People love great food, and they love it, even more, when it’s convenient and fast. But hold tight. We aren’t talking about fast food chains and drive-thrus. Instead, we’re talking about the increasingly popular food trucks. According to the US Census Bureau, the number of food trucks DOUBLED between 2013 and 2018. And the number of trucks continues to grow as demand fuels the increase.
So why do people love food trucks so much? Here are just a few reasons:
1. Amazing food! Most food trucks are run by skilled chefs offering creative menus with fresh ingredients, and everything is prepared on the spot. What’s not to love?
2. Affordable. You aren’t visiting a fancy restaurant with sky-high rents or lots of wait staff to pay, so food trucks can offer quality food at very reasonable prices.
3. Something New. Food trucks are ideal for trying different cuisines because many trucks like to experiment with creative fusion dishes paired with fresh ingredients.
4. Convenient. Because food trucks are mobile, they will go to where the people are, including sports events, festivals, and even business meetings.
Ok, so food trucks are ideal for many reasons, but what do you need to know when booking one (or more) for your next event?
1. Know Your Audience
Before reaching out to the first truck, think about your guests’ dietary needs. For example, how many guests are vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free? While many food trucks have broad menus to accommodate different diets, make sure you understand who will be at your event so you can book the right food truck/s to satisfy everyone’s palate.
2. Number of Trucks
A basic rule of thumb is one truck per 1-300 attendees. But if the time reserved for eating is limited, you need to make sure you have enough trucks on hand to feed all your guests within the allotted time. Ask the truck owner how many people they can serve in one hour, and then decide how many trucks you will need.
3. Select Your Truck/s
Once you understand dietary restrictions that need to be observed, you can start selecting types of food trucks to have at your event. Another factor to consider when choosing trucks is cost. Taco, BBQ, and burger trucks will be lower priced, while trucks that serve lobster, fusion, or organic foods will be more costly. Know your budget.
4. Book Early
Everything seems to be busy lately and taking longer than usual to book. Add in the fact that food trucks are in high demand, and you get the picture. Start calling as soon as you know your date and an approximate number of guests. Don’t delay booking!!!!
5. Alert Your Guests
If you’re planning an employee appreciation event or the trucks will be providing lunch during a business meeting, let your attendees know in advance. People love food trucks, and offering something different will get them excited! Feel free to share the menu ahead of time. If guests know what they want to eat, it will speed up the ordering process.
6. Set-Up
Make sure you block off enough space for the truck to set up and serve a line of guests. Also, check to see if they will need to connect to a power source or if they will be using their generator. If they use a generator, then know that generators are noisy and set up tables and activities AWAY from the truck.
7. Specialty Trucks
Perhaps you aren’t looking to serve a full meal to your guests but still want to offer something fun. Consider a snow cone, smoothie, coffee, or dessert truck. They will cost less than a truck providing full meal service but still bring as much energy and excitement to an event.
Booking food trucks for an event can be easy with a bit of planning and an understanding of your guests’ preferences ahead of time. But if you want to make your planning truly effortless, enlist the help of a professional food truck partner like Simply Food Trucks. Not only do we always have a pulse on the best trucks with the freshest food and fantastic service, but we can handle all the details of an event that always seem to change, including guest counts and last-minute requests.
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