Opening a Truck Stop—What Food to Put In?
Posted by Apart-Donkey-6899@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 116 comments
Hello everyone, my family and I are finally making a lifelong dream come true and opening a truck stop in Florida. We used to be long haul truckers ourselves, so we know how much a good meal matters after a long day behind the wheel and dealing with the warehouses. Sometimes the right food can completely change your mood, and that’s what we’re trying to create.
I’ll be honest, I personally can’t take another Arby’s. We have space for two food franchises and one idea we’re really excited about is a Japanese-style chicken teriyaki place like you see in malls. Real food, cooked hot, with veggies, rice or noodles, and protein. Simple, filling, and not junk.
We’re putting our entire life savings into this project along with money from friends and family and a large bank loan. There is definitely pressure to choose something “safe” like McDonald’s, but as a former driver, I know I would’ve loved to have a teriyaki option on the road. You get vegetables, carbs, and protein on one plate. We’d also offer beef, shrimp, fried rice, or noodles, so it’s not just chicken and rice.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
warwgn@reddit
Is a good sitdown restaurant diner with wait staff possible, a lot of us aren’t too keen on fast food franchises, and would like an inviting environment to relax in, outside of the truck, rather than “take your food and F.O.!”
Mystery_Chaser@reddit
Yes, good food and service. Chuckers live a lonely life. It’s nice to have company. It’s nice to eat with people. It’s nice to eat something that isn’t gonna make you feel like crap. 45 minutes after you eat it.
Rasty1973@reddit
Agree. Having a real meal somewhere daily means you get 1 hour of being civilized. I try to eat anywhere except the truck if I'm not cooking. Even sitting at the table of a taco stand is appreciated.
OffWalrusCargo@reddit
Honestly, I prefer eating in my truck but having like a bar for sitting down near the kitchen is honestly perfect for a small truck stop. You don't need wait staff to run tables, they can stay behind the counter but still interact with sit down customers. Doesn't require much space and if designed right the cook can help out if not to busy.
fantom_frost42@reddit
I agree with this. A small counter to sit down but box to go for but home style would go over great. Fast food chains are everywhere and terrible for health
OffWalrusCargo@reddit
Actual plates for sit down but you don't need 5 tables when you could have an open kitchen and a long bar counter for people to sit and be served fresh. And people taking out can sit and get some soda drink while waiting and refill before they go.
Environmental-Pear40@reddit
I mean it's Florida and you can't go wrong with a diner at a truck stop pretty much ever. But I highly recommend Gator tail, as a Floridian.
Mystery_Chaser@reddit
Things that are not deep-fried
Mystery_Chaser@reddit
Vegetables, fruits, healthy things that are raw. This does not include iceberg lettuce. What is with all the taco responses? Aren’t there enough taco trucks all over the highway city street and neighborhoods?
LESTERV94@reddit
Everyone loves tacos
BitEnvironmental4872@reddit
Not everyone
Nocturnal-Animal-@reddit
Idk how when most truckers I meet are pretty racist lol. But I guess u can be racist and still love taxis and Salma Hayek. It's to hypocritical for me.
Rasty1973@reddit
The racists like white people tacos. Hard shell, ground beef, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and sour cream.
acd2002@reddit
Man that’s crazy how america, a majority white country, doesn’t make taco’s like the people in central and South America 🤯🤯
Rat_King1972@reddit
You know there are white mexicans and South Americans right?
Hulk_Hogans_Toupee@reddit
Salma Hayek would make any Klansman's hat pointy
Lavasioux@reddit
Pizza! BBQ! Burritos, tacos, hamburgers and french fries!
DrRab121@reddit
I’ve always wanted to see a truckstop with like a food court where you can get different things think 80s mall
ChiDaddy123@reddit
I see you’ve never been to the Iowa 80 Truckstop…
DrRab121@reddit
Been past never stopped
No_Salad1394@reddit
Or the Maryland rest stops
ChiDaddy123@reddit
Some of the PA Turnpikes have a nice lil selection too…
dontdoxmebro2@reddit
If I found a truck stop that had a Mongolian bbq I’d never park anywhere else.
