have enough space.
In most neighborhoods, you cannot park a food truck in front of your house, but you could park it in a large enough garage or acreage of land. In cities that require special food truck facilities for overnight parking, your property would need to have these facilities. Consult local authorities for rules and regulations to determine whether you can park on your property.
Considerations When Parking Your Food Truck Overnight
There are, of course, some considerations to keep in mind even after you find an overnight parking option for your food truck.
- Security: When choosing an overnight spot, ensure your truck is safe from vandals or other mischief. For extra safety, remove any valuables like your cash register when leaving it unattended.
- Legal Regulations: See if there are special regulations regarding where food trucks can be parked overnight. Hint: a food truck that is a catering accessory may be subject to different regulations.
- Temperature Option: Consider whether your food truck requires heated/cooled indoor storage, which some storage facilities offer.
- Cleaning and Maintenance Facilities: Some cities require food trucks to be parked where maintenance and cleaning can occur. The right facilities make truck maintenance more easy and reliable.
- Proximity to Kitchen: If you need to do some external cooking, a nearby kitchen is helpful.
- Long-Term Parking: Consider how your needs may differ if your truck needs to be stored in the long-term, such as greater security or removal of foods to avoid spoilage.
Planning for Your Food Truck Success
A successful food truck business relies on planning every detail down to your parking locations and maintenance schedule. Legion Food Trucks can help you every step of the way to ensure your food truck business thrives. Contact us today to get started.
