There are over 24,000 active food truck businesses in the U.S. Whether you’re starting out or have been delivering food on the go for years, maintaining your truck is extremely important. 

But what goes into regular food truck maintenance? And why is it so important?

That’s what we’ll be looking at today. In this article, we’re highlighting why regular maintenance matters for your food truck and tips on keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape. 

Regular Maintenance Delivers More Food

The low-hanging fruit of regular food truck maintenance is that it keeps your operation going. The more you pay attention to how your truck is doing, the more time you can spend on the street selling your products. 

Many people choose food trucks because it’s cheaper and slightly easier than owning a traditional storefront. The number of documents and regulations you have to work around is different than owning a store, but it’s still necessary. 

Additionally, just as a traditional restaurant owner has to pay attention to their AC units or other machinery, a food truck owner needs to keep their eye on their truck. 

After all, if your truck stops working, your entire business grinds to a halt. 

Less Downtime Equals Greater Revenue

Things like checking your engines, keeping a tidy washing station, and maintaining a good power supply are just a few things you can do to keep your food truck in good shape. 

Being on top of preventative maintenance benefits you in the long run. A Decisiv & Oakley study found that truck maintenance improved food trucks’ revenue by reducing downtime. 

Unexpected downtime that comes from fixing lingering truck issues eats away at your productivity. You have less time to serve your customers, meaning your revenues will drop. 

You also can’t afford to lose potential catering customers by having an unreliable truck. If you’re booked to cater a private event, make sure your truck is in good working order ahead of time so you don’t have any unfortunate surprises on the big day.

Food Truck Maintenance Tips

So what can you do to make sure your food truck is running at maximum efficiency? Because a food truck is essentially a mini-restaurant, you should ideally keep a truck maintenance checklist.

Here are some key points that you can include:

Check Your Battery

Your foodservice operation is quite reliant on your truck’s battery. Check to make sure it’s not running out of juice and replace it when it’s no longer operating reliably. 

Watch Fluids

Check your truck’s transmission, brake, and power steering fluids throughout the year. Sometimes winter seasons can diminish their effectiveness. 

Change Oil Regularly

Lubricating your engine with the right oil will prevent unwanted downtime. Always find time for oil changes to make sure you’re never hampered by breakdowns during your regular food service. 

Check Filters

Oil, fuel, transmission, and air filters are common mechanisms that preserve your engine. Check these filters and change them according to manufacturer specifications to keep everything chugging along. 

Watch Tire Pressure

Flat tires can ruin just about anyone’s day, especially food truck owners who are right in the middle of service. Be on top of your tire pressure to make sure you never have to fill up at inconvenient times. Keeping a close eye on your tires will also make you aware if one of them possibly has a slow leak and needs to be replaced.

Leverage Regular Food Truck Maintenance Today

A healthy food truck means more consistent service and greater revenues. Leverage regular maintenance to keep your food truck business profitable in the long run. 

Looking for your first food truck, or another mobile kitchen to add to your expanding fleet? Contact us today and we can get you started on a solution right away!

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

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Looking for ways to maximize your revenue at your current business? If you are in the food or beverage industry, this is one aspect you don’t want your business to miss out on!

Food truck catering provides significant opportunities to broaden your horizons while adding additional means of revenue. Read on to find out how you can benefit.

Broaden Your Abilities and Location

One of the more interesting trends to recently emerge is the popularity of food trucks. There are over 26,000 food truck businesses in the United States as of 2021. It has become more trendy to be in such a business with many offering unique flavors and fun pop-ups.

With so many in the game, you set yourself back when you don’t join in on the fun. A mobile food truck allows you to take your business anywhere. That means you always have the perfect location.

Great food pairs with great events, so it makes sense that food trucks are a popular choice for many when planning.

Weddings

From the smallest to the largest of weddings, it’s likely that they’ll need some food. It makes it easier for you and your clients if you have food truck wedding catering. Some might even make your truck a key part of their big day. This is more exposure for you and you are forever engrained in the memories of that day.

Here’s a fun fact that shows just how much you might make off of one wedding. The average couple spends anywhere from $1,800 to $7,000 on their catering alone.

Work Events

Work events are another big occasion that many choose to opt for a food truck or catering. So, how does catering for these kind of events work? Depending on your setup, you may come by at a scheduled time and drop off your food, or you may spend a set amount of time at the event working from your truck.

