Did you know that the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival made 29.6 million dollars in 2019?

There’s no doubt that there is good money to be made as a festival food truck. Yet, there are so many mistakes that can take a bite out of your profit.

Here are 5 common food truck festival mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Failing to Know the Competition

One of the most common mistakes people make when joining a festival food truck event is forgetting to inquire about the competition.

The number of attendees is important to know, but you also need to find out how many other vendors there will be. You’ll especially need to know if there is already another vendor selling the same cuisine.

Depending on the size of the festival, it might not be worth your effort to attend if the competition is fierce. 

At the very least, be sure to ask the event organizer to put your stall far away from any direct competitors.

2. Having an Expansive Menu

Another mistake is trying to reel in more customers by having a wide variety of menu options.

The more choices on your menu, the longer it will take you to move customers through the queue. When choices are plentiful, and lineups are long, many customers will simply choose elsewhere.

Consider cutting out the items on your menu that take the longest to make. Festival food trucks need to keep up a high speed of service.

There’s no reason not to have a festival menu that is simple for you and your customers. Plus, lowering the number of your offerings means that you can buy ingredients in bulk for cheaper.

3. Wrong Pricing 

A rookie mistake many food trucks make at festivals is with menu pricing. Remember, foodies are attending in order to sample as many options as possible.

Having a few low-cost menu options will bring new customers to your stand. Remember, lots of people will have cash with them. Keep that in mind when pricing items and keep it simple.

Items for $2, $5, and $10 makes paying for it and getting change easy peasy.

4. Not Buying Enough

You buy double the ingredients you think you will need. Yet, you still run out. Then, you have to rush to the store to buy ingredients at a higher price point.

Not only is that bad money management, but it’s also stressful and drives customers away.

Be sure to come to the festival armed with more ingredients than you think you could possibly go through. As long as your truck has plenty of dry and refrigerated storage, it’s OK to have leftovers.

Having extra after a busy day is better than the alternative. 

5. Ignoring Social Media

If you aren’t posting on social media before, and during the food festival, you are missing a huge opportunity to get your name in front of festival foodies.

Plus, all the other vendors will be promoting on social media, so you should too.

Be sure to use the festival hashtag in the weeks leading up to the festival. Make a point of engaging with people who are excited about the upcoming event.

Post pictures of your festival menu a day or so beforehand. This allows foodies to plan what they will eat on the festival day.

Also, make sure you let people know your location during the festival.  

Have A Successful Festival Food Truck

There you have it! 5 of the worst festival food truck mistakes people make, and how to avoid them.

Are you in the market for a new food truck? Contact us today to discuss your needs.

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 Food Truck Festival Mistakes You Could Make (And How to Avoid Them!) appeared first on Custom Concessions.

When you’re walking down the street with a rumbling tummy, there’s no sight more welcome than a food truck parked near you. After all, mobile food services sell all kinds of delicious cuisines. From tacos to pasta to kebabs to Asian fusion, food trucks and trailers let you sample a variety of free smells… and affordable food.

In the US, there are currently at least 4,000 operating food trucks and food trailers. If you’re interested in joining their ranks, you’ve probably heard of both of these kinds of mobile food services. You can probably tell them apart from the visual differences, but do you know some of the practical differences?

Here, we’re going to answer address some of these practical differences, and what they mean for you as a potential owner. Read on for five of the most important differences between food trucks and trailers so you can make an informed decision about which is best for you!

1. Size and Unit Type

The main difference between food trucks and food trailers is their size and the type of unit that they occupy. The compartment itself is sized quite differently. The average food truck kitchen is 7-feet wide, while a food trailer kitchen can be wider at 7-feet or 8.5-feet.

The length of your truck is more so what will determine the amount of kitchen space you have to work with. Food trucks can be as short as 10-feet, or as long as 26-feet. Food trailers on the other hand, have a much wider span of sizes, ranging all the way from 8-feet to 53-feet!

One advantage of food trucks on the size front is that they’ll be able to fit and park in a wider range of venues than a food trailer. 

On the other hand, if you have a larger-sized food trailer it can bring a lot of benefits with it. For one thing, it allows room for more kinds of appliances, and it lets the cook work differently than they would in a smaller space.

2. Storage Space

With a larger area to work in comes more storage space. Food trailers have a lot more places to put ingredients, cleaners, ovens, grills, and other cooking utensils than food trucks do. This means a few things for your business.

First, larger food trailers are usually easier to keep clean and sanitary. There’s a lot more room to work as well as a lot more area to store cleaning supplies. Staying up to code will ensure that your business thrives and isn’t shut down. On the other hand, the smaller kitchen area of a food truck means less to clean and fewer appliances to maintain.

3. Price

Generally, food trailers are cheaper than food trucks. The reason for this is that food trailers can’t move through the streets on their own and need to be towed by another vehicle that has that capability. This means you will either have to purchase or rent a towing vehicle in addition to the price of the trailer. 

