Business guides and planning materials

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Complete Food Business Guides

Expert-crafted guides covering everything you need to start and grow a successful food service business.

What we cover

From startup and licensing to menu pricing, equipment, and marketing—our guides walk you through each step with checklists and examples.

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Startup
15 min read

Complete Food Truck Startup Guide

Featured Guide

Everything you need to know to start your food truck business from scratch, including permits, equipment, and marketing strategies.

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Startup
20 min read

Catering Business 101: First 90 Days

Featured Guide

A step-by-step 12-week plan to launch your catering business, from legal setup to first bookings.

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Licensing
18 min read

All Required Permits & Licenses by State/Country

Organized view of common food service permits by U.S. state and international regions, plus compliance checklist.

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Menu & Pricing
16 min read

Menu Engineering: Designing Profitable Menus

Engineering your menu with contribution margin, popularity metrics, and design psychology to boost profits.

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Licensing
8 min read

Catering Business License Requirements

Featured Guide

Navigate the complex world of food service licensing and permits for your catering business.

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Equipment
12 min read

Essential Food Truck Equipment Guide

Complete breakdown of must-have equipment for your food truck, from cooking gear to POS systems.

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Food Safety
10 min read

Food Safety and HACCP Compliance

Master food safety regulations and implement HACCP systems to protect your customers and business.

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Menu & Pricing
7 min read

Menu Pricing Psychology

Learn the psychological principles behind menu pricing and how to maximize your profit margins.

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Insurance
9 min read

Insurance for Food Service Businesses

Comprehensive guide to insurance requirements and options for food trucks and catering companies.

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Menu & Pricing
18 min read

Costing Your Menu: Food Cost % & Margins

Featured Guide

Master food cost %, contribution margin, and a step-by-step costing workflow to price with confidence.

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Marketing
17 min read

Branding & Marketing Startup for Food Trucks

Define positioning, build a visual identity, and execute a 60-day launch plan for traction.

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Marketing
16 min read

Marketing on Social Media for Catering Businesses

A practical social media playbook: content system, weekly cadence, lead capture, and KPIs.

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Technology
9 min read

Technology Tools: Order Apps, Inventory, Scheduling

Overview of order apps, inventory software, and scheduling tools for food trucks and catering. How to choose and integrate.

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Legal & Tax
9 min read

Legal Structure & Tax Planning for Food Businesses

Sole prop, LLC, S-corp for food trucks and catering. Tax basics, deductions, and when to get professional advice.

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Startup
9 min read

Food Truck vs Catering: Pros, Cons, and Who It's For

Direct comparison of food truck and catering businesses. Costs, flexibility, scalability, and which path fits your goals.

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Menu & Pricing
9 min read

Menu Diversification: Specials, LTOs, and Dietary Options

How to add specials, limited-time offers, and dietary-friendly items to your menu without hurting margins or operations.

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Financial
9 min read

Forecasting Revenue, Budgeting, and Profitability

How to forecast revenue, build a budget, and track profitability for food trucks and catering. Tools and workflows.

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Strategy
9 min read

Exit Strategy: Selling Your Mobile Food or Catering Business

How to prepare and sell a food truck or catering business. Valuation, documents, and transition steps.

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More resources

Use our calculators and tools, templates, and FAQ alongside the guides to plan and launch your business.

Sterling Food Service - Food Truck & Catering Business Startup Hub

Your complete resource for starting and growing a successful food truck or catering business. From licensing to equipment, we've got you covered.

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