Festivals

It seems like every other weekend there is some kind of event or festival happening. There are art walks, gatherings downtown, vendors set up on the street, and even music festivals. If you have ever wished that you could bring your business to these events it’s time to realize you can!

Beautifully customized food trucks are no stranger to these types of events. In fact, food trucks are almost the main event for many attendees. It’s fun to try out new foods as you walk around and enjoy the rest of the entertainment.

Free Advertising

You’ll essentially be driving around a big billboard that exposes passersby to your logo and brand. Not only have you added another stream of revenue but you’ve put your investment to work for you. Bringing this giant advertisement to events is a wonderful way to increase awareness.

Keeps Costs Low

Have you ever wished that you had started your business elsewhere? Maybe a supposedly perfect location wasn’t really right after all? Well, food trucks are significantly less expensive than creating an additional physical structure or moving your business altogether. If you don’t think you’ve landed in the right surroundings, try taking your truck to a couple events in a place you’d be interested in relocating to see if it could be a good fit.

Food Truck Catering

Food truck catering is increasing in popularity. You can add another revenue stream, keep your costs low, increase exposure, and take your business essentially anywhere. As you weigh the pros and cons, remember that there are others out there who are already doing it!

We can help get you started with your food truck setup. Contact us today!

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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Have you ever thought about what it would take to get your vineyard noticed more? Of course, you have! But, actually implementing a procedure or service that astounds and amazes your potential clients is nothing less than a full-time job. That’s why you need a full-service wine truck.

A wine truck is just like a food truck, but better. Because, wine, of course. Add some cheese and crackers to the menu along with some sweet grapes—or go with a full-blown charcuterie board—and you’ll have people lining up to get a taste.

Let’s review a few good reasons to jump on this train and get in with the hip crowds.

A New and Happening Trend for Your Vineyard Business

Wine trucks are becoming more and more popular throughout the U.S.

It all started with a few entrepreneurs with big ideas and now the trend is, well, trending!

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is just some passing fad, either. We all know how popular food trucks have become over the years, and wine is even better than food so who knows the possibilities?

A Mobile Tasting Room

What better way to display your wines than to bring your vineyard to the wine tasters? Consider catering at events like business luncheons, corporate fundraisers, and other adult-centered occasions where you can showcase what your vineyard has to offer and entice folks to come out and see your vines in person.

A Mobile Wine Truck is Fun

There’s nothing better than fun unless there’s wine involved which means there’s nothing better than fun with wine. If you thought you were having fun at the vineyard with your wine tasting events, you’ll have a blast serving your customers in their own territory.

Who Doesn’t Love a Good Glass of Wine?

Serving patrons via your mobile wine truck may be the only way to introduce new clientele to your business. People love wine, but they don’t always love a long drive to the country to visit the vineyard in person. But, with a mobile wine truck, you’re bringing the wine to them so it’s a win-win for all!

Try boosting your exposure by getting a spot at local festivals or setting up at wedding expos to snag potential bookings for your vineyard.

Why Should You Have a Wine Truck for Your Vineyard?

Establishing a wine truck for your vineyard is an excellent way to mobilize your business. Not only will more people be introduced to your wines, but you’ll leave a lasting memory and they’ll come back wanting more—whether at your vineyard or by finding your wine truck at another event in the future.

Especially if you have a new vineyard, a mobile truck can help you establish your name in the community. And, if you’re an established winery, you can be assured that your most dedicated clients will seek you out, an excellent selling point as you negotiate which events you wish to attend. 

If you have questions about how a mobile truck can best serve your business, contact us. We can get your mobile wine truck set up and ready to go.

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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Upset customers are inevitable no matter what part of the foodservice industry you work in, including if you own a food truck. How you deal with them is key to your success as a business owner.

Do you own a food truck? Are you thinking of buying one or entering the service industry in another capacity? You will need to know how to handle these situations.

Remember, word of mouth is key to growing a new business. If you are rude to unhappy customers, you will garner a business-damaging reputation.

Read on for five ways to deal with angry customers.

1. The Customer Is Never Wrong, Right?

Customer service is as important as any other aspect of the food service business.

The common phrase is that the customer is always right. A better way to think about this when dealing with upset customers in foodservice is that rather than always being right, the customer is never wrong.

Every customer has different tastes and expectations. If they think your food is salty, under or overcooked, they are not wrong. It’s how they feel or what they think.

Understanding this key difference will give you the right mindset to succeed in customer satisfaction.

2. Drop Your Defenses

You may have spent hard hours planning your menu, prepping, and preparing the food you serve on any given day. Because of this, you may take a customer complaint personally.

