Frequently Asked Questions

In a word - quality.  You cannot find better built trucks anywhere.  Where others use galvanized steel or aluminum, we forego skimping and use stainless steel.  We reinforce all of the framing of our trucks, use the best materials and custom build each and every truck from the ground up. We work with each customer every step of the way to ensure ease of use, efficiency and value.   We could use a production line like other manufacturers, but we believe that when you have individuals working hands-on on a truck, your quality-control never falters.   No detail is too small to be considered and reconsidered in the scheme of the total design.  We consider your operation and build the most efficient, durable truck possible...and we guarantee health department approval of each and every unit we manufacture!  99% of the trucks we repair are from other manufacturers while our trucks are out in the field working.  That says it all.

Our pricing includes most County Health Department plan approval fees as well as CA State Housing Authority plan approval and insignia fees (when required); these are included in the purchase price of most new and refurbished trucks, as are plan design and composition costs.  Certain exceptions do occur from time to time depending on the design of a given unit and local requirements.

Not included in our pricing are annual County Health Department operating permit fees, city business license fees and Department of Motor Vehicle registration renewal fees.  These costs are the responsibility of the owner-operator and vary from state to state and vehicle to vehicle.  Various factors determine the costs of these fees, such as location of operation, gross vehicle weight and city tax and licensing fee schedules.

How Much of a Down Payment Is Required? Back to top

Financing and leasing services are available through third-party financial institutions. Credit applications can be mailed, faxed or emailed upon request or you may click on the link below to visit our financing page where you can download printable credit applications from various companies or submit online applications (whenever available).  Our Financing Section is periodically updated so check back regularly to find any newly listed finance companies which may best suit your needs.

Click Here to View Our Financing Section

Completed applications must be submitted to the finance companies directly by mail or fax.  Fax numbers, mailing addresses and other contact information are provided on the applications and within the pertinent web-pages.   If you have any financing questions or need assistance completing the applications, please call the toll-free numbers provided within the applications to speak with an agent.  Approval, interest rates, finance charges and terms are determined by the third-party financial institutions.  Applications usually take 2 to 3 business days to process.  Armenco Cater Truck Mfg. Co., Inc. does not participate in the review of applications nor determines approval, rate, payment structure or terms and conditions associated with the financing of carts, trailers, kiosks, vehicles and/or any other equipment or service provided by Armenco but financed through other companies or institutions.  Questions, comments, appeals and disputes should be directed and addressed to the pertinent financing company using the contact information provided on the applications. 

We also have a financing subsection which contains information to help you decide which is better for you, financing or leasing, and to determine if you qualify for financing.  This section will also be updated periodically with more information.  Simply Click Here For Our Financing Qualification Information Page.

How Do I Open the Credit Applications? Back to top

Do You Have Any Distributors or Showrooms In My Local Area? Back to top

Yes, we provide our products and services throughout the United States, Canada and abroad, with the exception of customers residing in countries with whom trade is restricted (for more information on this topic please visit the United States Bureau of Industry and Security Website). 

All of our work is based out of our Sun Valley, California facility and items are shipped via traditional carriers, freight or cargo.  Our warranty work is also performed on-site at our California plant; however, as we understand that it is often not feasible for our out of state and international customers to come to us for such warranty service or repairs, we design and manufacture all of trucks, trailers and carts in such a fashion as to allow our customers to perform routine maintenance and repairs with little or no technical experience and without the need for special tools or equipment.  Many of our international and out of state customers rarely experience significant downtime as they know that parts, service and support are simply a telephone call away even after-hours, weekends and holidays when all calls are forwarded to our personal telephones.  Parts are usually shipped out and received within one or two business days and the trucks, trailers or carts are often serviced and back to work just as quickly.  We take great care to be available to each and every customer long after their purchase.  Our relationships with our customers is actively maintained for as long as our assistance is needed... year after year.   

