Compare! Food truck steak shop vs. stationary steak shop. Which is better to open?

Want to own a steakhouse? Passion is ready, but don't know which path to choose. Street food trends are still strong, especially food trucks. Business opportunities are still wide open, but traditional restaurants are also interesting and easy for customers to access. Which business model should I choose?

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of food truck steak restaurants.
The advantage is that they can be moved to sell in case the location is not suitable or the customer base is not as good as expected. Food trucks need parking to sell food, so they usually choose to park in places with a lot of people, such as markets, fairs, communities, or parking spots provided by shopping malls.

But because it is a shop that is not in one place (even if it is parked and selling regularly in one place), it is difficult to build a customer base or you have to really make it famous on social media so that people will follow you and support you in different places. It can provide both take-away and dine-in services, but there will be a small area for eating because you cannot bring many tables and chairs. As for delivery, it is still possible.

Pros and cons of stationary steak restaurants
The advantage is that there is a definite location, whether renting a shop, renting space, or buying a building to open a shop. Having a definite location makes it easy to build a regular customer base and plan sales to better respond to the target group in the area. You can provide both dine-in, take-out, and delivery services. You can choose the business size according to your budget. Or if you want to buy a franchise, there are many brands to choose from.

But a fixed location can also be a disadvantage. Because if you choose a bad location, there is a high chance of failure. And you cannot move the location to sell immediately. Because most of them have already invested in decorating the shop. And may be tied to a 6-12 month lease contract. And there is also the cost of decorating the shop.

Compare the investment costs of two types of steak restaurants.
Steak house - Only basic equipment that is necessary must be at least 15,000-20,000 baht, including a steak grill or grill, pan, grill pan, freezer, eating utensils, plates, bowls, etc. Most of the capital will be heavy on shop rent or sales space rent. If the location is good, it may be tens of thousands per month. Or if buying a building, you must have a down payment of at least 5 hundred thousand - 1 million baht, which if including decorations will be about 5 million baht. The rest of the employee wages are the cost of raw materials, which are similar.

Steak Food Truck - In the case of buying a new car, the investment will start at around 5 hundred thousand - 1 million baht. The investment may seem high, but it is very little when compared to buying a building to run a restaurant or even renting a building on a monthly basis (not including the shop transfer fee). If the rental fee is converted to the installment payment for a food truck, the shop owner can also own the truck and can resell it if there is a need to close down the business.

In conclusion, what kind of shop should you choose to open?
If you plan to do business full time, sell products every day, do not like to travel, and do not have much capital, a stationary shop is the most suitable because there are many models of stationary shops to choose from, whether it is a small roadside shop with an investment of tens of thousands to a large shop with an investment of millions. This type of shop requires care and is open for business every day, creating a revolving income. But the important thing is to choose the right location and thoroughly understand the target group in the area before starting to invest in anything.

But if you plan to open a shop as a side job, with a unique steak recipe that can create a shop character that stands out, understand street food and like to travel to different places, steak food trucks are a good answer. Many office workers invest in buying food trucks to sell during the holidays, sell at various fairs. Many people plan to sell full time after they stop working. In the meantime, they put down a down payment or installments on a car to try selling first. Currently, there are steak food truck franchises that sell a complete system, including the car and the recipe.