Don’t fall into this trap. While you should be proud of the food you serve, you need to drop your defensiveness when dealing with an angry customer.

These interactions, like interactions you have with happy customers, are business transactions.

3. Really Listen

Food truck customer service is like any other form of customer service. When people have a complaint, they want to be heard.

To effectively deal with angry or upset customers, brush up on your listening skills.  Diffuse an antagonistic situation by looking someone in the eyes to let them know what they say is important to you.

4. Own the Complaint

Whether you feel you are actually responsible for a customer complaint doesn’t matter. The customer has come and complained to you.

As the owner of a food truck business, the buck stops with you no matter the nature of the complaint.

The best way to own a complaint is to offer a sincere apology. Apologizing is a huge step toward resolving any issue.

5. Offer a Solution

In foodservice, the de-escalation of an upset customer comes down to a solution. After you’ve listened and apologized, you need to be willing to offer a solution to the problem, and quickly.

Sometimes this means preparing a new dish. This may not be possible in the tight confines of a food truck where many dishes have been prepped and batched for service.

In this case, if an alternative is available, offer it at no additional cost.

Sometimes neither of these solutions will appease an angry customer. If so, you must give a refund.

Upset Customers

Upset customers are inevitable in the foodservice business. How you deal with them plays an important role in the success of your food truck.

There are plenty of food truck businesses that offer great food. To set yourself apart, make sure you treat your customers with respect.

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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Thousands of people get lost in the infinite Instagram scroll.

We follow friends, family members, and influencers we like on daily basis through the power of social media. It seems like Instagram has taken over the social media world, and it’s become of the most popular apps for our phones.

Because of its popularity, Instagram can be a powerful tool for marketing your food truck. Seeing photos of your delicious dishes and fire graphics wrap is sure to tempt potential customers.

Below is a quick guide for food truck owners on how to use Instagram as a marketing tool. Keep reading, and get ready for a business boost.

Know the Features

Before getting into the details, it’s important to know how to use Instagram. 

Most importantly, know how to use the posting feature. Regularly create posts with witty captions and strategic hashtags. 

Next, make sure you follow other accounts. Follow other food trucks you like, local businesses, and some of your favorite customers.

You’ll also want to explore the Instagram stories feature. Instagram stories are up for 24 hours at a time. You can create boomerangs, make polls, share music, tag other people, and post pictures. For food truck operators, the story feature can be where you share your current location so customers will know where to find you.

Build Engagement

People love a responsive, engaged business. You’ll be able to connect with locals through the magic of social media. (Tip: Use social media to connect people with your mobile business app.)

Make sure to always tag your location so people can easily find your truck. You can even put your location in your bio section on your profile. Use the story option to update people daily on your location and hours if it changes. 

It’s important to either check your account regularly or turn on your notifications, so you’ll know if a customer tags you in a post. You can share these, if they’re positive, to showcase your customer satisfaction. If a customer posts something negative, it gives you a chance to respond, rectify the situation and possibly gain a loyal patron. 

A great way to engage customers is by creating polls in your stories. Ask people whether they prefer deep dish or thin crust pizza, curly or waffle fries, or sweet tea or lemonade. Polls are a great way to get feedback about your menu or decide on weekly specials.

Create Incentives

Create small incentives like giveaways and rewards for tagging your business. For example, if someone posts a picture of your food truck on Instagram and tags you, give them a coupon or a free food item.

You can also ask followers to share your posts. Make it a contest and randomly draw a lucky winner to receive free meal. Some food trucks have even been creating virtual scavenger hunts by hiding small free meal tickets in their area. They give clues on social media to get people to try and find them.

By creating fun opportunities, you’ll bring in new customers and cement your popularity with loyal diners.

Successful Food Truck Owners Use the Power of Instagram

All food truck owners should be using Instagram to attract customers. It’s simple and effective.

Make sure you know all the features of Instagram and take time to explore them. Build engagement on your profile, and take the time to answer questions and comments. 

Ready to start your first food truck? Check out some of our recent projects to get some ideas. And when you’re ready, request a quote for your custom truck!

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The post How to Use Instagram As a Marketing Tool: A Guide for Food Truck Owners appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Photo by Paula Vermeulen on Unsplash

In the US, there are tons of food trucks serving delicious delicacies across the country!

Do you own a sit-down restaurant? Although it may seem odd, there are many ways in which starting a food truck can seriously improve your business.

