Food trucks have become a recurring appearance in a busy city center. Whether they offer freshly prepared burgers on the go or exotic Asian food, you can’t walk anywhere in town without spotting a van parked on the side of a park or a square. There are many reasons why they are so popular, and you only need to ask around to find out why people love them so much.
Indeed, one of the compelling reasons behind the surge in food trucks’ popularity is their adaptability to various settings, including corporate environments. Increasingly, businesses are turning to food trucks for corporate lunches, creating a novel and enjoyable dining experience for their employees.
Rather than the traditional, catered buffet or box lunches, workers are treated to a more casual, diverse, and immersive culinary treat. This trend is not only adding to the vibrancy and dynamism of urban food culture but also highlighting the inherent versatility of food trucks in catering to different audiences and events.
For busy office workers, food trucks are convenient. They are the guaranteed of fresh and warm food for lunch, prepared rapidly. When you have one hour or less break, it’s reassuring to be able to count on your local cook to keep the hunger at bay.
Students and low-income households are particularly fond of the diversity of ingredients and cuisines they can get for a fiver. You can get a complete meal with a drink after a long day, and there’s still enough for leftovers the next day.
Party-goers are especially keen on the availability of their favorite food. There’s nothing more appealing than grabbing a quick meal on the way out of the club, in the early hours of the morning. Some trucks are ready to serve customers from as early as 7 AM, which makes then the perfect go-to spot to cure a bad party hungover.
In short, everybody loves mobile restaurants. And if you’re looking for one good reason to start a food truck venture, it should be this. But more importantly, it’s a world of opportunities that you can’t afford to miss. If you’re wondering about driving the new food truck on the block, here are some thoughts for your consideration.
It’s best to start small and mobile
The advantage of a food truck business is that it’s one of the few ventures that doesn’t need high startup costs. Admittedly, you should do your research before you start, as you need to include not only the price of the vehicle, but also the insurance covers, inventory, payment processing, fuel and generator, truck appearance, and equipment. However, you can find cheap alternatives via online classifieds, such as used trucks.
Additionally, you can also choose a truck leasing service to keep your costs down. However, compared to other businesses, you can rapidly recover your startup costs within a few months. While the profit potential doesn’t seem phenomenal at first, food trucks tend to build a loyal audience quickly and effectively. It’s not uncommon to start with one vehicle during your spare time and realize that you could replace your day job if you were food in the right locations.
What equipment do you need?
Figuring out what equipment you should bring to your mobile restaurant should be part of your business plan. Ultimately, if you decide to supply food that you make on the spot, you will need to explore options for grills, cooking countertops, and preparation supplies. However, if you’re going to prepare the food ahead, you can rent out a professional kitchen or use your own kitchen – depending on food safety regulations for your menu.
Additionally, if you want to provide drinks to your customers, it’s a good idea to consider a keg rental service that can let you keep soda, cold coffee, and beer, for instance. Lastly, you also should consider your takeaway supplies. More and more customers opt for eco-friendly businesses. It’s, therefore, a good idea to reduce the use of plastic and offer recyclable food containers.
How do you pick the best location?
Ah, location, location, location. Thankfully, as a mobile restaurant, you’ve got the opportunity to try out a variety of spots. You will need to follow a few rules to pick the best location. Firstly, you should inquire whether there is a fee or permit required to sell in a specific spot. Only then can you define whether the place is profitable and receive sufficient food traffic.
When you are just launching your business, you are likely to find yourself testing out different addresses before you figure out what works for you. Festivals and special events are a fantastic place to start experimenting and meeting your customers. Most festival-goers need a pick-me-up during the day, so make sure to come with a fridge full of supplies! Truck parks are another fantastic option as you can get to observe some of your competitors and maybe learn from them too.
Can you grow your business and stay mobile?
A common worry for business owners is to find out what is the best next step when their business is growing. Indeed, it’s not uncommon for restaurants to start their journey through the food truck industry before opening a brick and mortar site. However, if you’ve got no intention of creating a restaurant, you can find yourself a little stuck for a strategy.
You can turn your food truck venture in a chain by increasing your fleet, for instance. You will need to hire employees who understand how to behave in the mobile restaurant industry. Indeed, a food truck vacancy doesn’t compare to any other hospitality vacancies. Your staff needs to be able to get the work done without supervision, but more importantly, they need to promote your brand even when you’re not around.
Create a social media buzz
You might be mobile, but it doesn’t mean you can’t build exciting and entertaining social media content for your followers and customers. Indeed, while your food truck is always on the go, your social media presence can bring people together. Be sure to make the most of each opportunity to show your products and team at work.
If you cover multiple locations with one of several trucks, you can use your Twitter or Instagram account to let people know where to find you. You can also share some of your recipes online. As surprising as it might sound, you’re more likely to gain new customers through the process than lose them. Most people are keen to see how you work, but they wouldn’t want to cook the same thing at home!
Get an exciting menu
Some people are ready to go out of their way if they can get their hands on exciting food. And as a food truck business, it’s something you need to have in mind when you prepare your menu. Your best-selling dishes should always be on the menu. They are the
You can’t ditch your most often ordered burgers, stir-fry, or wrap. Make a
Finally, you need to find the best way of displaying your menu.
Branch out your services with venue catering
Do you want to boost your food truck business reputation? You might want to consider event catering for trade shows, business meetings, or even casual wedding parties. Indeed, you will need to discuss requirements with your guests in advance in terms of menu,
It’s typically a good idea to consider
How can you help your customers to trust you
It takes time to gain your customers’ trust, especially if you’re the new truck on the block. But you can focus your effort on making a positive first impression. For instance, keeping the truck and eating area clean and tidy can also encourage people to take you seriously.
You should also arrange for a health inspection permit so that you can reassure new customers. Keeping your ingredients separate can make a significant difference to the way people perceive you. Indeed, you are more likely to be able to offer allergy-friendly options if you keep your work surface and storage area separate.
Dietary requirements are no second thoughts
Last but not least, dietary requirements should be high on your list of priorities. Indeed, your customers, nowadays, are more likely to pay close attention to their diet. Aside from allergies and food intolerances, which you need to be careful about, you should always consider offering options that are suitable for vegans, vegetarian, and Halal-meat eaters. Additionally, keto and paleo dieters would be happy to find a couple of dishes that match their requirements. While it’s hard work, being diet inclusive can make a significant difference to your business growth and reputation.
There is a lot to prepare before your food truck is ready to hit the road. However, it can be an enjoyable venture that lets you establish a close bond to your audience. You can also help countless workers and households maintain their nutritional needs, which, at an age where people are more likely to make unwise decisions, is detrimental to the health of the population.
