Hola DR!

CmillPA

New member
Jul 27, 2020
5
1
1
PA, USA
New here.....from NJ, living in PA.... Hopes of moving to DR within the next year or so and have lots of questions I need help with. We plan on renting at least the first year in Cabarete area (have been to Sosua area and loved it, always wanted to move to the Caribbean)... (I know from reading lots of ur posts that we should rent first and get to know the area more before proceeding to a home purchase if we decide to). Like I said, I have LOTS of questions, but I will only ask one to start off with....

What are thoughts on starting a business with a transportable food cart and/or truck with a couple different east coast (US) food ideas? Husband's dream to start food biz, but starting small and thinking of hiring at least 1 local who is fluent in spanish and english to assist with communication and food prep/assistance.

Questions also regarding:

1. Laws to register a food cart biz.
2. Taxes required
3. Pay for employee (I see talk of christmas month pay, etc....)
4. Residency requirements
5. What are location restrictions? Would he be able to move around throughout the day, go to beaches, etc...?
6. Anything I haven't mentioned?

We aren't looking to live off the profits of this biz alone but would like to make some profit obviously. Thx for the help.
 
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Fulano2

Bronze
Jun 5, 2011
3,287
621
113
Europe
Goodmorning.
Do you have a businessplan?

Your very first step is to start in your home country applying for your visa.
Good luck with that.
 

johne

Silver
Jun 28, 2003
7,090
2,963
113
In the metro area of NJ , NY and Pa. do street vendors have their own little "turf"? You know, a "protective " area, spot, street corner that they like to call their own and build up their biz? That being said, can you imagine doing your kind of biz in a country that is sinking like a rock because of unemployment, less remittance from the US, and the dreaded plague hanging out everywhere you go? Long before covid19 and long before street food caught on big in the US hundreds of people sold street food in the DR. Very basic stuff. Shaved ice with food color flavor. Sandwiches at construction sites. Fresh fruit and vegetables everyday pass by my building (all day long). Cold water at busy intersections in the capital. I can go on and on. You don't need a business plan as one of my colleagues suggested. That will only convince you that you are right without knowing the language of the country, the customs, the local flavor and the danger you are putting yourself in. What does that mean??? Figure it out...if your competition down the street is a staving family and you're doing this biz for (whatever), you won't last long enough to make you next avocado on toasted wheat with bean sprout sandwich.
Understand THIS IS MY OPINION ONLY!! I have been wrong on what works in the DR soooo many times. Go with your dream but the DR is a different kind of place, to say the least.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,717
7,977
113
If I were going to do a food truck (pre china virus) I would be doing it
in one of the larger cities not in a small town Now? Tough call.
Learn Spanish.
 

Joseph NY2STI

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2020
898
1,092
93
JOHNE makes a good point worth taking....Consider that Ice cream vendors in the Peoples Republic of New York have had their trucks and businesses vandalized (and worse) over turf wars. I'm sure it's happened in other cities as well - and that's in a 1st world country (sort of).

Aside from that, is it something that you will need to do to earn a living, or is just to keep busy, make a few bucks, and meet different people? In either case you will definitely want to spend time there to see and learn for yourself. Enthusiasm, which you seem to have, is best when tempered with reality. Suerte!
 
Sep 22, 2009
2,875
1,305
113
New here.....from NJ, living in PA.... Hopes of moving to DR within the next year or so and have lots of questions I need help with. We plan on renting at least the first year in Cabarete area (have been to Sosua area and loved it, always wanted to move to the Caribbean)... (I know from reading lots of ur posts that we should rent first and get to know the area more before proceeding to a home purchase if we decide to). Like I said, I have LOTS of questions, but I will only ask one to start off with....

What are thoughts on starting a business with a transportable food cart and/or truck with a couple different east coast (US) food ideas? Husband's dream to start food biz, but starting small and thinking of hiring at least 1 local who is fluent in spanish and english to assist with communication and food prep/assistance.

Questions also regarding:

1. Laws to register a food cart biz.
2. Taxes required
3. Pay for employee (I see talk of christmas month pay, etc....)
4. Residency requirements
5. What are location restrictions? Would he be able to move around throughout the day, go to beaches, etc...?
6. Anything I haven't mentioned?

We aren't looking to live off the profits of this biz alone but would like to make some profit obviously. Thx for the help.
The North Coast is the Atlantic Ocean papa
 

CaribeDigital

Active member
Sep 5, 2014
295
113
43
New here.....from NJ, living in PA.... Hopes of moving to DR within the next year or so and have lots of questions I need help with. We plan on renting at least the first year in Cabarete area (have been to Sosua area and loved it, always wanted to move to the Caribbean)... (I know from reading lots of ur posts that we should rent first and get to know the area more before proceeding to a home purchase if we decide to). Like I said, I have LOTS of questions, but I will only ask one to start off with....

What are thoughts on starting a business with a transportable food cart and/or truck with a couple different east coast (US) food ideas? Husband's dream to start food biz, but starting small and thinking of hiring at least 1 local who is fluent in spanish and english to assist with communication and food prep/assistance.

Questions also regarding:

1. Laws to register a food cart biz.
2. Taxes required
3. Pay for employee (I see talk of christmas month pay, etc....)
4. Residency requirements
5. What are location restrictions? Would he be able to move around throughout the day, go to beaches, etc...?
6. Anything I haven't mentioned?

We aren't looking to live off the profits of this biz alone but would like to make some profit obviously. Thx for the help.
My small advice to new starters: try it with a carefully chosen Dominican partner, as a minority stakeholder for example, and then open yourself to learning. You will gain valuable experience, for the rest of your stay in the DR.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,698
8,129
113
New here.....from NJ, living in PA.... Hopes of moving to DR within the next year or so and have lots of questions I need help with. We plan on renting at least the first year in Cabarete area (have been to Sosua area and loved it, always wanted to move to the Caribbean)... (I know from reading lots of ur posts that we should rent first and get to know the area more before proceeding to a home purchase if we decide to). Like I said, I have LOTS of questions, but I will only ask one to start off with....

What are thoughts on starting a business with a transportable food cart and/or truck with a couple different east coast (US) food ideas? Husband's dream to start food biz, but starting small and thinking of hiring at least 1 local who is fluent in spanish and english to assist with communication and food prep/assistance.

Questions also regarding:

1. Laws to register a food cart biz.
2. Taxes required
3. Pay for employee (I see talk of christmas month pay, etc....)
4. Residency requirements
5. What are location restrictions? Would he be able to move around throughout the day, go to beaches, etc...?
6. Anything I haven't mentioned?

We aren't looking to live off the profits of this biz alone but would like to make some profit obviously. Thx for the help.


If you haven't googled Dominican Republic Food Trucks yet, do that now. They're all over the city.