LAS VEGAS – For pizzeria owners eyeing expansion, the leap from a single location to a second or third can feel like a high-stakes gamble. The traditional route of signing a long-term lease, navigating a labyrinth of permits and hiring a full staff is not just a financial drain but a logistical nightmare. But what if there was a way to test a new market, build a customer base and validate your concept before committing hundreds of thousands of dollars?
According to Christian Buck of Cascadia Pizza Co., the answer is on wheels. At Pizza Expo 2025, Buck shared how food trucking has become a cornerstone of Cascadia’s growth strategy, allowing them to expand with confidence and precision. He argues that a mobile pizzeria isn’t just a side hustle; it’s a powerful tool for market research, brand building and concept validation.
“Food trucking is the last version of the mom-and-pop shop,” Buck explains, adding that that “big corporations stay away from it because it requires adaptability, creativity and a hands-on approach.” This creates a unique opportunity for independent operators to carve out a niche and connect directly with their communities.
Food Trucks for Growth
For many operators, a food truck is simply a catering vehicle. But for Cascadia Pizza Co., it’s a strategic scout. Before they even consider a brick-and-mortar location, the seven-location pizza company deploys its trucks to gauge a neighborhood’s appetite for their pizza. This mobile-first strategy allows them to gather real-world data and build a loyal following, significantly de-risking the massive investment of a physical restaurant.
“We are big believers that if a customer tries our product one time, we have the opportunity to turn them into a lifelong customer,” Buck says. Food trucks make this possible by “bringing our food truck to places and spaces where we would not typically be able to serve those customers.”
This approach is instrumental to Cascadia’s success. “Literally every location we have, we’ve been able to do that,” Buck says. The strategy not only confirms promising markets but also helps them avoid costly mistakes. “It also has stopped us from investing a lot of money in a potential market.”
Financial Advantage of Mobile First
The financial barrier to entry for a food truck is significantly lower than for a traditional restaurant. While still a major investment, it’s a more manageable one. “Unlike opening a brick and mortar, which requires permitting, full staff and can be a logistical and financial nightmare … you can get going for $50,000-$100,000,” Buck notes. This figure can be higher for a brand-new or custom-built unit, but he emphasizes that “there are much lesser burdens when operating and establishing a new food truck.”
Beyond the initial investment, the profit margins in mobile operations (particularly catering) can be much more attractive. Buck breaks down the numbers: “In the restaurant industry, you profit 10%, and most people are jumping up and down, right? Pizza, you can profit 15% to 20%. Catering, you can profit 30% to 40% to 50%.” These higher margins provide a financial cushion and a faster return on investment, fueling further growth.
Running a Mobile Pizzeria
While the strategic benefits are clear, Buck was candid about the operational challenges. A food truck is a restaurant on wheels, subject to the bumps, breakdowns and logistical hurdles of life on the road. Buck identified four major pain points for any food truck operator: maintenance, logistics, time management and safety.
Mobile Maintenance
“What’s the one sore spot for food trucking? It’s the unreliability of most food trucks,” Buck says. The constant movement and vibration take a toll on equipment.
“Things break,” he says, recalling a particularly brutal year. “In 2021, I spent $70,000 on just maintenance for my food trucks.”
To mitigate this, Buck recommends investing in a trailer over a self-propelled truck. A trailer offers more flexibility when mechanical issues arise. If the truck’s engine dies, your whole operation is down. If the towing vehicle breaks down, you can rent or borrow another and still make it to your event. “My personal experience is a trailer gives you a little more flexibility in terms of, ‘Hey, stuff breaks, right?’” he explains.
Logistics: Plan, Plan and Plan Again
Success in food trucking hinges on meticulous planning. You can’t just show up and start slinging pizzas. “Understanding where we’re supposed to park seems obvious, but it’s not,” Buck warns, stressing the importance of proactive planning, including site visits to scout the location ahead of an event. This helps you understand the layout, power sources and any potential obstacles.
Time management is also critical. For Buck, the number one rule for his drivers is simple: “What makes a successful food truck driver is being on time.” Arriving late not only reflects poorly on your brand but can also cut into your most profitable service hours.
Safety: The Top Priority
Above all else, safety is paramount. Driving a large, heavy vehicle comes with inherent risks, and Buck’s advice is to prioritize a safe arrival over a speedy one. “Safety is the most important aspect,” he said. He encourages his drivers to ignore pressure from other motorists and drive at a speed that feels comfortable. “If you feel more safe driving 5 or 10 miles below the speed limit, who cares if people are giving you the bird and honking at you? Just be in your own world and arrive safe.”
This philosophy extends to the mindset required to survive in the industry. The job is physically and mentally demanding. “You’re gonna get burned. It’s OK. It happens – physically and literally,” Buck says. The key is resilience. “It’s about how you respond to getting burned or adversity. You could take it on the chin, pick yourself up by the bootstraps, or you can feel sorry for yourself.”
Perfecting Your Pop-Up Operation
Once you’ve navigated the drive and set up your truck, the focus shifts to service. In a high-volume food truck environment, efficiency is everything. Farrelli’s Pizza Co-owner Clayton Krueger details the system for keeping the pizza flowing without sacrificing quality.
“We have a little speedy system for par-bakes that works incredibly well,” Krueger says. The process ensures they never run out of popular pizzas during a rush. “When my servers are taking pizzas from my trailer, I know which ones they took. I’m immediately throwing those in the oven to replace them.” This constant replenishment cycle allows them to maintain speed and consistency – even during the busiest festivals and events.
Build Your Brand, One Slice at a Time
Ultimately, a food truck is more than a kitchen on wheels; it’s a mobile billboard and a powerful market research tool. It allows you to build brand recognition, test new products and connect with customers in a way that a fixed location never could. By proving your concept in the real world, you can make smarter, data-driven decisions about your brand’s future.
As Buck says, the strategy is to “use your truck as a tool to grow larger, hit new markets and meet your customers where they’re at.” For pizzeria owners looking to expand, the road to a new brick and mortar might just start with a food truck.
