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.

Mobility is the name of the game in an era where people want everything delivered or easily accessible. An entire industry has opened up to provide foodies everywhere with more access than ever to delicious street foods of all kinds.

Today, mobile kitchens are more versatile than every. Anything from step vans to box trucks can be customized to take your restaurant on the road. Keep reading for seven food truck features that can take your mobile restaurant business to the next level.

1. Order Window and Awning

On the side of your truck, you’ll want to have a sliding window for taking orders. In merchandising vehicle conversions, a window makes room for a cashier and register system, not to mention space for writing down orders.

An awning goes the extra step to provide comfort for your customers. It can be auto-powered or manual, but either will give shade on hot, sunny days or shelter on rainy ones.

2. Refrigeration Unit

When serving food you’ll need a way to keep meats, dairy, and other products cold. Refrigeration units can be as small as cooler or as larger as a double-wide refrigerator.

3. Prep Table

Like any stationary kitchen, there has to be a place to prep the food. Depending on what’s on the menu you may need more than one prep table. These tables are typically three- to six-feet long and have convenient storage containers for quick access to prepped items, like chopped veggies for pizza, sliced cheese for sandwiches, or toppings for garnishing salads.

4. Fryers and Cooktops

Probably the most essential part of a food truck is the ability to cook the food. Mobile kitchen conversions include an extensive line of fryers, hot plates, stoves, griddles, and grills. You will want to take a good look at what you are planning to cook in your kitchen to determine which and how many of these cooking appliances you will need. 

5. Wi-Fi for eCommerce Set-up

Tech is required to complete sales transactions. Some smaller businesses rely on a point of sale set-up. 

Other businesses have actual registers with swipe machines or even simple cash drawers. Many of these services require reliable Wi-Fi so rather than rely on public access, install your own secure internet service. This will give you more freedom to set up in places where other Wi-Fi might not be available.

6. Digital Menu Display and Order Display

Another reason to have Wi-Fi is to operate digital menu boards and order displays. 

This is a great tool when your menu changes often or in case you run out of a popular item. Order displays are a great way to be able to change up the dishes you have for sale.

Digital order displays can help keep kitchen staff on top of things by showing how long a customer has been waiting.

7. AC Unit

It can get pretty heated in a food truck when all the grills are firing. For the comfort and safety of yourself and your employees, having an AC unit is pretty much essential if you live somewhere that gets hot in the summertime. You don’t want sweat dripping into food or workers getting faint from overheating.

Let’s Get Moving

Did these food truck features get you thinking about your restaurant business? It may be time to take your food services on the road.

If you have an idea for a food truck business we have everything you need to get started. Click here to get a quote for your custom mobile kitchen!

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 7 Food Truck Features That Could Benefit Your Business appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Did you know there are over 23,000 food trucks in the United States? Food truck culture has become very popular over recent years, but where did it all come from? 

Food carts have been in use for millennia, dating as far back as the Roman era. The food truck as we know it today was a gradual evolution of this format, as trucks advanced and became literal mobile kitchens.

Want to find out more about the history of food trucks? Ready to see how the food truck revolution happened and why? Then read on!

The Early History of Food Trucks

The very first food trucks date back to the chuckwagon. These covered wagons sold perishable food to cowboys and loggers in the American wilderness.

In a typical chuck wagon, you’d find beans, cured meat, coffee, and biscuits. It would also carry water, and wood to build fires. Many also functioned as mobile barbershops and dentist’s surgeries.

Jump forward to the 1890s, and these early food sellers began to cater to university students. Wagons selling sausages would be set up outside dorms at Yale, Princeton, and Harvard, among others. 

Arguably the very first food truck that we would recognize as such was the Wienermobile, created in 1936. Made to advertise—what else—Oscar Meyer wieners, the Wienermobile toured the United States selling hot dogs. It rocked up at schools, orphanages, parades, and hospitals. 

If you were hungry, the Wienermobile had you covered. Today, the Wienermobile has been repurposed as an Airbnb.

By the 1950s, ice cream vans were touring neighborhoods across the United States. Their playful tunes drew children (and adults) from across the neighborhood, and the utility of the food truck was becoming obvious.