Many lending institutions, including those listed on our site, provide leasing services.  The best way to find a unit for short-term rent is to contact your nearest commissary (commissaries are the facilities where catering trucks and mobile food carts and trailers are stored over-night, cleaned and stocked) and ask them if they know of anyone who rents or leases mobile food units.  They will most often know where to refer you.  Southern California customers are welcome to call us for local commissary numbers and addresses.

Used trucks are a rare find these days.  As with all used vehicles, common sense and caution should be exercised before purchasing a used catering truck or trailer.  If you find one for sale at a surprisingly low price, there are a few things you should determine before making a purchase.  Please read carefully because some of the information provided below is not common knowledge and may not only surprise you but save you thousands of dollars:

-  Ensure that the truck is operable, in good working condition, and that routine maintenance has been performed regularly. 

-  If any repairs are necessary, try to determine if they can be performed at a reasonable cost. 

-  Always have a competent mechanic look over the truck before making a purchase. 

-  Ask if a warranty is furnished with the truck or if it is sold As-Is.   If a warranty is provided, ask what is and is not covered.  More importantly, ask if having a catering kitchen manufactured onto the step-van will void or alter  the vehicular warranty.

Many states do not allow a "cooling off" period during which a vehicle (new or used) can be returned for a refund or exchange.  Most sales are final and care must be taken to ensure a wise investment.  In lieu of this, some states have enacted protective measures for consumers, commonly referred to as Lemon Laws.  Lemon Laws protect consumers in the event that an irreparably defective vehicle is purchased and a fair and reasonable number of attempts at repair or resolution have proved ineffective.  You will find a helpful and informative Lemon Law Site within our Links page.  The site itself contains valuable resources, informative articles and numerous links to state-by-state Lemon Law sites.

-  IMPORTANT:  If you purchase a used truck you must determine if it is up to current standards, both mechanically (weight classification, appropriate title registration, state emission requirements, etc.) as well as in terms of the catering kitchen. 

Determine if the truck will meet and pass your local health department requirements and inspection for approval and issuance of a license to operate without the need for further refurbishment, repair or customization.  If additional work is required, get an estimate to calculate your final cost so that you do not end up paying more for the refurnished catering truck than you would for a brand new one. 

If a truck is not up to current codes it will not receive health department approval for operation and will be practically worthless since it cannot be operated.

Please Note: Armenco Cater Truck Mfg. Co., Inc. assumes no responsibility for claims made by third parties advertising used vehicles, carts, trailers or other equipment via CateringTruck.com.  Armenco further assumes no liability for any sales, offers or transactions, financial or otherwise, resulting from third-party advertisements and/or any consequences, direct or indirect, thereof.  Armenco does not make any claims nor representations on behalf of advertisers; does not endorse reliability or guarantee performance of vehicles or equipment advertised herein; does not warrant fitness of items listed within the Used Section for a specific purpose; and does not provide any warranties for used trucks, trailers, carts or other such units or equipment unless otherwise explicitly stated in writing of a non-digital format, on official company letterhead. Pricing and specifications subject to change without notification.  Additional costs not listed may apply. Inquiries related to specifications, pricing and details of listed items should be made to the individual(s) listing the item(s) in question and whose contact information is typically provided within the given listing.  All other inquiries may be forwarded to Armenco Cater Truck Mfg. Co., Inc. via telephone, email or postal mail.

I Regularly See Older Outdated Trucks Operating.  How Can They Be Licensed If They Aren't Up To Current Health Department Codes? Back to top

Older, outdated trucks which are not up to code can continue to be licensed under what is commonly referred to as a Grandfather Clause.  Basically the first time a truck is issued a health department permit, it MUST be up to the codes and standards of that time.  Many health departments update, revise and add codes frequently.  Since it would not be feasible for owners to refurbish their trucks each time the codes change, the trucks can continue to be licensed and operated as long as the original bearer of the permit/vehicle-owner continually renews the permit every year without any lapse in renewal.  