Fun_Sky_951@reddit
I would think about a moes and possibly a naf naf which is healthy food
Sabre_Stryke@reddit
I second the Naf Naf
Knarknarknarknar@reddit
A breakfast Cafe would make me happy.
Strong black coffee, eggs any style, pies, cobbler, cheap filling salad iceberg lettuce, canned greenbeans, red onion, vinegar and oil.
Rasty1973@reddit
1) Real short oder diner 24/7 using real butter and fresh prepared country cooking. If you buy everything from Sysco or US Foods as partially prepared items you WILL fail miserably.
2) Contract out a Taco shop and take a fee on the Sspace. If you are not Hispanic DO NOT open a taco shop regardless of you skill level.
30 years working as a chef and 5 years as a trucker.
tributarybattles@reddit
do open a taco stand, break the gate keepers
Rasty1973@reddit
He asked for good advise on an f&b business. He's got very little f&b background so opening a taco stand as a white guy is guaranteed to fail.
tributarybattles@reddit
Cool racism bro.
Rasty1973@reddit
It's not racist at all. It's sound advise. If you have no background with an ethnic cusine or extensive training then you are a fool to open an ethnic kitchen.
tributarybattles@reddit
At this point. It's American food
Rasty1973@reddit
No it's not. How many Americans are making Cabeza and fresh tortillas?
tributarybattles@reddit
If there are Mexican restaurants in most American cities, it's become American cuisine.
You can not stop the rolling of progress.
20milliondollarapi@reddit
Yup, I’m a white guy that can make some pretty great Mexican style tacos. But they pale in comparison to an actual Hispanic person still.
Rasty1973@reddit
People also refuse to acknowledge that kitchens are part show. Having a chef that meets your expectations is part of the show. Having Bubba slinging pies instead of Gino isn't expected regardless of Bubbas skills.
lu5ty@reddit
Best tex mex i ever had was made by chinese people lol
mistakemaker3000@reddit
Just reiterating because it's detrimental,
STAY AWAY FROM SYSCO AND US FOODS.
properly source your ingredients. And try to keep a full meal under $20, like maybe market it as $20 out the door with tax included
As for the other food spot, either a classic diner or Mexican restaurant
Rasty1973@reddit
US Foods has quality ingredients if you know their product line. You must stay away from what the rep is selling and buy basic ingredients. The real problem is that people are using prepared items because they either don't have the staff or are lazy.
SecureThruObscure@reddit
Same wit Sysco. Sysco sells high quality Waygu beef and injections tenderized leather.
AccomplishedHour8399@reddit
White people taco night is good af idk what ur talkin aboit you racist ass
Few_Priority7554@reddit
Real food.
Lpgasman1@reddit
A burger fresh off the grill would be great
LunchPrestigious2255@reddit
A truck stop with teriyaki near Orlando would always get my business when I stop through.
pakitter@reddit
In house made taco and condiments, Fry Chicken and Pizza.............. That is what we have at our truck stop
redrhino606@reddit
Cooked vegetables
trench_welfare@reddit
BBQ would be a good option. Not the most original idea in Florida, but many of your customers aren't going to be from the southeast. Also, you should have plenty of potential renters as bbq is a pretty common startup food business.
For the other service outlet, a decent pantry style selection and some decent cold prepared foods like soups salads and sandwiches to go. Sometimes meal time happens away from truck stops and not having to eat snacks is a plus.
Mattjew24@reddit
The Japanese type teriyaki is exactly what I would suggest. Way to go!
Good ole Italian food is also really nice.
Im not a semi truck driver, but I frequent truck stops as a box trucker. Im fuckin tired of fried chicken. Please no half-ass fried chicken is all ill say
Apart-Donkey-6899@reddit (OP)
I can’t with the fried chicken. It’s the last thing I want to see at a truck stop TBH.
Obvious-Glove-7253@reddit
Well first off, congratulations! That’s awesome!
Secondly, I miss good meals that aren’t shit McDonald’s so your truck stop already sounds better than most if you can get fresh food there.
I also recommend doing some type of loyalty program. Us truckers really like loyalty programs especially if they are tiers lol like if you had a super trucker, trucker, green horn, steering wheel holder tiers it would be awesome and humorous.
