How to start a food truck business in Hawaii

A good fit if you have a menu people love and plenty of energy

A food truck lets you run a restaurant without the restaurant building. You'll need a truck or trailer, a licensed base kitchen and a stack of permits, so it costs more and takes longer to start than most ideas here. In return, you can go where the customers are and book private events.

From $41,365 to start

Start lean with the essentials and upgrade as customers come, or set up fully from day one.

Once you're running: about $1,650 a month, plus about 45% of what you earn. Commissary, insurance, fuel, propane, generator fuel and repairs every month, plus food, packaging, card fees and a helper's pay for each service.

Work out your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your plans. The chart shows a first year that builds up as word gets around.

13 steps to your first customers

Each step says what it costs and how long it takes. Most owners get through them in a few weeks.

1. 1

   Test your menu

   2–6 weeks Free

   Before you buy a truck, prove people will pay for your food. Cater a few parties, cook for a pop-up, and find out which dishes sell fastest.

   • A short menu of four to six items
   • Feedback from real customers
   • Food cost for each dish
2. 2

   Choose your name

   1 day Free

   Pick a name that's easy to read from across a parking lot. Make sure no one in Hawaii has it.

   • 3–5 name ideas
   • Check no one else uses it
   • Check the domain

   Get name ideas, then check yours with HawaiiFind a name
3. 3

   Form your LLC in Hawaii

   1–2 weeks $50 state fee

   An LLC keeps your personal savings separate from the business. You file Articles of Organization with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Business Registration Division.

   • Articles of Organization
   • A registered agent
   • An operating agreement

   PressUp can file your LLC with the state for youForm your LLC
4. 4

   Get your EIN

   Same day Free

   The IRS's tax number for your business. You'll need it for a business bank account.

   • Apply online with the IRS
   • Open a business bank account

   Apply for it along with your LLC filingAdd your EIN
5. 5

   Find a commissary

   1–2 weeks $280–830 a month

   Most places require a licensed base kitchen where you prep, fill fresh water, empty waste water and clean. Your health permit usually names it.

   • Commissaries near you
   • Monthly rate and parking
   • A signed agreement
6. 6

   Buy or build your truck

   1–3 months $31k–94k

   A used, equipped trailer is the cheapest way in. A truck with a new kitchen costs more but takes less fixing. Talk to your health department before you buy.

   • Used units first
   • Check the fire system and generator
   • Plans your health department will approve
7. 7

   Get your permits and inspections

   1–3 months $640–2.3k

   Expect a plan review, a health inspection, a fire inspection and a food manager certificate. Each city and county sets its own rules and fees.

   • Health permit and plan review
   • Fire inspection
   • Food manager certificate
8. 8

   Sort out sales tax in Hawaii

   1–3 days Free

   Hawaii's sales tax is 4%, and cities and counties add their own. Ask the Hawaii Department of Taxation whether what you sell is taxable.

   • Check if your services are taxable
   • Register for sales tax if needed
   • Set money aside for income tax
9. 9

   Get insured

   1–2 days Quotes are free

   Insurance protects you if something goes wrong on a job. Get quotes from two or three insurers.

   • General liability
   • Commercial auto
   • Workers' compensation, once you hire
10. 10

    Set your menu and prices

    1 week Free

    A short menu is faster at the window and wastes less. Price each dish so food costs about a third of what you charge. See the prices below.

    • Four to six items
    • Food cost for each dish
    • A catering menu
11. 11

    Put your business online

    1 day Included

    Customers want to know where you'll be today, and event hosts want to book you. Show your menu, your schedule and a catering form.

    • Website with your menu
    • This week's schedule
    • Catering inquiry form

    Describe your business and PressUp builds your websiteBuild your website
12. 12

    Build your regulars

    Ongoing Free

    Line up breweries, office parks and markets that want a truck every week, and ask happy customers for reviews.

    • Weekly spots
    • Social posts every day you serve
    • Reviews from regulars

    Ask your customers for reviews by email with PressUpSee how
13. 13

    Bill events and keep track

    Ongoing Included

    Send invoices for private events, take deposits, and know which spots and dishes earn the most.

    • Deposits and invoices
    • Sales by spot
    • Customer list for events

    Keep your customers and invoices in one place with PressUpSee how

What Hawaii asks for

Registering, taxes, and what this business needs. Check the details with each authority: rules change.

What to buy first

Buy the "must haves" to start. Add the rest when customers pay for them.

3 packages that sell

Simple choices make it easy to say yes. Most customers pick the middle one.

How to get your first customers

You don't need an ad budget. These work for new owners almost everywhere.

A month from now, you could be open

Common questions