However, once the truck is sold, the title transferred or the license renewal lapsed, the truck will no longer be approved unless it is refurbished and brought up to code.  Additionally, the original owner may face the same potential problem if the truck is moved to another state (or in some cases even a different county); under such circumstances the truck would again have to be brought up to code to be issued a permit.  It may sometimes cost more to refurbish a truck and bring it up to code than to purchase a new truck or kitchen, depending upon the nature of work to be performed and how extensive the refurbishment will be.  Therefore always check with your local health department before purchasing a used catering truck or trailer.  PLEASE NOTE:  We take great care to ensure that any and all information we provide is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge.  The advice and precautions noted are general statements and have been found to apply to most county health departments.  Your health department may have different requirements not noted here or the restrictions noted may not apply to you.   The statements herein are for informational purposes only and should not be misconstrued as legal advice or fully accurate in every circumstance; please contact your health department for the most current information.   

Your Prices Include Plan Composition & Submission Fees.  What Are The Plans For? Back to top

Most cities/counties require detailed plans of trucks, trailers and carts prior to issuing approval for either construction and manufacture of a given mobile food unit or licensing of a used or out of state truck, trailer or cart.  Most county health departments within California require a State Housing Authority Insignia prior to the approval and licensing of a mobile food unit.  Therefore plans must be submitted to the California Housing Authority as well in order to be issued said insignia.  Many states and counties throughout the country have similar requirements.  We determine and handle all of these requirements for all of our customers, regardless of location.

We provide complete plan design, composition and submission services at affordable rates. All plans are professionally drafted using the latest Computer Assisted Design software and include detailed floor plans, cross sections, wiring, piping and gas line diagrams and illustrations of the entire unit.   Most state and county plan composition, submission and insignia fees are included in the prices of our catering trucks, trailers and mobile food carts.  As requirements vary, the drawings required, level of involvement, and degree of detail needed for each plan also differs and, as such, can affect pricing.  Please call us at 800-77ARMENCO to learn more about this service and to obtain a quote. 

To learn what current codes and regulation requirements are within your area, contact your local health department.  Most health  departments have websites listing current county codes, guidelines, pricing schedules, health inspector directories and other helpful information.

Although as of this writing the Department of Environmental Health Services, County of Los Angeles - Plan Check Division had not yet uploaded their current mobile food requirements onto their website, you can find other useful information, links and contact telephone numbers and addresses at their website by clicking the graphic link below:

Yes, we stock parts for mobile food carts and trailers, motion picture and catering trucks and other mobile food related units and can ship them via ground or air delivery.   These range from custom-manufactured service doors to hinges; gas-arms to diamond-plated sheet metal paneling;  oven knobs to coffee handles...and much more.  We carry virtually everything and anything. Certain hard to find items can also be special ordered and we carry numerous catalogs in-house which customers are free to peruse when visiting our facility. Look for our online parts database coming soon.

Yes, we provide complete repair, maintenance and service work for all makes and models of catering trucks, motion picture trucks, hot dog carts and trailers as well as all other mobile food units such as churro carts, snow cone machines, craft service trailers, etc.  Aside from our manufacturing facility we are fully equipped to provide repair and maintenance services for mobile food vehicles, carts, trailers, etc.  Drive-train, chassis and automotive repairs and service are outsourced to third-parties; we specialize specifically in repairing equipment, appliances and accessories related to food preparation as well as related fixtures such as gas lines, plumbing components, electrical units, etc.

We currently have one UL-Listed churro cart.    In 2008 we discontinued UL listings of several of our carts due to changes in local State codes which prevented the use of existing steam-table-based hot dog carts within the State of California.  Nevertheless, the codes will reportedly be reverted and the former designs acceptable once again - at that time we will re-instate UL and related listings of our carts.  Nevertheless, individual listing of our manufactured units is still possible at an additional cost as charged by the inspecting agency or agencies. 

