The food truck industry is competitive and challenging to break into. You must have a solid business plan, a good brand identity, and proper advertising. You need to learn how you can stand out.

Keep reading for 5 cool and creative ideas for marketing a food truck. 

1. Launch a Social Media Campaign 

In our digital age, you really should have an online presence. However, simply having a Facebook page or posting a few photos to Instagram isn’t going to make your business boom. You need to have the right strategy and launch a social media campaign.

Look into what your competitor’s social media sites are like to gather marketing ideas. What is their brand style? Do they actively engage with their customers often?

From here, you can build your own strategy and think about the content you want to produce. Make sure it is unique and engaging. Monitor your posts and see what works and what doesn’t. 

2. Establish Your Brand Identity 

No matter how good your food is or how well you treat your customers, you’ll just blend into the background if you don’t have a good and memorable brand identity. Use vibrant colors that will help you stand out and get a simple yet unique logo designed. Be careful you don’t go too over to the top and make your menu or advertisements unreadable or unclear.

Once you have your brand established, you can sell or give away promotional items like t-shirts, cups, metal straws, bottle openers, etc. 

3. Hand Out Loyalty Cards and Win Return Customers 

How can you make sure your customers will come back? Hand out loyalty cards. Loyalty cards, such as a “Buy 5, Get 1 Free” promotion, will encourage folks to buy more and to return to your food truck until they complete their card.

You can even use a digital loyalty reward system if you don’t want to hand out physical cards. It’s highly customizable, so you can change your strategy often. It won’t affect your bottom-line. In fact, it will increase your sales and profits. 

4. Get In Ahead of Popular Food Trends 

The video-sharing app TikTok has popularized certain food trends like dalgona coffee, White Claw slushies, and strawberry milk. There’s no shortage of new fads on the rise. While you may not want to base your whole food truck business around one of these, it can certainly be a part of your menu.

There are always new innovations in coffee. This high-in-demand beverage is a good addition. 

5.  Follow National Food Holidays

No, we don’t mean Thanksgiving. There’s a lot of fun food holidays you can celebrate to promote your business and draw in new customers. February 9th is National Pizza Day, and November 1st is World Vegan Day.

You can advertise on social media about these holidays and celebrate with your customers with a fun menu change. 

Marketing a Food Truck Made Easy 

When operating and marketing a food truck, you need to know how to stand out. Launching a social media campaign will help you get the word out about your business. Look at your competitors for inspiration. Learn about what’s popular and follow the trends—and possibly even make your own.

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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Did you know that the average American spends $1200 on fast food annually? 

If you’re looking to get into the fast-food game, why not consider the world of food trucks? This is a great way to showcase your business to customers on the go!

To help sway your decision, we’re sharing five reasons why today’s consumers love food trucks. From their efficiency and accessibility to their overall diversity, it’s easy to see why food trucks are continuing to grow in popularity. 

1. Fast and Easy

First things first, food trucks are fast! 

Customers know that they can place and receive their order in a relatively quick time span. This helps to create a sense of ease in purchasing your food and drink from a food truck. When you’re on the clock, it’s safe to say that every minute counts! 

For your own food truck, this means you’re going to want to be prepared as possible. Be sure to prep your most difficult dishes beforehand so that you can operate quickly and serve as many customers as possible. 

2. Not Your Typical Chain

At the end of the day, it’s easy to get sick and tired of America’s most common food chains. 

Let’s consider that McDonald’s has over 13,486 locations throughout America. With such a large number, it’s easy to see why consumers crave something different when it comes to fast food. 

This is a significant draw to food trucks. As compared to all of the usual chains, food trucks offer something entirely different! With this, customers count on experiencing a more niche food market and more carefully crafted products overall. 

3. An Introduction to New Cuisines  

One of the most exciting aspects of food trucks is that they introduce new foods to their customers.  

This is a great way for consumers to get to know an entirely new cuisine of food. For example, a food truck is where many people will try a series of ethnic foods for the first time. Because the food truck experience feels so personal, the customers are able to establish a greater sense of trust in both the food and the chef. 

4. Food Trucks Are Everywhere 

Short and simple, food trucks are easy to access! 

In choosing a food truck, there’s no need to trek to the local mall or the restaurant around the corner. Instead, the best food trucks are parked and waiting for you on the road. Here, you’ll be greeted by a friendly face and all of the usual customers happily lined up and waiting for their food. 

5. Personalization 

When customers purchase food from a food truck, they have the rare opportunity to interact with the chef. This is because on a food truck, the orders are often taken and prepared by one person—the chef!  

This is as compared to a traditional joint where the customer solely interacts with the cashier or server. This helps to deliver a more personal and trusting experience for the customer overall. When customers are able to see the face behind their food, they naturally feel more connected to the experience.

The Rise in Food Trucks 

In recent years, it’s safe to say that food trucks have exploded in popularity! 