I also recommend doing some form of submission of trucks and you can display them on tvs throughout the truck stop.
Like submit your rig and have it featured type thing. We love shit like that too.
All in all ;fresh food, safe parking and clean showers/ facilities goes a LONG way.
Let us know when you open up, I always support a fellow trucking brother when they do stuff like this.
Good luck!
Apart-Donkey-6899@reddit (OP)
I love the idea of displaying truckers and their trucks on the TV. I was always really proud of our trucks and loved taking pics with them. So did our drivers.
derpmcturd@reddit
Yes have something safe like McDonalds, but also something people cant get elsewhere. Example: Ill go out of my way to get the Fried Ravioli, TexMex Burrito, Hash Browns, and Fried Cheese Curds from KwikStar when im near one up here in the northern states because noone else makes em like KwikStar does.
Also, noone has cleaner bathroom than KwikStar. Its amazing. Hire the right people and you'll get the right results.
Colonelmann@reddit
Curries
Mizren@reddit
As long as it's not an Arby's you really can't go wrong.
SignificantYoung2744@reddit
I like the idea of a Japanese style restaurant in the truck stop, that sounds really awesome. As far as safe bets go for a second food option you could try different chains than the normal truck stops, the typical Arby's, Subway, and McDonald's are the top 3 that I see so maybe something like a Steak N Shake, or maybe a taco place of some kind would be cool. Taco Johns is my favorite on the road when I can find one. Some of the other guys suggested a sit down restaurant with service, if you did that I think that'd be a good idea but it would require more managing and haggling with franchises if you went with cracker barrel or something similar which will cut into your profit. Just doing it solo without franchises would be difficult but doable if you can manage it.
Another thing maybe to look at would be doing a hot bar like the pilots have but be more creative and tasteful with the food options, the town pumps in Montana have some of the best hot bar food I've ever had. The Workman's truck stops in Arkansas are a hard second place as well. A better sub shop like Jimmy John's or Jersey Mike's wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Apart-Donkey-6899@reddit (OP)
Yes, to the hot bar! If I stop at a truck stop or gas station with a hot bar, that’s for sure what I’m getting food-wise. I especially love food with sauces so the gravies or tomato sauces get me every time.
SignificantYoung2744@reddit
Hell yeah dude, I hope you guys get up and going soon, make sure to follow up and let us know it's going
UOLZEPHYR@reddit
Need healthier options. Too many people out here living on roller dogs and doritos
Ok_Length7872@reddit
Maybe add in a good cubano chain, I know cubanos are popular in the Miami area but it gives the Florida feeling and definitely something different!
RyanGetty1@reddit
Meth and Lizards?
kachingy@reddit
As good as this sounds, I think you DO need a safe bet dining option as well. Something along the lines of a cracker barrel or golden corale type menu.
20milliondollarapi@reddit
A truckstop with a Cracker Barrel would probably be pretty good. Dennys and flying j are well known together. And I stop very occasionally for a sit down meal there instead of my meal prep.
kachingy@reddit
There's a pilot/flying J i use to frequent when I was soing long haul. Its in Virginia, and it has a golden corral in it. I slammed my dinner time around that stop lol
ResponsibilityTop732@reddit
You would be talking about the Pilot on 95 in Ruther Glenn
kachingy@reddit
That's the one!
Old-Swimming2799@reddit
Side note, put an actual driver lounge in. Not just 2 worn out couches and a TV playing the weather channel. Something for recreation like maybe a pool table or 2 or arcade machines. Anything realy even a movie Playlist playing on a TV is also nice.
Not saying you should since they're expensive and would require way more work then what they're worth but my local truck stop had an actual full hearth fireplace in it 30 years ago. Now it's a single couch and a TV scrolling the news, nobody goes in it and i think I've seen 1 driver in there in the past year
DriverFantastic2262@reddit
Broasted chicken. Also always had the idea of a doughnut/ ice cream place. Think of how nice it would smell.
BadamPshh@reddit
Whatever you choose, don't make it twice as expensive as it would normally be.
Idk if the numbers bear that out, maybe most drivers are not like me and it is in fact more profitable to gouge.
But for me, that's the reason I keep a large freezer and just cook with my air fryer 99% of the time. It feels like extortion because they know we're hostage, and I refuse to be a hostage.