The Modern Food Truck

The Wienermobile was great, but it didn’t go everywhere. Ice cream trucks are awesome, but only sell one type of food. When did the first food truck start selling tacos, that lunchtime favorite?

Let’s jump to LA in the 1970s.

Since the 1960s, Mexican loncheras had been selling incredible food, but the first food truck selling tacos would not come until 1974. One Raul Martinez bought an old ice cream van and opened up King Taco. Friends told him he was crazy, but he set up shop outside an East LA bar and sold $70 of tacos on the first night.

A few evenings later, he was bringing in $150 every evening. Six months later, he opened up a brick and mortar store, which has become an LA institution. By 1987, there were three King Taco trucks doing business in the city.

While he had the first taco truck, Martinez wasn’t alone for long.

If you were at Rutgers University from 1979, “grease trucks” were a common sight. These trucks sold “fat sandwiches,” essentially rolls stuffed with two cheeseburgers, fries, lettuce, and tomato. So bad for you, but so delicious.

These food trucks were huge successes, in limited areas. It wasn’t until 2008 that the broader modern food truck revolution would begin.

The Food Truck Revolution

Mark the year: 2008 was an incredibly important time in the history of food trucks. This was when truck catering technology, social media, and a growing interest in street food caused the food truck revolution.

Roy Choi’s Korean BBQ truck, Kogi BBQ, was creating a stir on the west coast. In the East, New York’s Rickshaw Dumpling Bar was serving up delicious dumplings to foodies. Social media like Facebook and the nascent Twitter meant that customers started to do the marketing work themselves.

The great recession of the late 2000s also provided an impetus for the food truck. Chefs from top restaurants were being laid off, and few restaurants were hiring. 

Food trucks were the obvious solution. They were cheap to buy, and easy to run, requiring no more skills for a chef than working in a restaurant. It was this movement that started making food trucks truly gourmet.

There have been good and bad developments in the industry since. In 2010, LA started requiring food trucks to pass inspections, like brick and mortar restaurants. In 2011, New York food trucks were forced to relocate away from parking meters, after city authorities ruled no vendors could park up and sell food.

Despite the occasional hiccup, food trucks have gone from strength to strength. They have started to be granted liquor licenses, offering customers superb wine and beer pairings with their food.

The preponderance of different food types is another string to the food truck’s bow. 

A food truck can sell any kind of food. Want a pizza truck, a grilled cheese truck, or a kimchi wagon? They’re all possible.

The combination of low cost, delicious food and a strong variety of choices has made food trucks a nationwide success. But what’s next for the industry?

The Future of the Food Truck Industry

In many metropolitan areas, food trucks are now as entrenched as restaurants and bistros. Across the country, millions of people buy lunch from food trucks. 

The good news? This industry is expected to keep growing.

Established restaurants, such as the famous Katz’s Deli in New York City, are starting to get in on the action. Such branded food trucks are something we can expect to keep seeing. They offer a low-cost, high-impact marketing solution.

More and more, we’re also starting to see food trucks in places other than the sidewalk. Food truck festivals are hugely popular and it’s not unusual for trucks to cater to events.

In contrast to the early history of food trucks, we’re also starting to see more and more healthy food trucks. These take advantage of the clean eating culture that is particularly popular in California.

Technology is another feature that today’s food trucks are taking advantage of. For example, it’s not unheard of for trucks to offer free Wi-Fi. This not only attracts customers but also encourages sharing on social media.

Thinking about starting a food truck? Curious about costs, or wondering if you have what it takes? Take a look at the options available on our site, and get in touch if you have any questions!

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 History of Food Trucks and How They’ve Shaped America appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Maybe you are coming to the food truck industry with previous restaurant experience, or maybe you’re completely new to the food service industry. Either way, building a food truck will probably be a completely new experience for you. Be sure and consider all your options, including those below, when starting on your new food truck build.

The Quality of the Truck

Probably the most important thing you want to consider when it comes to your food truck build is the quality of your final product.

