How To Build Food Vending Carts

How to build a food vending cart is something many people have asked through the ages. Food vending carts are more than 2,000 years old. They have been used to serve virtually every type of food in human history. They have been pushed all over the Middle East, Latin America and along the streets of Beijing. Most food vending carts share a common design. Building a basic food vending cart consists of creating a flat platform attached to 2 wheels. Some more complex carts use 3 or 4 wheels but the most basic design calls for only 2 wheels.

        To build a basic food vending cart you will need:

• A shopping cart with an umbrella slot
• Sheet metal
• Metal-cutting tools
• Staples, screws and nuts
• Wrenches and screwdrivers

1. Starting with a basic shopping cart is very wise. You can attach signs on both sides of it and some shopping carts have a slot for an umbrella. You can purchase one on E-bay for pennies. For the sake of time, pick one that has a cover and an umbrella slot.
2. You will cut the sheet metal to cover your food vending cart’s exact dimensions and paint on your logos or business design.
3. Attach the sheet metal squares and rectangles to your cart with metal staples and nuts. Attach the sheet metal edges to each other with screws. Use nuts to secure both types of attaching devices.
4. Add your business umbrella. The final touch is to add your distinctive umbrella and decide what to sell.
5. Developing the cart for hot or cold foods requires specific tools for both. Cold foods can be kept a lower temperature with a waterproof bladder, ice and salt water. Hot foods can be kept warm with hot packs. An internal heat source is not recommended in this type of cart.

The coolest part of this project is that most professional food vending carts start around $1,000 and you have just built one for less than $150. Congratulations!