In this article, we’ll look at just a few ways a food truck can help bring even more success to your restaurant!

1. A Food Truck Can Reach New Audiences

With a food truck, you can target the audiences you want to bring into your restaurant. 

Perhaps you recently launched a vegan menu that most people don’t know about? Take your food truck to a vegan market. Here, you can show off your delicious new menu and tell people about your sit-down location.

Do you want young people to know that your food is affordable? Take your food truck to a festival and showcase your cheaper prices!

2. Create a Social Media Savvy Brand

If you aren’t already on social media, you should be. Almost 70% of American adults use social media. In order to attract attention on these platforms, you need to be doing something a little bit different. 

A food truck is a great way to impress. Perhaps your food truck occasionally gives out free hot dogs? Maybe your servers do a dance every time they serve a mojito?

Whatever it is, create an Instagrammable food truck and even include your hashtag on the side to get more people talking about you across social media. 

3. You Already Have a Prep Kitchen

If you own a restaurant, then you’ll already have all of the equipment to use your restaurant kitchen as a prep kitchen for your food truck.

Of course, there are many other things to consider when starting up a food truck. But, once you have your truck and paperwork in order, it’s time to get your business on the road.

Low operation costs mean this is one of the best ways to advertise your restaurant! Furthermore, you know the food business better than if you were starting from scratch.

4. Gain Useful Customer Feedback

Are you planning on changing up your menu but aren’t sure how well it will do? This is the perfect time to take to your food truck. By finding an area of your city which has high foot traffic, you can sell your new concoctions to a variety of people.

Why not reduce the price in exchange for true customer feedback? Provide pens, paper, and a little postbox so that responses are anonymous.

This feedback will be much more reliable, and therefore more valuable than your mom’s opinion!

5. Meet Other Local Businesses

When you’re inside all day, you won’t be meeting others who work in small, local businesses. By getting out and about, you’ll meet people who work nearby and who can provide insider tips and tricks.

Perhaps by branching out and meeting more people in your neighborhood, you’ll find a new, cheaper supplier. This is also a great way to find new staff.

Starting a Food Truck Is Worthwhile

When it comes to starting a food truck, you need to remember to put in the research and make sure you’re not breaking any local laws. Having all of your paperwork in order can be a long process. But, when you’re up and running, there are so many benefits of owning a food truck.

If you’ve found this article helpful, check out the rest of our website and learn more about how to set up your food truck.

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The post 5 Reasons Starting a Food Truck Makes Sense for Your Restaurant appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash

Did you know that the food industry is worth 985 million dollars? Even if it’s the wintertime, your business can still thrive.

Are you looking to increase your food truck profits? Not to worry! In this guide, we’ll go over how to survive the winter.

Consider Catering at Banquets and Receptions

If it’s too cold in your area, customers might not want to venture outside for food. Instead, let your community know that you are available for catering opportunities.

You can contact local schools, offices, and businesses. Inform them that you cater for special events or meetings.

People love to gather to celebrate in the wintertime, so make the most of these opportunities.

Change up Your Menu

Most food trucks will create a menu centered around summertime foods. Stand out from your competition in the winter by selling seasonal foods.

Add savory food items for your customers during the colder months. Introduce warm beverages, as well. You will have an influx of customers excited to try out these new menu items.

Connect with Local Businesses

Print off menus and add a delivery service to your food truck. You can pass them out to businesses in your local area. This way, you can build a partnership and sell more food.

Grow Your Customer Base and Food Truck Profits

Work hard at building relationships with your customers and deliver excellent service. When the colder months hit, you will still have regulars who will come for their coffee or food.

Going to a food truck becomes part of many people’s routines. Let them know that you are still around in the wintertime.

Treat Your Employees Well

With the changing of the temperature, you’ll want to make sure your food truck’s warm enough. You might need to revamp your vehicle or buy a new one, so it’s prepared for the cold.

This way, your employees’ morale will remain high. In turn, your customers will get a better service from your happy team members.

Make the Most of Your Mobility

The benefit of having a food truck is getting to move around to different places. In the winter, check out new areas. You can make notes about where you get the most foot traffic.

Keep updating your social media, so people know where to find you each week. Learn more about how to improve your social media strategy.

Make a plan to see where would be the best place to park during the colder months. You could get close to a sports arena or a mall near a lot of traffic.

Contact Us Today

We hope you found this guide on winter food trucks helpful. Increase your food truck profits with these tips. Find out where you can access the most foot traffic in your area.

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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