In your first 90 days measure sales per stop, items sold, food cost, catering inquiries and where customers heard about you. Review weekly, drop weak stops, and double down on the locations and channels that work.
Track weekly
| Metric | Why |
|---|---|
| Sales per stop | Which locations to keep |
| Top items | Menu focus |
| Food cost % | Profit |
| Catering inquiries | Biggest growth lever |
| How customers found you | Marketing focus |
Worksheet
Use the lead tracking worksheet.
Worked example
For the first 90 days, Rosa records sales per stop, top items, food cost and how customers found her. After six weeks, one office park consistently underperforms, so she replaces it with a hospital campus that a regular suggested. Catering inquiries come mostly from her website, so she improves the catering page.
Common mistakes
- Judging a stop after one visit
- Not tracking where customers came from
- Ignoring food cost trends
A weekly review routine
Every Monday, open your POS reports and write down sales per stop, top five items, any items that didn't sell, food cost estimate from invoices, catering inquiries received and how new customers heard about you. Compare with the previous week. After a month, patterns appear: which stops are worth keeping, which items to promote or cut, and which marketing channels bring people. Make one change at a time so you can see its effect.
Turning numbers into decisions
Drop stops that consistently underperform, promote best-selling items, adjust prices if food cost rises and invest more in the channels that bring catering inquiries.
A simple weekly tracker
| Week | Stops | Sales | Top item | Food cost note | Catering inquiries | New customer sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 3 |
Catering as a metric
Track catering inquiries, quotes sent and events booked separately; catering often becomes a truck's steadiest income and deserves its own numbers.
Share results
Share weekly numbers with your crew.
Common questions
How long before I know a stop works?
Give a new stop a few visits; weather and events skew single days.
Should I track weather?
Noting weather alongside sales helps explain slow days and plan better.
Should I compare stops by hour?
Yes, sales per hour at each stop shows which locations are truly worth the time, setup and drive.
What tools help track sales?
Most POS systems report sales by day, item and location.
How often should I review?
Weekly for stops and items, monthly for costs and marketing.
What if every stop is slow?
Review location choices, timing, visibility and promotion; ask regulars where else they'd like to see you.
Should I survey customers?
A quick question at the window, such as "How did you hear about us?", gives useful data without a formal survey.
What numbers matter most in month one?
Sales per stop and how customers heard about you. They tell you where to park and how to promote, which are the two decisions that shape the first season.
When should I expect steady sales?
It varies by market and concept. Many trucks need several weeks at a stop before regulars form, so judge stops on trends rather than single days.
Put your menu and schedule in one easy-to-share place
A simple website gives customers your current menu, where you are parked this week and a way to book catering, all from one link.
See food-truck websites