I’m David Hinton, and I built MobCater. I started in mobile catering back in 2013 — a second-hand trailer and a lot more enthusiasm than know-how — and spent the next decade-plus learning this trade the hard way.

I made the mistakes so you don’t have to

The wrong equipment, the pitches that didn’t work, the licensing and gas-safety maze — I got plenty wrong before I got it right. An earlier venture had already taught me the most expensive lesson of my life: I lost around £10,000 on a business I wasn’t passionate about. Mobile catering was different — I loved it. Eventually I wrote everything I’d learned into a book, Start Mobile Catering UK — you can read or listen to it free in the MobCater app — and the site grew from there.

Sharing what I learn is nothing new for me. I’ve been publishing small business guides online since 2006, years before MobCater existed, so when I turned to catering it felt natural to write down what was working and what wasn’t as I went.

What I do now

These days I don’t run a van day to day — I help other people start and run theirs, through MobCater: the free guides, the app, the hundreds of real Q&As, and one-to-one help when someone needs a steer. Starting and running a mobile catering business is genuinely hard. I’ve done it, and I want to be the person in your corner when you do. People do business with people.

Read my story, start to finish

I’ve written the whole journey up in four short parts. Start at the beginning, or jump to the bit you need — it’s the honest version, mistakes and all.

  1. How I started — deciding to do it, and buying my first van
  2. Getting the van ready — kitting it out to trade
  3. My first day of trading — how it actually went
  4. Is mobile catering worth it? — an honest look back

And it’s not just my story — read the success stories other caterers have shared: first weeks, first years, and the lessons they learned along the way. If you’re trading yourself, you can add your own story there too.

See for yourself

A while back I sat down with Mike from the Mobile Caterers Club for an honest chat about how I started — the mistakes, the pitches, the gas-safety scare, the lot. It’s had over 124,000 views. The fundamentals of starting up really haven’t changed much since — though fees, licences and rules vary by area and get updated, so always check the current details with your local council and authorities before you commit.

Watch the interview · 124K views

“Great video even 5 years later… the first I’ve found to touch on where to look for a trailer/van, what to expect on the first day of sales, insurances, where to register your company — so thank you!”— @sharpdressedman1991
“One of the best videos I’ve come across so far — thanks a mill.”— @kilimambayma1050
“Great video guys, some useful advice — we’re due to start our first pitch.”— @shaunbrookes9906
Start here

The free 12-step startup guide

The honest, step-by-step route from “I’ve got an idea” to your first trading day, the guide I wish I’d had. Free in the MobCater app.

Open the free guide

Free 12-step guide forever · no credit card needed

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