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Imagine a drive-thru business that only sells products sourced from other local businesses. The drive-thru sells a selection of locally produced and retailed products to customers lined up in their cars.
It just might work as a viable business model. Existing franchise drive-thru businesses commonly found on stroads stock things easy to sell window-to-window — food, drinks, convenience goods.
To compete with franchises in your town, you buy a truck and sell local family-owned brick and mortar businesses’ best products to customers in their cars drive thru style.
The local business drive thru truck is made up of these real-world parts: “drive thrus”, “food trucks”, “drive through trucks”, and “local businesses”. You could effectively reduce franchises' financial foothold in your community by serving local customers on wheels better for real.
A drive thru business lets Americans buy things without leaving their cars.
Usually a drive thru establishment has a service window where customers pull up their cars and roll down their windows to receive service. But sometimes a drive thru (or drive in) asks customers to park in a designated area to receive service.
Most American drive-thrus operate by franchise, franchisee, and franchisor with a proven business model, but today I’m wondering could an entrepreneur low on cash start one?
A food truck business sells food from a wheeled vehicle, and the food is typically prepared inside the wheeled vehicle.
Most food trucks attract foot traffic. But it’s possible to sell food window-to-window from a food truck to a customer in their car. But most food trucks are optimized for people to walk up and order their food.
The point is: a business on wheels carries less startup cost compared to most other physical business ideas.
To start a drive thru business, you’ll need a building or a vehicle from which to serve customers from the windows of their cars.
Most existing drive-thru franchises operate from a brick-and-mortar drive thru establishment, with high startup cost. If you’ve got the cash to build a brick-and-mortar building, then good for you.
Entrepreneurs low on cash could start a drive thru on wheels. It’s not exactly a “food truck” because the food isn’t necessarily prepared inside the truck. It’s a “drive thru truck” designed for selling window-to-window.
The same types of truck and trailer systems food trucks use can be simplified for drive-thru retail — simpler and cheaper when you don’t install a kitchen on wheels. You buy a used commercial truck or trailer, and customize it for stocking and selling products drive thru style.
Probably, you’ll need city permits similar to but more lenient than a fancy food truck with a full blown kitchen. You’ll only be stocking ready-to-sell products pre-purchased from existing local businesses, so your “drive thru truck” operates without a kitchen.
A local business is one that provides products and/or services to people within a specific local community.
Technically, a local business can be a small or large business. We generally think of “Local” and “Family-Owned” as the same idea, but technically, a local business can be any business selling things to you and your neighbors — large or small.
The spirit of support for local businesses — as exemplified by U.S. Congress’ “Save Local Business Act” — is to encourage entrepreneurship by local community members to build small businesses.
Most Americans would prefer to support local, family-owned businesses, yet we spend the most cash at massive supermarkets.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ LOCAL BUSINESS DRIVE THRU TRUCK
If you’re looking for a five-star business plan with low startup cost… If you want to start a food truck business, but you’re a one-star chef… Then try your next business could be a “Local Business Drive Thru Truck”.
Customers pull up, buy, and drive off. It’s like a food truck drive through, but you don’t necessarily have to sell food.
The “Local Business Drive Thru Truck” sources local products and sells them by drive thru. It’s a mix of the parts we’ve discussed, like an American trailblazer’s general store on wheels parked to compete with franchised fast food, gas stations, and superstores.
Setup a drive-thru in a high-traffic area where people can safely drive-thru after you get permission from your city government and law enforcement.
🛍️ It’s a local business, because you re-sell products you buy from existing local businesses.
🛞 It’s a drive thru, because you sell things to people in their cars.
🚚 It’s a truck, because you sell things from a vehicle on wheels.
Graycare is NOT a lawyer.
Common drive thru businesses include fast food restaurants, bank ATMs, prescription pharmacies, car washes and oil changes — but you can sell different things from your truck.
Market research of what customers driving stroads in your city want to buy without leaving their car. If picking up good stuff from local shops is your goal, consider these viable local drive thru product ideas.
F&B sells well by drive thru, as demonstrated by American fast food franchises since the 1940s. Some tasty products to sell from a truck might include:
The line between food truck and truck selling food items depends on the rules and regulations in your jurisdiction. The less food preparation takes place in the truck, the less like a food truck your operation becomes
What foods can be sold without a special license?
What non-food items can be sold without a special license?
…Two good questions to ask your local authority.
Americans are busy. Money is tight. We’re in our cars.
People feel good when they shop local at the drive thru, and they shop there because it’s a drive thru and they’re sitting on a platform with wheels.
A drive thru general store is a viable business model which can be put into place by food truck owners who couldn’t take the heat of the kitchen. The drive-thru buys products from “old downtown” brick and mortar businesses, then carries into high-traffic locations to compete with franchises for drive-thru customers in their cars.
The idea fits perfectly between American’s preference for local and our need to make ends meet, mostly from inside a gas-powered vehicle capable of 120+ MPH but only recommended up to 65 or 75 MPH under freeway conditions, and kept under 25 or 35 MPH on skreets kids play.
The Ford Fiesta — discontinued in 2023 — had a top speed of 143 mph, but now the party’s over.
Frustrated liberal influencers peddle anti-franchise internet media which mostly results in further frustration. Boring! The entrepreneur who cares deeply about customers in their local community, can start a drive thru to make profit and change.
"We support our community” messaging is best supported by the local drive thru business that supports their community on wheels.
The drive thru truck selling local products could become a profitable, scalable model that supports small businesses while serving customers who’ve proven they prefer buying stuff while driving cars.
I’d say — it’s possible for a solopreneur to start a drive thru truck business. It’s the business on wheels for customers on wheels.