One thing you may have considered is buying a used truck, but going this route can get tricky. While used trucks tend to be cheaper, it’s important to understand the added risks (and expenses) associated with an older vehicle. Plus, you most likely won’t have warranties on the truck or appliances to guard against any problems you might encounter.

Deciding to go with a new truck from a reliable builder will address many of these potential problems. It allows you to have full control over the building process, plus all the customization options you will want or need.

Your food truck is the foundation of your business, so it’s important to make sure you purchase a quality truck.

The Size of the Truck

The size of the truck depends on how big of an operation you’re wanting to run. It might also come down to how much money you’re willing or able to spend. You may want a smaller vehicle to easily maneuver city streets, or you may want a huge food trailer so you can crank out as much food as possible.

Asking yourself some evaluative questions will help you determine what size truck you need. What are you trying to achieve with your mobile restaurant business? Do you plan to operate you food truck mainly as a mobile catering hub or a park and sell vehicle? How many employees do you need working at one time? What types of appliances do you need to make your food, and how big of a kitchen will you need to accommodate them?

Taking a good look at your goals and dreams for your food truck will help you answer these questions.

The Wrap

The graphics wrap will be one of your most important considerations when it comes to attracting customers. The wrap on your truck should ideally show off your brand, logo and business.

The outward appearance of your truck matters. Because customers will see two things—the food and the truck’s exterior—it’s important to make the design as attractive as possible. You can make the kitchen look as cool as you want, but customers will probably never see it. 

Your food truck is going to act like a mobile billboard. When your truck is out on the road or parked in a downtown hotspot, people will associate what they see with your food, which is why it’s so important.

Before you even get started on the wrap, you also need to establish a name and develop a logo that stands out and represents your company.

The Kitchen

This is yet another invaluable ingredient when it comes to choosing the right options for your food truck. After all, this is where you’re going to put in a lot of work. You want a setup that facilitates a sensible workflow, and tools that fit your cuisine.

Think through from start to finish all the different items you make. Which appliances would make sense next to one another? If you put food in a proofing cabinet directly after removing it from the grill, chances are you don’t want one of these at the front of your truck and the other one all the way at the back. 

Not sure how to set up your kitchen? Your food truck builder can help you out in that department.

Special Features

While the quality of your truck and the equipment inside is invaluable, adding special features can make your business stand out even more. Some of these bells and whistles can also make your job easier or more efficient.

Some extra features you may want to add on include:

• Exterior flat-screen TVs to display your menu or other content
• iPads for your point of sale system
• Interior and exterior speakers to play music for your employees or customers
• Rooftop signboards to help your truck be seen above the crowd
• Security cameras for that extra layer of safety

There are many more ways you can customize your truck—don’t hesitate to think of your own! Adding some of these exciting features can be one more way to make your business special.

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 Your New Food Truck: Options to Consider When Choosing Your Build appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to open your first business, or a restaurant owner looking to expand, there are lots of things you need to consider before starting your first food truck business.

You’ve probably done lots of thinking and dreaming about what your food truck will look like and what kind of food you’ll serve, but there might be other things you haven’t thought through or planned out. Check out the questions we have below, and they might make you think a little differently about your future food truck.

3. Should I Relocate For A Food Truck Business?

Does your area get lots of foot traffic? Is the weather consistently good enough for outdoor dining? If you live in a tough location for food trucks, you might consider relocating to get easier business. 

Relocating could be something as simple as moving over one city or something more extreme like moving halfway across the country. The key is figuring out where your food truck business will thrive.

However, if your location isn’t perfect, that doesn’t mean you can’t start your food truck there. It just means that you might have to put in a little more effort to find local spots with more potential customers, or that you might have to change up your business strategy in the winter.

Some things to think about:

• What kind of food am I selling and where will it be popular?
• Do I want to operate somewhere that food trucks are more common? Or do I want to be the new, unique venue no one has tried before?
• Do I want to keep my business open year-round or close for the off-season?
• Do I want to stay in a place that’s familiar or challenge myself with new surroundings?
• Can I put in the extra work to make my truck successful during the winter months?

There are so many things to think about when debating whether you need to move to see success in the food truck industry. Everyone’s journey is different. 

