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.

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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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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