Food Trucks... The scourge of the modern day festival or country show. Wander up and down a row of brightly painted vehicles, clutching a lobster in your hand, looking for something simple to eat.

What are your choices? Exoctic dumplings, 4 for $15. Tower high burgers with beetroot chips (wtf?).. a bargain at $25. How about a cardboard plate with a Kale Taco and Chick Peas smothered in a Kelp Sauce that looks like it was squeezed out of a seagull's backside.....no change out of your $20 for that particular gourmand nightmare.

That is why I want to bring GRUMPY BURGERS to an event near you. Affordable. Filling. Tasty. Traditional Australian burgers with home made meat patties, fresh lettuce, tomato, beetroot, onion, a couple of slices of good old Coon cheese, your choice of sauce, all inna toasted burger bun.

Naturally there will be an almost limitless selection of variations. The tradional "Lot" burger with bacon, egg, pineapple and onion. Spag Bog Burger with cheese, patty, and a bolognese sauce. Scallop burger..a burger with the addition of (you guessed it) a potato scallop (Potato cake should I ever slip over the border into Victoria.) Chilli burgers...even a decent VegoBurger...A burger jam packed with non-meaty goodness and flavour. 

Great burgers at an even greater price. Fuss free food that will fill your belly but not empty your wallet.

I have spent the past year making and inventing these burgers in a small country village take-away. Now it is time to take my show on the road. From the western foot of the Blue Mountains to Broken Hill there are countless markets, rodeos, country shows, concerts, festivals and field days and I want to spend 11 months a year traveling to as many as I can; not only serving great burgers but documenting Australian rural social gatherings on a dedicated Social Media platform encompassing Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.... come along with me and we'll feed a hungry nation.

The truck - A reliable, not too old, mechanically sound and correctly fitted out food truck that has a stainless steel kitchen and a suitable generator looks like it can be had for around the $65,000 mark.

Insurances & Certifications $1200 start up

Initial consumables - These I have from my take-away store. Boxes, clam shells. kitchen utensils, coffee cups etc.

Most other things I am set up for. I have my Food handling certification. I have a heavy vehicle licence. And I have a wife who wouldn't be too stressed to see the back of me for most of a week or two at a time.

Fuel costs in driving to and from an event plus running a diesel gen for power to cook at the event would run at approx  $46 per 100km. So for example an event 500ks away would be budgeted at $460 in costs plus food plus generator costs. A 2 day event would cost approx $760 in material costs and expenses. There is also traditionally at many events a site fee.  Most events would be a lot closer. For example here in Dubbo there are various markets 3 weekends a month.  Many events also supply power as part of the site fee.  Based on my pricing for menu items I believe that reaching the costs of my outlay for each event would be attainable and I can reasonably expect a profit to carry the business forward AND allow money for the rewards that I will offer people who fund this campaign.

This is an ambitious project. It is a lot of money.  Cooking is my passion. I do make great tasting burgers. My food is simple yet full of flavour. I believe this is what the punters want. Great food that isn't ridiculously expensive. Cold drinks and hot coffee.  The Food Truck market seems to cater for higher end Sydney and metro events...out here in the country we are a bit more pragmatic. Good food at a good price. I can do this with your help.