Food truck finance
A food truck is two purchases pretending to be one: a commercial vehicle with a V5, and a kitchen bolted inside it that never appears on the logbook.
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Can you finance a food truck?
Yes, and the funding follows the vehicle. A converted van is registered, has a V5 and a VIN, and funders treat it as a commercial vehicle with a body on it, which is comfortable territory. Used trucks are fundable. The complication is the conversion. Buy a van from a dealer and pay a converter separately and you have two invoices, one for an asset and one largely for labour. Buy a finished, certified unit on a single invoice from the converter and the whole thing funds far more easily.
Used kit: Yes. Used food trucks fund readily where the V5, service history and gas and electrical certification are in order, and funders usually prefer a converted van bought through a dealer to a private sale.
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What would a food truck cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Vehicles are the most comfortable asset class in the whole of asset finance, and a registered van with a HPI-checkable history gives a funder security it can actually value. The conversion is a different matter: stainless, gas, a serving hatch and a generator add cost but not resale value proportionate to it, and a heavily branded wrap makes the vehicle harder to sell on. Funders therefore look at the underlying van value and treat part of the conversion as soft. Mobile catering also carries the seasonality question, and many applicants are young businesses or sole traders, so expect personal guarantees and questions about confirmed bookings, insurance and where the unit is kept overnight.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter conversion | Panel van built out as a kitchen |
| Ford Transit conversion | Long-wheelbase van kitchen build |
| Fiat Ducato conversion | Popular street food van base |
| Citroen Relay conversion | Van base for mobile catering |
| Renault Master conversion | Van base for food service fit-out |
| Vauxhall Movano conversion | Van base for kitchen fit-out |
| Peugeot Boxer conversion | Van base for street food traders |
| Piaggio Ape Classic conversion | Compact three-wheel food unit |
| Buffalo countertop cooking equipment | Compact cooking kit for van kitchens |
| Polar undercounter fridges | Refrigerated storage for van kitchens |
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Who buys one
Street food traders graduating from a pitch or a borrowed unit, coffee operators fitting out a van for office parks and events, restaurants extending a brand into festivals, and franchise operators buying to a set specification. There is also a steady stream of career changers buying a first truck. The trigger is usually a confirmed run of events or a corporate contract that makes a fixed weekly income look plausible.
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How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Food truck finance questions
Should I buy the van and the conversion separately?
It is usually easier to fund a finished unit on one invoice from a converter. Two separate purchases means two transactions, one of which is largely labour with limited recovery value, and some funders will only advance against the vehicle. A single certified unit is one asset with one value and one set of paperwork.
Can I finance a food truck if the business is only a few months old?
Sometimes, and the vehicle element helps because it is real security. Expect to be assessed personally, with a guarantee, and expect questions about confirmed bookings, your background and whether you have traded in catering before. Buying a mainstream base vehicle rather than something exotic improves the odds noticeably.
Does a full wrap or branding affect the funding?
Not the decision, but it affects the value. A heavily branded truck is harder to sell to anyone other than another operator in the same trade, so funders factor that into what they think the asset is worth. It does not stop the deal; it simply means the business case has to carry more of the weight.
Is the generator included?
Usually yes if it is fitted into the vehicle and appears on the converter’s invoice, since it is part of the completed unit. A separate portable generator bought elsewhere is a low-value standalone item and is better added to the same schedule at the outset than funded on its own afterwards.
Will I need commercial vehicle insurance before payout?
Yes. Funders release money to the supplier on delivery and they require the vehicle to be insured with their interest noted, so arrange cover before collection day. It is worth telling your broker it is a catering conversion rather than a plain van, because standard commercial policies do not always cover the equipment inside.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
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Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
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