Apart-Donkey-6899@reddit (OP)
We would never do that to our fellow drivers. My parents were drivers and then I ran a team of 13 drivers and they were like family to us. We’re really excited to open a truck stop to service our fellow drivers and to make it somewhere we’d want to go ourselves. Every step of the way, we’re asking ourselves: “What would we have wanted when we were on the road?” We know each day could be filled with wild surprises on a consistent basis from: not another destroyed tire, to the warehouse rejected my load, to fun DOT inspections, we honestly just want to make a drivers day somewhat awesome. And for us, that’s through food. If I know a truck stop ahead has somewhat decent food, it gets me happy for half the day and for 500 miles I’ll be thinking about the decent food coming my way.
Sideburne76@reddit
A simple little taco burrito and bowls shack with breakfast as well.
SexMachine666@reddit
If you could get a Panda Express or a Jimmy John's instead of the lame Subway that seems to be in every truckstop, that would rule!
Good luck in your venture! Depending where you're looking to build, I'll be sure to pop in since I'm in the area a lot.
Leneord1@reddit
A Diner that has a wait staff is good
Rasty1973@reddit
Regardless of their real name the waitresses can only have three stage names. Sandy, Flo or Gladys.
Leneord1@reddit
Or Cheryl
PuffinPastry@reddit
Naf Naf
1986silverback@reddit
Literally any thing other than fast food
TheMadMetalhead@reddit
Make a good chicken fried steak
Rasty1973@reddit
It's my test item for any country cooking place 9 times out of 10 I'm disappointed unfortunately. Either the meat is some Sysco pre-breaded garbage or the sausage gravy tastes like it comes from a plastic bag. The Rueben is my test sandwich.
Minimum-Jacket-705@reddit
Where in Florida? How about authentic Cuban food?
cleanc3r3alkillr@reddit
You’ll do best to do something with a lot of flavor that you don’t see in a truck stop very often, something that will have guys coming in specifically to grab something to eat. I’m not opposed to some sort of Asian style restaurant, it really is the one ethnic food that’s very under represented in truck stops. Also consider serving the food that a traveler in your region would want to take the time to eat because they wouldn’t easily get it elsewhere. You’re in the south so maybe southern food, poboys, gumbo, or a jambalaya shop, something’s that’s easy to wrap up or serve in a to-go box. Good Hispanic food isn’t a bad idea, specifically specializing in big overstuffed burritos, tasty and filling. Or maybe even Carribean style food, serving jerk chicken, oxtail, plantains and rice and beans, never seen that in a truck stop before, but I would stop at your truck stop for it because I knew I couldn’t get it elsewhere.
TruckingJames423@reddit
Waffle House!
Robjla@reddit
Yes
Photon6626@reddit
Find an older Mexican lady willing to make tamales and tacos for you. She'd get more traffic and you take a cut.
Or invite local food trucks to come around randomly
AdMaster6638@reddit
I think good teriyaki would be so good after 14 hours plus it reheats well the next day
Robjla@reddit
Just put a Panda Express it will be better than a teriyaki place. Everyone eats Chinese not everyone eats Japanese. Panda is the only Chinese fast food that’s actually good
Dense_Worker5271@reddit
I’ll put my two cents in if it’s OK I personally would love a sitdown home-cooked meal kind of place that used to find a truckstops back in the 70s. The thing is you have to find the right people to do it for instance homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and fresh meat rolls would go a long way
hera_the_destroyer@reddit
Bringing the comments together. If you have space for two options. Teriyaki and texmex can’t be beat. Shit, find a bbq food truck to post up as well. The more options the better.
warwgn@reddit
Teriyaki and Texmex… so, Taco Bell and Ho-Lee Fook Chinese takeout?
hera_the_destroyer@reddit
Don’t forget a killer BBQ truck.
D-Ray1469@reddit
Cajun and seafood are always a hit. Add plenty of trash cans in the parking area.
nashrome@reddit
That sounds fantastic but offer something more familiar in that other space that serves breakfast. Breakfast burritos are always a hit since you can eat it on the road.