Not only are food trucks fast and easy, but they also offer a number of alternate perks to customers. A local Mexican food truck may encourage residents to try ceviche verde and enchiladas for the first time. The personal one-on-one experience may appeal to customers that seek a more personalized experience. 

So, how would having a food truck suit your industry? Contact us today to find out! 

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 Why Customers Love Food Trucks and What That Means for You appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Food trucks have experienced a revival, especially as a safe and delicious option for getting takeout food in the age of coronavirus. However, due to their changing locations or lack of permanent space, sometimes it can be difficult to build a loyal customer base. 

One of the best ways to get the word out about your food truck is to generate customer feedback. The more customer reviews your business receives, the more exposure and buyers you will get. Here are a few ways that you will get many more reviews and boost your business profile in no time. 

1. Post Regularly on Social Media

A good social media presence is essential for your business. You should set up social media accounts for posting business updates, new menu additions, and promotions or specials your food truck may run. Some of the best social media sites for restaurants include Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and even TikTok.

When your customers follow you on social media, you’re giving them the opportunity to engage with your business. When they leave feedback on your photos in the form of comments, your social media algorithm will boost your online presence and expose your business to more potential customers.

2. Remind Your Customers to Leave Reviews

Online reviews can be a huge advantage for your business, and they are also a completely organic way to generate customer comments. If your business has an online presence on review sites like Yelp and Google, then your customers can easily give you a star rating and leave their comments.

Reviewing a business through a third-party site is one of the easiest feedback methods. Your customers will be prompted to rate the business, leave their review, and usually have the option to upload photos. You can also easily respond to customer comments through these sites. 

3. Have Unforgettable Menu Items

For positive feedback, a foolproof way to generate more customer comments, along with interest in your food truck business, is to be unique. Make sure if you have a signature dish, promote it, and if you don’t, you should think about adding dishes to your menu that will make your business stand out. 

If customers see there is something unique about your food truck, then they are much more likely to leave a positive review or give you firsthand feedback about what they enjoyed about their experience. Be sure to remind them to give their feedback when their order is complete. 

Customer Feedback is Key to Expanding Your Business

When you run a food truck, you rely on your customers to keep you in business, which is one of the many reasons why customer feedback can be so important. For even more customer comments, you should consider letting customers fill out a survey in change for coupons or freebies. 

Want to know more about the best way to run your food truck business? Visit our blog for more details.  

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 3 Ways to Get Customer Feedback About Your Food Truck 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 Arthur Edelman on Unsplash

Did you know that Americans eat out 5.9 times a week? Change up your food truck menu to entice new customers and keep old ones happy.

Want to learn more? Keep reading to find out.

1. Take a Look at Your Competitors

When you’re creating or changing your menu, take some time to check out your competition’s menu. See how they present their dishes and what ones they offer. What are their marketing efforts?

You can start to figure out how your food truck can offer items that other restaurants or trucks don’t. See if you can offer a lower price, or provide more variety on your menu.

2. Add a Popular Meal to Your Food Truck Menu

If you’re new to the industry, don’t worry, you can increase your revenue with this tip. Add a food item like a BLT, ribs, or hotdogs to your menu.

If you have more unusual food on your menu, add a staple item. This way, picky eaters can still find something to eat at your truck.

3. Try Seasonal Food Items

If you want customers to visit your food truck throughout the year, have specials for each season. You won’t have to change your entire menu. Instead, add one unique dish, drink or dessert. Or one of each!

You could add savory soups for the winter months, and a delicious cold dessert for the summer.

4. Stand out from the Crowd

When making your menu, think about the type of food you will serve and see how you can add a twist.

For example, if you’re serving Indian food, you could always add a fusion version of a popular item to your menu, like a chicken tikka pizza or a curry burger.

Consider adding a few interesting side dishes to your menu for customer just looking for a snack, or for people to add onto their meal as a combo.

5. What About Drinks?

A lot of food trucks don’t spend much time on picking out unique beverages. Don’t let this opportunity slip away. You want every item on your menu to stand out, even drinks.

Consider having homemade drinks like smoothies, teas, or shakes alongside pop and juice. If you are serving ethnic food, make sure to have some traditional drinks to complement the food.

6. The Design of Your Menu

Try and add your menu items in the order of potential customers’ dining experience. You can start with appetizers, soups, and salads. Then follow these with the entrees and desserts.

If you have super popular items, highlight these dishes with a different text color or a star next to the name. This will draw your customers’ attention and point out special dishes that you would recommend.

Perhaps the most important thing about your menu design is the presentation of food photography. Consider incorporating an appetizing photo of any unusual dishes so customers can get an idea of what they’re ordering. Fear of the unknown is what most often deters customers from trying new things, so showing them what the dish looks like will be one step to helping them overcome that hesitation.

Contact Us Today

We hope you found this guide on menus helpful. Don’t forget to have your menu posted online somewhere that your customers can easily discover your delicious dishes, and be sure to post updates when you have specials or limited-time options! 

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 Increase Revenue by Changing Your Food Truck Menu appeared first on Custom Concessions.