There is no shortage of options when it comes to creating a unique food trailer business.

Just take a look at the most popular food trucks and trailers in America, and you’ll find anything from grilled cheese to tacos to macaroni and cheese – and even lobster.

If you have a million-dollar food trailer idea, the first thing you need to do is find a food trailer for sale that’s set up for you to cook your creative cuisine.

3 Kitchen Configurations to Consider When Looking for a Food Trailer for Sale

Finding the proper configuration is important if you want to be successful in your food trailer business. For instance, if you want to make BBQ but your configuration doesn’t include a smoker, things will be difficult.

Here are three kitchen configurations you should consider when searching for a food trailer for sale.

1. Hot Kitchen Configuration

This is probably your most common configuration when searching for a food trailer for sale.

Hot kitchen configurations generally include a stove, oven, deep fryer, or other specialty cooking surface. These configurations are perfect for your basic concession food like popcorn, cotton candy, and funnel cakes. However, you can also find hot kitchen configurations that are specifically designed for pizza, tacos, and your basic concession fares.

Expect to spend at least $10,000 for your basic hot kitchen configuration, but that price can go up as you get more specialized.

2. Cold Kitchen Configuration

There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than grabbing a cool treat at a fair, festival, or youth sporting event. A cold kitchen food trailer can help give you the configuration you need for ice cream, smoothies, Italian ice – or even coffee and deli sandwiches.

These trailers focus on lots of insulation and cooler space, which is ideal for keeping your frozen treats fresh and from melting. You should also look for a configuration that has plenty of storage and food prep space.

This is a great option if you plan on targeting the hot summer months or live in the Southern United States where it’s warm all year.

3. BBQ & Porch Configuration

If you’re looking for something beyond the concession food trailers that are most popular, consider stepping up your game and going with a BBQ & Porch configuration.

These food trailers resemble small professional kitchens, with plenty of cooking space and equipment included. These trailers have an open-air space that can be used for serving in addition to the windows found in other food trailers.

The added features come with a larger price tag. A basic new BBQ & Porch food trailer for sale with no equipment included will cost you about $15,000. But once you add in the equipment necessary to make your food trailer unique and successful, that price could easily double or triple.

This configuration probably isn’t the best option for small business owners who are new to the food trailer business, unless they have prior food preparation experience.

Determining Which Food Trailer for Sale Meets Your Needs

Before you select the food trailer for sale that you want to purchase, it’s important to understand exactly what you hope to sell. From there, you can find the existing configuration or custom-build one that’s perfect for your goals. If you’re not sure where to start, consider the three configurations above and go from there.