When you're running a mobile food business, you have business competition all around you. Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. To delve a little deeper into your competition and how to keep track of it, you should know the differences between your direct and indirect competitors.
Direct competitors can be businesses that
Offer the same products and/or services as you offer your customers
Have the same targeted demographic of customers
A good example of a direct competitor for a food truck is another food truck or fast casual restaurant that sells the same style of cuisine.
Indirect competitors are a little more difficult to categorize in the mobile food industry. Although a restaurant may sell the same type of cuisine that you do, if they’re classified as a fine-dining establishment, you likely won’t be competing for the same customers.
Most of your indirect competitors will be the food trucks that serve different types of cuisine as you do but charge similar prices and operate in the areas you’re planning to work.