How To Create a Unique & Profitable Menu for a Food Truck

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In the second installment of our food truck case study series, we continue to follow Anthony Salvagno, the mastermind behind S’wich It Up, as he navigates the challenging process of building a food truck business from scratch. This time, Salvagno shares how he developed a one-of-a-kind menu for his sandwich truck—one that has roots in childhood favorites but is refined for today’s customer. We also dive into the complexities of sourcing ingredients, a process that Salvagno admits can make or break a food truck operation.

For many food truck owners, creating a unique menu is no easy feat. The food you serve can make or break your business, especially as tastes evolve and trends come and go. Salvagno, however, has always had a clear vision of the kind of food he wanted to serve. “Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were my go-to as a kid,” Salvagno recalls. “It made sense to build a menu around something I love and knew well.”

But as any food entrepreneur knows, creating a menu isn’t just about passion—it’s about practicality. While Salvagno was guided by his love of spreads and jellies, the real challenge came in turning that inspiration into a profitable, sustainable menu.

What will your menu look like?

Building a Menu—And Profitable

Salvagno’s approach to building his menu was surprisingly grounded. He began by hosting a tasting party with friends and family, gathering feedback on various sandwich combinations he had been experimenting with. “It was the easiest way to see what worked and what didn’t,” he said. “Sometimes you need honest feedback from people who aren’t afraid to tell you when something’s just not hitting the mark.”

The feedback helped Salvagno focus his offerings. One standout creation? A s’more-inspired sandwich that has the potential to become S’wich It Up’s signature item. But creativity alone wasn’t enough. Salvagno also kept an eye on execution time. “The more items you can serve quickly, the more sales you can make in a short period of time,” Salvagno explains. “It’s all about balancing creativity with efficiency.” Here are the steps to build a unique food truck menu.

S’witch It Up keeps things fresh by updating their menu every couple weeks.

Step 1: Define Your Concept

Start by defining a clear, focused concept. Salvagno’s idea was straightforward: sandwiches inspired by peanut butter and jellies. “PB&J was my go-to as a kid, so I built my menu around it,” he says. A strong theme attracts customers and makes your menu easier to build.

Step 2: Keep It Simple

Salvagno initially planned a large menu but soon realized smaller was better. “We focused on a few core sandwiches, like the s’more-inspired PB&J, that we could execute well,” he explains. A small, focused menu is easier to manage and more profitable.

Step 3: Think About Speed

Customers don’t want to wait forever for food. Salvagno designed his menu with speed in mind. “Every sandwich needed to be made in under five minutes,” he says. Simplicity keeps the line moving and increases your sales.

Step 4: Test Your Menu

Salvagno tested his menu by hosting a tasting party with friends. “It was the easiest way to see what worked,” he notes. Testing helps you refine recipes and weed out unpopular items before opening day.

Step 5: Streamline Your Sourcing

In the beginning, Salvagno tried to source from local suppliers, but it quickly became overwhelming. “I was running around too much,” he admits. He simplified by finding a few reliable suppliers, saving time and reducing stress.

Step 6: Price Wisely

Pricing is key to profitability. Salvagno balanced quality ingredients with reasonable pricing. “We wanted to offer something better than your average PB&J without scaring customers off,” he says. Finding that sweet spot is crucial.

The Sourcing Dilemma: Quality vs. Practicality

After fine-tuning the menu, the next challenge was sourcing ingredients—specifically, balancing the desire for high-quality, local products with the practical realities of running a food truck. Early on, Salvagno made a common rookie mistake: trying to source everything from different local suppliers. “I thought I was doing the right thing by getting bread from a local bakery, meat from small farms, and produce from nearby markets,” Salvagno admits. “But it became too much work. I was spending more time running around than actually working on the truck.”

The logistics of sourcing from multiple vendors quickly turned into unpaid work and added stress. Salvagno realized that while sourcing local and organic can be great in theory, it doesn’t always align with the realities of running a small, mobile business. “You have to weigh the cost and effort against what your customers are willing to pay,” he said. “Sure, people love the idea of local and organic, but not everyone’s going to pay $15 for a sandwich at lunch.”

This doesn’t mean Salvagno abandoned quality. Instead, he found ways to compromise—sourcing certain high-quality staple ingredients, like peanut butter and spreads, in bulk, while cutting down on the number of suppliers to streamline the process. “It’s all about striking the right balance,” he says. “You can have high-quality ingredients without overcomplicating your sourcing.”

Salvagno’s Advice for New Food Truck Owners

During our conversation, Salvagno offered valuable advice for food truck owners who are in the early stages of menu development and sourcing. One of the key lessons? Keep your supply chain simple. “Don’t spread yourself too thin by sourcing from too many places,” he warns. “It’s tempting, but it’ll eat into your time and your profits.”

Sid Gauby, owner of Slow River Coffee in Boise, echoes this sentiment, adding: “Unoccupied time feels longer than occupied time. If you’re spending too much time sourcing, you’re not focusing on the things that grow your business.” Gauby’s advice ties into another crucial point—making sure your customers feel engaged while they wait. “Distractions, like menu boards or even a bit of interaction, help customers pass the time and make the experience better,” Gauby notes.

Daily food prep on the food truck.

Salvagno also stressed the importance of knowing where your food comes from—without letting that pursuit overwhelm you. “You want to be educated about the food you’re serving, but you also need to stay practical,” he says. “The goal is to keep costs down and make sure your customers are getting a great product without feeling like they’re being overcharged.”

Final Thoughts

As S’wich It Up gets closer to launch, Salvagno is refining not only his menu but also his sourcing strategy to ensure both quality and efficiency. His journey serves as a real-world case study for aspiring food truck owners, offering insights into the careful balance required to build a successful business.

For anyone serious about starting a food truck, Salvagno’s experiences are invaluable. From testing menu items at home to making tough decisions about sourcing, his story highlights the importance of both creativity and practicality in this highly competitive industry.

Serious about Starting a Food Truck? Click Here To Learn How Anthony Salvagno’s Journey Can Help You Start a Food Truck Faster.

Key Takeaways from the Podcast:

• Test your menu: Gather feedback from trusted sources before finalizing your offerings.
• Focus on efficiency: The faster you can serve, the more potential for profit.
• Simplify sourcing: Don’t overcomplicate your supply chain by trying to work with too many vendors.
• Balance quality and cost: Offer high-quality ingredients without scaring off customers with high prices.
• Engage your customers: Keep them occupied while they wait with menu boards or personal interaction.
• Know your break-even point: Understand how many customers you need to serve each day to cover your costs.

In this interview, we reference a previous podcast where we discussed writing a business plan. If you’re interesting in reading Salvagno’s business plan, check out our first interview.

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