Food Truck Financing: Cash Advances for Food Truck Owners
Food Truck Financing: Cash Advances for Food Truck Owners
Short answer: food truck financing usually means one of two things: money to buy the truck or trailer, or funding to keep a running truck stocked, repaired and on the road. Buying the truck is usually equipment financing or an SBA loan. For running costs, Giggle Finance offers revenue-based cash advances up to $15,000, based on your deposits rather than a minimum credit score, subject to approval.
Apply in minutes · No minimum credit score · Subject to approval
- Up to $15,000
- Based on your deposits
- Total payback shown before you accept
How to qualify for food truck financing
To qualify for food truck financing from Giggle, your truck needs at least 3 months in business, at least $2,500 a month in revenue and at least 4 deposits in the past month. You need business or 1099 income, and the funding is not available in New York, California or Oregon. Every application is subject to approval. See the full list on our who qualifies page.
What credit score do I need to finance a food truck?
It depends on the provider and the kind of financing. Many banks and equipment financing companies set a minimum credit score, as the example on the right shows. Giggle Finance has no minimum credit score: the decision is based on your revenue and deposits.
What a bank’s food truck loan can ask for
- 2 or more years in business
- $300,000 or more in annual revenue
- A FICO score of 640 or more
Listed by Ameris Bank Equipment Finance for its food truck business loans (October 2026). Giggle looks at your deposits: 3 months in business and $2,500 a month, with no minimum credit score.
What can food truck owners use funding for?
Food truck owners use funding for the costs that hit before the sales come in. A fridge, generator or engine problem is the most common one, because every day parked is a day without sales. We have written more about handling equipment repairs and inventory and keeping your food truck running through the year.
Repairs and equipment
Repairs to the truck, generator, refrigeration or cooking equipment, so you are back on the road instead of parked.
Inventory and supplies
Food and supplies for a festival, a catering job or a busy season, plus a helper’s pay while a catering client’s payment clears.
Permits and fees
Permits, licenses, inspections and commissary or parking fees, and event fees and deposits that are due weeks before the event.
Slow seasons
The weeks when weather or fewer events cut your sales but the costs keep coming.
Food truck loans and other options
Food truck loans and other financing fit different jobs. According to NerdWallet, food truck financing typically refers to a loan used to buy a new or used truck, and the term can also cover other business loans used to fund the business. The SBA lists several loan programs, including 7(a) loans and microloans.
Buying the truck or trailer
Giggle Finance does not fund the purchase of a food truck or trailer. A truck usually costs far more than our maximum, and equipment financing is built for it: the truck secures the financing and the term matches the life of the vehicle. The SBA’s microloan program is another route for smaller amounts; the SBA reports an average microloan of about $13,000. Our roundup of food truck financing providers compares where owners look.
Running the truck
Once the truck is running, the money questions change. You need cash for repairs, stock and events, often within days. That is where a revenue-based advance fits: it is based on your deposits and paid back weekly from your sales. Our small business funding page covers the same product for other kinds of businesses.
| Option | Suits | What providers usually look at |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment financing or leasing | Buying a truck, trailer or kitchen equipment | Credit score, time in business, a down payment; the truck usually secures the financing |
| SBA microloan | Smaller start-up or growth needs; the SBA says microloans go up to $50,000 | A business plan and the requirements of the SBA intermediary that makes the microloan |
| SBA 7(a) loan | Larger purchases; the SBA lists a $5 million maximum | Credit, time in business, collateral and a longer application |
| Bank term loan | Established trucks with steady revenue | Credit score, years in business, annual revenue |
| Business line of credit | Repeated short-term needs | Credit score and revenue history |
| Merchant cash advance or revenue-based funding | Running costs, repairs, inventory and events | Your recent deposits and revenue |
How does a Giggle food truck cash advance work?
A Giggle food truck cash advance is revenue-based funding, not a loan. We look at the deposits going into your business bank account, offer an amount based on them, and you pay it back in weekly payments over 8 to 24 weeks.
Before you accept, you see exactly what you will pay back, in dollars. Most customers are funded the same day, subject to approval.
No minimum credit score
We review your deposits, not a credit score: approval in minutes, subject to approval.
Apply in minutes
Apply online and connect the bank account your sales go into. Most customers are funded the same day.
Up to $15,000
New customers can get up to $15,000, and repeat customers up to $20,000 when they renew.
See the total first
Review your offer, including the total you will pay back, before you accept.
No late or NSF fees
Paying early earns a prepayment discount, and there are no late fees or NSF fees.
How do you pay for a big event before it pays you?
Festivals, fairs and large catering jobs can be your biggest days of the year, but they ask for money up front: event fees, extra stock, extra staff and sometimes a second generator. A short-term cash advance can cover those costs, and the advance is paid back from the deposits the event brings in over the following weeks.
Plan it like any other purchase. Write down what the event costs you before the first sale, a careful estimate of what you will sell, and how long the money takes to reach your account. If the numbers only work on a perfect day, skip that event or go smaller. Our guide to seasonal food business expenses has a simple way to plan a busy season.
Frequently asked questions about food truck financing
How hard is it to get a loan for a food truck?
It depends on what the money is for and how long you have been running. Financing to buy a truck usually asks for a credit score, a down payment and time in business. Funding for a truck that is already running can be easier to get when your sales are steady, because providers like Giggle look at your deposits.
How do I get funding for a food truck?
Start with what the money is for. To buy a truck, compare equipment financing and SBA microloans. To cover repairs, stock or an event, a revenue-based cash advance can be quicker: apply online, connect your business bank account and review the offer before you accept.
How much is a monthly payment on a food truck?
For a truck purchase, the payment depends on the price, the down payment, the term and the financing company, so ask several equipment financing companies for quotes. A Giggle advance does not have a monthly payment: it is paid back weekly over 8 to 24 weeks, and you see the total before you accept.
Can I use funding for food truck inventory or payroll?
Yes. A Giggle advance is working capital for your business, so owners use it for food and supplies, a helper’s pay, repairs, permits and event fees.
How much can a food truck get from Giggle?
Up to $15,000 for new customers and up to $20,000 on renewal, based on your deposits and subject to approval.
Keep your truck stocked and on the road
Apply in minutes. See exactly what you will pay back before you accept, and get up to $15,000 once approved.
Sources: U.S. Small Business Administration, Microloans, 7(a) loans and Loans; Ameris Bank Equipment Finance, Food Truck Business Loans; NerdWallet, food truck financing guide. Accessed Oct 2026.
Giggle Finance provides Revenue-Based Financing programs for business purposes only. Any mention of any loan product(s), consumer product(s), or other forms of financing is solely for marketing and educational content purposes and to help distinguish Giggle Finance’s product from other comparable financing options available in the market.