Permits
Each Southern city is different. Atlanta requires a Mobile Food Service permit + a kitchen affidavit. Houston is the easiest of the major Southern cities to permit.
The truck
Used trucks run $40k–$80k. New trucks $80k–$150k. Lease before buying if possible.
Where to park
Get on a regular schedule. Pick three locations and post them on Instagram. Repeat customers find you.
The menu
Keep it under 8 items. Two ingredients overlap across most dishes. Your costs and your line speed both depend on simplicity.