CaptainGibbs96@reddit
Make a mini grocery store with some fresh prepared food. You'd easily become a hot spot
Horus_Whistler@reddit
There are a couple of restaurants called Nick the Greek and I absolutely love their plate with steaks souvlaki, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, etc. My vote would be for Greek food.
Puzzleheaded-Bag-121@reddit
Something other than fast food or fried food. Give us some good ol’ home made foods.
My all time favorite truck stop is a not so known place in Baldwin, WI. Everyone goes to the Kwiktrip, but this place across the highway has authentic Indian food.
Codexe-@reddit
I always like the soups they have at pilot. Maybe some Ramen soup at the Japanese place
mindsunwound@reddit
Schwarma, or Gyros... But like at a reasonable price, not like nafnaf where they want to charge you $20 for a fast food meal.
StrawBunyan@reddit
I don’t know who downvoted Gyros, the best food on the planet, but I cancelled them out with an up.
mindsunwound@reddit
Right? Who doesn't like Gyros?
IBringTheHeat2@reddit
Something simple like terriaki chicken and fried rice. Kinda like hibachi.
Also very simple food like hotdogs and hamburgers easy to eat while driving.
A McDonald’s would be good too.
AvogadrosArmy@reddit
Cuban food, bbq, all day breakfast
the_clam_farmer@reddit
Whatever you decide on, my vote is for something not chemical/preservative-laden. Farm-to-table would be nice. I have enough options to kill myself out there, 'real' food would be ideal.
No_Inflation7432@reddit
Hot dogs on rollers. Get the kind you can turn the roller temp down to room temperature. Seriously though, I like fajitas with peppers and onions. Sit down is perfect. All the truck stops I go to that have all the big chain restaurants in them should be making a fortune except..... They serve really crappy food. Just because we drive trucks doesn't mean we can't tell what foods crappy. Any kind of food with eggs for breakfast is something that is really hard for us to get in the truck. I cook all the time, but home fries eggs and bacon nope not getting that unless I go to a diner.
ResidentComplaint19@reddit
I’m a sucker for anything on the rollers. I don’t care about quality.
No_Inflation7432@reddit
But to kind of tag on to what a lot of other people were saying, biggest thing is most of the food at the chain truck stops just sucks. They pay their people poorly and their people don't give a rat's ass. I've had more "cold" hot food than I care to remember. They can ruin a McDonald's with lobotomy caliber help.
Junior-Credit2685@reddit
Get a vendor that can do healthy soul food, pre-made and held in hot pans so you can get it quickly to go. Sweet potatoes, green beans, braised cabbage, honey carrots, black eyed peas, greens, baked chicken, oven-fried fish, turkey meatloaf, beef neck bones, ox tails, dirty rice, corn bread, etc 😋 after a 14 hour day, I’m always craving hot and healthy food that isn’t greasy
Wiil-Waal@reddit
Home made style food
ChaceEdison@reddit
Strip club with a breakfast buffet
WasterOfPaperTowels@reddit
You could make the competitive advantage variety and solicit food trucks — unless you’re in an area where people think bidets can make you gay, if so then just put in another Arby’s and watch the cash roll in.
Maleficent-Yam-5196@reddit
First off hell yeah! Hibachi ftw for sure, I’m a Florida Native myself what city are you setting up shop in? My vote would be a creole restaurant, boudin, Gator tail, jambalaya, red beans and rice, dirty rice, gumbo, crawfish etc
Maleficent_Yam_2561@reddit
Toothpicks
Round_Rooms@reddit
Mom and pop diner with counter seating
JoshHatesFun_@reddit
Coney dogs.
StealthyNoctowl@reddit
A good bbq place never hurts. There were a couple places in CA that had bbq restaurants across the street that were always good
Extension_Win1114@reddit
Just check out the last post asking about this, it wasn’t long ago, should be easy
O_W_Liv@reddit
My husband can tell you which truck stops have good salads and which don't, or if they're just overpriced iceberg lettuce.
We joke that he eats better than I do because he grabs them every chance he gets.
innocent_websurfer@reddit
If you get a truck stop going with good tasting japanese teriyaki chicken, fried rice, teriyaki steak, etc., I personally would stop there any day of the week while I’m in the area. Do you have a specific city in mind?