How much funding does this food truck need to open?

What is in the vehicle allowance?

The pretax $85,000 allowance buys one approximately 21-foot enclosed used chassis with newly fitted commercial kitchen. Scope includes griddle/hotplate, refrigeration/prep counter, hot holding, hand sink, warewashing sink, hood/fire suppression, tanks, water heater, generator and shore power. These major included components are not added as separate purchases.

JRS equipment and starting prices supports the package boundary; the second builder comparison illustrates scope differences. Require a signed equipment list, warranty, commissioning, delivery, payment milestones and change-order terms.

Truck tax allowance is $9,393 and delivery $2,200. The provisional vehicle tax combines an observed Seattle general sales row and extra motor-vehicle tax. Acquisition location, exemptions and other local vehicle taxes may alter it. Obtain the actual transaction calculation using DOR guidance.

How do all opening uses reconcile?

Smallwares are a $2,400 whole-set pretax allowance; hardware $799. Neither is a verified SKU subtotal. Procurement must specify food-safe grades, sizes and quantities before these budgets become quotes.

Preopening payroll covers 60 owner hours and 40 assistant hours at normal rates plus burden, totaling $3,078. Training, coordination, trial service and cleaning require paid time before sales.

Which permit and setup amounts are provisional?

The 2026 county schedule lists risk-1/risk-2 mobile annual fees $630 and $1,008. Selecting risk 3 conservatively is not county assignment. The permit year ends in March, so a January opening still has an April renewal.

The January 2026 SFD form and inspection conditions govern TRK. Reconfirm fees/issue dates at launch. Worker-card fees and manager requirements are distinct. No budget amount buys guaranteed approval or review speed.

Why is cash different from the equipment budget?

The $33,000 reserve plus $8,820 unspent contingency leaves $41,820 opening bank cash. Contingency is available in the model without contractual restriction. If spent on equipment, rerun liquidity; that dollar is no longer cash for the ramp.

Base minimum operational cash after reserving sales tax is $17,339 in month 4. Bank cash there is $19,678. Tax held for remittance is not cushion; a larger reserve does not improve EBITDA.

Month-end stock targets are seven days of ingredient/drink consumption and thirty days of packaging, with zero supplier-credit days. These are financial conventions, not cooked-food holding permission. Fees are withheld from card receipts and net card settlement takes two assumed calendar days. Cash-on-delivery purchases and the April prepaid renewal create cash demands invisible in annual profit.

The weaker scenario is deficient in month 4 despite identical starting cash. Later shortfall indicates a need to change schedule, menu, costs or project size before borrowing.

Which costs need the first quotes?

First quote the complete approved truck and inspect chassis/payload/roadworthiness plus loaded refrigeration performance. The $500 condition-review allowance is separate from official vehicle acceptance.

Second verify the kitchen/storage/parking terms: $800 starts a twenty-clock-hour weekly membership; five two-hour sessions use ten clock hours. Staff overlap does not double rental hours. Two extra dry shelves add $100 and plug-in parking $250. $120 assumes the facility’s total utility bill, which is unknown.

Third quote insurance and complete hot-food packaging. The inspected container is $72.49 per 300 with lid separate. It does not establish total $0.74 serviceware. Confirm hot-compatible lid, local acceptance, shipping, tax and requested utensils.

What could increase the request?

Financing/guarantee fees, major chassis repairs, added power/cooling, plan revisions, extra review hours, delayed opening and extra cold storage lack fixed quotes. Limited contingencies and maintenance are not assurance that these items fit.

Land, restaurant build-out, another truck, catering receivables, platform fees and alcohol are outside scope. Personal living costs and owner/entity income taxes need separate review. Link every revised quote to a model line and compare the new reserve with monthly liquidity before accepting finance.

Validate the case inputs

Download the input and evidence register (CSV). This case export separates observed context from assumptions and leaves quotation fields blank for your project. It is an educational register, separate from the planned personalized model.