About Sterling Food Service
Sterling Food Service is a free, independent resource for people starting or running a food truck or catering business. We take the scattered parts of getting started, like permits, pricing, equipment, and food safety, and turn them into clear guides, calculators, and checklists you can actually use.
Why this site exists
Getting a food business off the ground usually means digging through health department PDFs, outdated forum threads, and sales pages that all want something from you. The basic questions, like what a permit costs, how to price a menu, or what equipment you really need, end up buried.
We pulled that information into one place, organized it around the decisions you actually face, and kept it free. The goal is simple: help you make confident, well-informed choices without paying for a consultant just to understand the basics.
What you will find here
Everything is free to use, and most of it is built around your real-world numbers.
Step-by-step guides
Plain-language walkthroughs for licensing, equipment, food safety, menu pricing, insurance, and more.
Browse guidesFree calculators
Run the numbers on startup costs, profit, menu costing, pricing, fuel, and staffing before you commit money.
Open the toolsTemplates and checklists
Downloadable business plan, food safety, and financial tracking templates you can fill in and reuse.
Get templatesResearch and benchmarks
Reference numbers on startup costs, permit fees, revenue ranges, and launch timelines, written in clear language.
See the dataHow we research and write
- We base our content on public sources: health department requirements, government small business resources, industry reports, and current pricing from real suppliers and software vendors.
- We write in plain language and show the calculations, so you can check our numbers against your own situation instead of taking them on faith.
- We review pages as rules, prices, and tools change, and we date them where we can so you know how recent the information is.
A quick, honest note: our guides are educational, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Requirements vary by state, county, and city, so confirm the specifics with your local health department and a licensed professional before you spend money or sign anything.
Who this is for
First-time owners
Working out what it costs, what is legal, and where to start.
Working operators
Tightening pricing, margins, and day-to-day operations.
Caterers and pop-ups
The same fundamentals as a truck, applied to events and stands.
How we approach our work
Free and open
No login, no paywall, no drip funnel. The guides, tools, and templates are here for you to use right now.
Practical, not theoretical
We show the math behind every recommendation so you can plug in your own numbers and check the result.
Honest about the limits
Rules and prices change and vary by location. We tell you when to confirm details with your local authority or a licensed pro.
Kept current
We revisit pages as regulations, costs, and software change, and we date what we can so you know how fresh it is.
Ready to dig in?
Start with a guide, run your numbers through a calculator, or send us a question. It is all free.