The main takeaway is that a food truck costs more if you’re going to be remaining stationary all the time, but that isn’t usually the reality of mobile food businesses. If you plan to move frequently to various locations, it is probably worthwhile to invest in a food truck rather than a trailer.

Along with the upfront price, another facet of the financial side to think about is the depreciation of your asset over time. Generally, food trucks retain their value at a higher rate per year than food trailers do. So, if you want to upgrade your food truck or trailer in a few years, your food truck will likely have better resale value.

4. Professionalism

Another thing to consider is how your food trailer or truck is going to look to customers. Food trucks generally look nicer and more professional than food trailers, especially when they have extra bells and whistles, like a full graphics wrap, a TV shadow box to display your menu or other content, and rooftop signboards to give your truck a taller, sleeker look while partially hiding the rooftop A/C unit.

Either way, with a food truck or trailer, having a good branding strategy is going to make your truck look more professional. Make sure your logo is easily recognizable on the side of your truck, and try to stick to a theme for your truck. 

5. Portability & Paperwork

While food trailers can possibly have more space, nothing beats the food truck in terms of portability. Plus, food trailers require more paperwork than food trucks do. This makes sense—after all you’re parking two vehicles at any given venue rather than just one.

Since you only have one unit when driving around a food truck, it’s easier to operate. You don’t have to worry about hooking up a trailer and making sure all the connections are working properly. You don’t have to have experience maneuvering a bulky vehicle with two segments. Basically, you can just get in and go.

Additionally, you’ll be able to transport a food truck to many more places than a food trailer. There are roads and parking spots that a food trailer’s bulky size can’t handle. On the other hand, a food truck can easily move around and park pretty much anywhere to set up shop.

Chow Down!

So, you’re probably wondering, is a food truck better or a food trailer better? Well, that depends on what kind of food business you want to run, and what you’re aiming to get out of the experience.

A food truck and a food trailer may sound like the same thing, but in reality, they couldn’t be more different. As someone thinking about starting up in the mobile food business, it’s important to weigh the differences between these options before making a decision.

Now that you know five key differences between food trucks and food trailers, click here to see our recent food truck and trailer builds. We’re here to help you find what you need and get into this competitive business.

Bon appétit!

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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Food trucks, food trailers, food carts—what’s the difference? And which one is best?

Actually, each one is the best at something. It all depends on where you are in your specific type of food service business.

So which one is right for you? Read on to find out. 

Food Trucks

Food trucks are the most convenient and versatile of the three mobile food service options we’re comparing today. Just like it sounds, a food truck is a motor vehicle that hosts a full-service restaurant kitchen. 

The kitchen is most commonly between 16 and 18 feet long, but it could be anywhere between 10 and 26 feet.

Since the combination kitchen/truck is a single unit, it’s easier to transport than the other 2 options. There’s no towing or packing up involved so you can hop from location to location quickly and easily. It’s also more compact than a food trailer, which makes for an easier driving experience, and it’s much more mobile and easy to transport than a food cart.

However, this also means that automotive problems will affect your whole business. If the engine breaks down, you’ve no choice but to close up shop until it’s fixed.

Food trucks are the most expensive option on the list, but they are a serious investment for those who are serious about their mobile food business.

When it comes to food trucks, buying new is often the best option. That way, your investment will come with a warranty and you can be sure that everything will be in perfect working order. Buying new also allows you to customize the food truck to the specific needs of your particular mobile restaurant business.

Food Trailers

Unlike the food truck, the food trailer is not mobile on its own. It must be hitched to a separate truck or another vehicle powerful enough to tow it.

The typical kitchen of a food trailer is comparable to that of a food truck in size and function. However, they can be much longer—up to 53 feet!

Bigger may be better for the venue of your particular business. But a food trailer is bulkier than a food truck and not as easy to move around. There are many streets food trucks can serve that aren’t large enough to accommodate food trailers.

For all these reasons, food trailers are best suited for big events like state fairs. They’re also cheaper than food trucks. And you can switch to another towing vehicle if your primary vehicle breaks down.

Food Carts 

Food carts are the mobile food service entrepreneur’s cheapest option. They do not attach to vehicles and are only mobile when pushed by hand. They also lack full-service kitchen.

As such they are best suited for a much smaller and more focused mobile food business. They can be outfitted with refrigeration and/or a cooking device, such as a deep fryer, but do not provide the convenience of having a full kitchen.

Since food carts are pushed by hand, the distance you can travel is entirely dependent upon your own foot power. Usually they can only be pushed around a single area, so they don’t have the same mobility as a food truck or food trailer.

Food carts are mostly useful for lunch rushes along busy footpaths. They can serve a simple menu of one type of meal or snack.

If you’re just starting out, a food cart could be a stepping stone to a more sophisticated vehicle later on. A well-managed hot dog, pretzel, or homemade ice cream cart can earn you enough to work your way up.