Some images, floor plans, and virtual tours are relatively large files and many visitors use dial-up connections. The larger images and links may load slowly for such visitors.  Therefore, these links and images open in new windows so that one may continue to view the original page or browse the site while the new image or link loads.  Due to the growing number of invasive pop-up windows and unsolicited advertisements used by various online companies, some users may have "pop-up blocking" programs running on their computers.  Although such programs are helpful in alleviating annoying pop-up advertising, they unfortunately may not be able to differentiate between wanted and unwanted pop-up windows, therefore preventing the images and links from opening.  Under such circumstances nothing happens when a link programmed to open in a new window is clicked.  If you are running such a program, please disable it while viewing our site.  You can be assured that we do not incorporate any pop-up advertisements or links which would hinder your viewing experience.  As a matter of fact, we have joined a growing segment of web-sites in taking a stand against unethical and forced advertising means such as pop-up and pop-under ads and to help protect the online privacy of our users.  Please read our Privacy Policy to learn more about the steps we take to protect your privacy, keep your information confidential (including contact information provided through our online information request forms and emails) and maintain the highest degree of security possible.  To learn more about the growing number of websites working to end pop-up advertising, click the link below:
ASAP! A Stand Against Pop-under Ads!

Why Does My Screen Appear Blank When I Try to View PDF-Based Documents?  Back to top

First and foremost, all PDF-Based files require Adobe® Acrobat-Reader™ for viewing and/or printing.  If you do not have this program you cannot access PDF files, period.  Therefore, you must first download and install the program.  This can be done at the following link:  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. 

When opening PDF-Based documents, such as floor plans, photos sheets or brochures, you are making a request for the file to be retrieved from the server where the CateringTruck.com site resides.  What this means is that the file must be fully downloaded to your computer's temporary file before it can be viewed.  Since some files are a bit large (50k to 150k), this may take some time; while the file loads, your screen may appear blank.

Even after a file has completed loading you may still find yourself staring at a blank page within the Adobe® Acrobat-Reader™ interface.  Should this happen, simply close the program, return to the page where you found the linked PDF file and click the link again.  Since the file has already been downloaded and stored within your temporary folder, the document, floor plan or other such PDF file will not need to be downloaded again but will, instead, open almost immediately.  If you are still having trouble, please feel free to Contact Us or visit the Adobe® Acrobat-Reader™ Support Page at: http://www.adobe.com/support/products/acrreader.html.

Generally speaking, all of our current literature, pricing and images are available within this website. Since every truck, trailer and cart is manufactured to order and most of our orders are for custom-designed units, it would be nearly impossible to portray the unlimited number of different designs and options available in a brochure.  The literature that is available consists of the same exact information as that contained within our site, including images, and are made available to walk-in customers and those who do not have internet access. 

We strive to provide our customers with all the information they need to make the best informed decision possible.  Whenever possible we try to accommodate requests for additional images and specific floor plan images with which one may determine the design and configuration best suited for their needs.  If interested in additional materials please call us and we will do our best to provide you with your requested information promptly.

We frequently update our site and encourage you to check back regularly to view the most up-to-date information,  images and pricing of our trucks, trailers and carts.  With at least two updates per month, our site continually expands with added floor plans and photos and newly designed units.  Our News Page and Home Page are the best places to find out about our most recent updates.

We are open Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 5:00PM, Pacific Standard Time.  We are closed on major holidays and April 24th of each year.

In addition to our regular hours of operation noted above, we are open Saturdays, by appointment only, to accommodate  out of state customers and those who are unable to visit during our normal working hours. 

If you wish to visit on a given Saturday, please call us at 800-345-0104 by the preceding Thursday (48 hours in advance), to schedule an appointment. 

Can I Visit Your Facility to See Trucks/Trailers/Carts In Person?
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We welcome the opportunity to meet with prospective customers or anyone interested in more information.  Although we do not have units in stock as "showroom models," we are always manufacturing several trucks, trailers and/or carts which visitors can see in person during their visit to gain a better understanding of our workmanship, materials and design options.