Part 2: The top 10 food truck cities in the US

We've rounded up the top 10 food truck cities in America. In part one of this series we looked at why Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, New York City and Nashville were tops. In this second part we offer insight on the top five.

While most cities have at least a handful of food trucks, some cities are more profitable for food truck owners and provide a friendlier environment for food truck operations. Here's the list:
1. Portland
2. Denver
3. Orlando
4. Philadelphia
5. Indianapolis
6. Houston
7. Austin
8. Los Angeles
9. New York City
10. Nashville

No. 5. Indianapolis, Indiana

Most people will tell you that the food truck scene is best on either the west or east coast. However, Indianapolis proves that the Midwest offers equally delicious and unique food truck options. Due to its comparatively limited restrictions, Indianapolis surpasses many coastal cities as a destination where food trucks are most successful.
• Easy to get started: Its low food truck start-up fees and comparatively few required trips to regulatory offices make Indianapolis one of the best places to buy a food truck start a new food truck business.
• Simple ongoing compliance: It is easy to comply with Indianapolis' food truck regulations since the majority of them are surrounding food safety and sanitation requirements. These safety and sanitation requirements are in line with the rest of Indiana's standardized Administrative Code.
• Information scarcity: While Indianapolis' rules for starting a food truck help operators, information on how to start your business is not readily available on the city's website. Finding the information requires scouring multiple websites and trudging through dense terminology.

4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Home to numerous colleges and universities and imposed with few restrictions, Philadelphia food trucks are highly profitable. See why the City of Brotherly Love is one of America's top food truck cities.
• Few regulations: Food truck operators in Philadelphia enjoy an easy start-up process, few trips to licensing offices, and light regulatory procedures. Most of the regulations food truck operators must adhere to are universal safety and sanitation rules.
• Frequent health inspections: In addition to their annual review, food trucks must receive a health inspection for every large event they vend. On average, food truck operators in Philadelphia will receive between 10 and 30 inspections in a given calendar year.
• Difficult to vend in prime locations: The Philadelphia food truck market is heavily saturated, so, acquiring approval to vend in the most profitable spots is difficult and can require years of waiting.
• Inconsistently enforced rules: Because Philadelphia's rules (such as the mandate that food trucks not park within 30 feet from each other and must not operate past midnight) are inconsistently enforced, food truck operators lose their competitive edge if they comply with rules and risk fines if they don't.

3. Orlando, Florida

While Orlando is known for its theme parks, this Florida city is home to a lively foodie scene, and its rules and regulations make it one of the best cities where food trucks are most profitable. Orlando is the U.S. city with the most food trucks per capita due to its friendliness toward trucks, earning it the number three spot on the top 10 food truck cities in America.
• Most affordable operational and permitting fees: Orlando helps food truck vendors succeed by offering them unbeatable $50 permits, low on-going operational fees, and readily available compliance information on their local government's FAQ page.
• Challenges and limitations: Orlando food truck operators cannot sell food or merchandise on city streets or sidewalks. Additionally, vending across the metro area requires additional permits and inspections.

2. Denver, Colorado

Consistently ranked as America's fittest city, Denver's residents are drawn to food trucks that offer local, organic, and healthy food menus while they walk the streets for exercise. Denver is also one of America's fastest-growing cities, attracting young professionals and families. Combining the two essential elements for a food truck's success: a strong clientele base and food truck friendly rules and regulations, Denver is it the second-best city for food trucks in America.
• Straight forward startup procedures: Denver aids food truck entrepreneurs by offering just 10 start-up procedures and requiring only a few trips to city offices to obtain approvals. Government permitting processes are transparent and easily navigated on government websites. On-going operational compliance are equally transparent and as easy to follow as start-up procedures.
• Altering vehicles for safety: To operate a food truck in Denver, owners must install fire suppression systems, change gas lines, and adjust propane tank sizes. Making mandated updates and repairs to comply with the rules can be costly. and requires a well-planned food truck layout.
• Complex cross-metro operations: Operating your food truck across Denver's metro area will incur additional regulatory costs and permitting fees. Additionally, you are required to file taxes in each city you operate within, which is both a hassle and an expense.

1. Portland, Oregon

Portland Oregon is the city where food trucks are most profitable, reigning our list of the top 10 food truck cities in America.
While they're commonly referred to as "food carts" in their neck of the woods, Portland boasts over 600 trucks and trailers serving up tantalizing treats. This "weird" city has so many carts that they have multiple food truck parks, like Cartlandia, Mississippi Marketplace, and Cartopia. The city of Portland embraces its food carts by making sure its food trucks are profitable so they can continue enriching the city's vibrant culture.
• Easy to get started and easy to operate: Portland helps food truck operators thrive by making licenses easy to obtain and making vending processes clear and easy to follow. Portland imposes no proximity limitations on food trucks nor do they impose sales taxes. Portland is hands down the best city for food truck operators in America.
• Effortless vending: Downtown Portland has set aside many parking lots exclusively for food trucks. Additionally, the government invests resources into creating easily navigable procedures for remaining operable.
• Expensive permits: While straightforward to obtain and easy to come by, Portland's food truck permits aren't cheap. Additional expenses are incurred by the requirement that operators obtain a special permit to cater an event. Without this permit, food truck operators must use a separate commissary kitchen to cater events and weddings.
• Water tank requirement: Food trucks must have a 50-gallon water tank on hand. While not all cities require this specific measure, food truck operators should create a food truck equipment checklist to make sure they always have the supplies they need.