Take Your Business to Go!

So what’ll it be? Now that you know your options, may we take your order?

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 Food Trucks vs Food Trailers vs Food Carts: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Custom Concessions.

In this video, we give you a tour of our manufacturing facility. So come see where we build all of our beautiful food trucks and trailers!

About Custom Concessions:

Custom Concessions Has 25 Years of Food Truck Building Experience And A Track Record Of Working With The Biggest Brands in the Restaurant Industry.

When comparing different food truck and concession trailer manufacturing companies, you may find that it can be a complex and difficult task due to the large number of factors that go into the end result. Consider the materials used in the fabrication, equipment brands and their installation, expertise and craftsmanship, and most importantly, the reputation of the builder.

At Custom Concessions we specialize in custom fabrication, manufacturing the best food trucks and concession trailers on the market!

We are driven to provide you the highest quality product with unparalleled customer service. We understand that your food truck is the core of your business. It is your livelihood and passion, and we share that passion with you. We build custom food trucks so that our customer’s vision can come to life. We always say if you can dream it, we can build it.

Want more food truck advice? Check out our entire blog here!

If you are looking to break into this industry, make sure to request a custom quote!

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

The post Custom Concessions Manufacturing Facility Video Walkthrough appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Although you can customize any of our food trucks and trailers to your liking, there are big differences between many of our trailers that cannot be changed. These differences can help you decide on what trailer or food truck is perfect for you. One of our more confusing differences is between our Gooseneck Trailers and our other trailers. Many of our customers have trouble deciding between our Gooseneck and our BBQ trailer. With many similarities, one can easily have a hard time deciding between the two. It’s important to understand how these trailers work to better fit your needs. Today we’d like lay out the differences from our Gooseneck Trailers and a BBQ Trailers to help you understand how these two work.

Hitch

Probably the biggest difference between the BBQ Trailer and the Gooseneck Trailer is how the hitch connects to the truck. BBQ Trailers us a typical Ball Mount or Square Receiver Hitch. But a Gooseneck Trailer uses what is referred to as a Gooseneck Hitch. As the trailer extends over your truck’s bed, the hitch uses a kingpin, ball and socket or other similar trailer connection method. This is located above and forward of the rearmost axle of the towing vehicle. Unlike the BBQ Trailer, a gooseneck trailer is mounted in the tow vehicle, usually in a pickup truck.

Often, this requires for the truck bed to be removed to install the frame that holds the hitch in place. More often than not, a hole is drilled in the back of the truck. This might sway some business owner’s decision between the two, especially if they really love their truck.

Size

Generally, between a BBQ Trailer and a Gooseneck Trailer, the Gooseneck will be bigger. Or, more appropriately, if you’re looking for more room and need extra storage, the Gooseneck Trailer will be a better option. Because of a Gooseneck Trailer’s hitch setup, there’s an added amount of available storage. If you don’t need a lot of room and are looking for a trailer that slightly more compact, a BBQ Trailer might be the better option.

Often, Gooseneck trailers are not used for food, but for other services: blood donation, Veteran Affairs, Fire Safety drills, etc. This is because of their size. Although our other trailers offer ample room for food preparation, the Gooseneck is our only trailer than can really offer the room needed to perform non-food activities.

Mobility

While both BBQ Trailer and Gooseneck Trailer are mobile, the Gooseneck Hitch allows for much sharper turns. When driving your trailer around, this can make a big difference. This is especially true if you’re considering bringing your trailer to conventions, expos, festivals and other events that are limited with room.

BBQ Trailers may not have the best turning radius, but they are often lighter than Gooseneck Trailers. This means you don’t need as powerful of a truck to tow. We recommend Gooseneck Trailers if you need to have a heavy duty truck hitched to the trailer. However, as long as you own a powerful truck, Gooseneck trailers can support as much as thirty thousand pounds . If you need to tow a lot of equipment and food, Gooseneck Trailers got your back.

Customization

While both our BBQ Trailer and Gooseneck Trailer are customizable to your preferences, only the BBQ trailer can come with your own BBQ Smoker in the back. The addition sits on an open bed to keep air flowing through the mechanism. True barbecuers will tell you this is one of the best ways to make great meat. If you’re planning a food trailer based on good BBQ, you’re going to want to consider getting yourself a BBQ smoker.

Gooseneck Trailers are often better customized to fit larger groups of people. With ability to add a long width of windows for placing and receiving orders, many business owners who use Gooseneck Trailers are prepared for big events with a high yield of customers.

Whatever trailer you choose, Custom Concessions will make sure every aspect of the trailer is up to your standards of excellence. As you can see, even the differences between two of our Trailers can be big. Consider researching all of our trailers on our site. Or, contact us today to discuss your ideal trailer. We bet we’ll be able to make exactly what you’re looking for.

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 The In’s and Out’s – The Difference Between Gooseneck and BBQ Trailers appeared first on Custom Concessions.