There are food trucks in every state from Indiana to California, and even up to Alaska! Where do you see your food truck business succeeding?

2. Weekly Locations Or A Catering Machine?

Are you going to run your food truck from a few select locations where you park daily and do business, or do you plan on only using your truck as a catering service?

Spoiler alert: You can do both, and many food truck owners do.

Why did you plan on opening a food truck in the first place? Did you want to try something new and become a small business owner? To spread brand awareness for your existing restaurant locations? To make catering easier? So you could travel to food truck events and treat your truck as a special event vehicle?

You may need to ask yourself these and other questions before you decide whether your truck is going to be solely for catering specific booked events, or whether you will park and sell. In the end, you may find yourself wanting to do both to get your truck as much business as you possibly can.

1. Stick With What Works Or Create A New Brand?

This is something to ask yourself if you already own an existing restaurant, and getting a food truck will be a second location for you. Should you stick with the same menu and food concept or create something completely new?

This might be the most out-of-the-box idea to consider of the ones we’ve discussed in this post. Many restaurant owners would only even consider using their food truck as an extension of their current locations. After all, using an existing menu, or a scaled back version of an existing menu, may seem like the easiest way to go. If you already have the menu put together and people love your food, why not?

But what if your menu won’t translate easily to a mobile format? You may want to try a new spin on your current options that would be easier to serve in a mobile kitchen context. Or you could create a new brand and sell completely different food at your mobile kitchen. The great thing about food trucks is that they are always evolving and adding new options to their menus. You can get as creative as you want, whatever you decide.

What Will You Decide for Your Food Truck Business?

Whatever you decide, make sure that you do what’s best for your food truck business. Whether you stick with the familiar or try something completely new, you can do what it takes to make your truck the best it can be.

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 Thinking Outside the Box: Things To Consider When Starting A Food Truck appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Everyone’s journey to the food truck industry is different, but there are certain things that every food truck owner needs to incorporate. Whether you’re coming to the industry as an entrepreneur, a chef or a restaurant owner, don’t forget these essentials along the way!

7. Research the Industry

You might know a lot about business, the food industry, or running a kitchen, but before starting a food truck you still have to research the food truck industry itself. You’ll be lucky to see success if you jump right in by purchasing a food truck without doing any research to lay the groundwork for a successful mobile restaurant venture.

You need to take some time to scope out your competition, learn best practices and find out how to be successful in this industry. Learning everything on the job is an option . . . but it’s not the best one. The more you learn ahead of time, the better off you will be.

6. Come Up With A Concept & Name

Your food truck concept will define your product and your name is what people will associate with your food. Getting these two things down will help you stand out and have a better chance at success.

Like all things in the business world, coming up with a winning concept and name is not easy. You might go the classic route with a nostalgic name and serve family recipes, or you might branch out and come up with a concept that is unique in your area—the choice is yours.

Take some time to really brainstorm these ideas. What can you see yourself cooking every day, and what can you see people buying? Is there a niche in your area that hasn’t been filled yet? Don’t worry about nailing down your entire menu right away. One cool thing about the food truck industry is you can try out new menu items more easily, as people expect food truck menus to be unique and interesting. Even fusion food combining different cuisines is welcomed.

5. Plot Out Your Business Plan

Every business owner—including food truck owners just starting out—needs a business plan.

This plan will also everything out so you aren’t going at this venture with your eyes closed. Having a good business plan can even lead to you getting funds for your business, as you use it to secure funds from financial institutions or to convince financial backers that your plan is profitable.

While many chefs want to jump right in, a good business plan will help you decide what’s possible. Plus, it will also be used as an essential guide along your way.

4. Licenses, Permits, Etc.

Having the proper food truck licensing and permits is essential. Without these ingredients, you will not be able to run your business—they are non-negotiable. Be sure and find out the different requirements in your area, as they can change based on where you’re planning on operating your truck. Do your research!

3. Locations

During the journey of setting up your food truck business, you’re going to have to start looking for locations for your truck. You can always enter food truck events and offer a catering service to spice things up and add another stream of income.

Just remember, while your location is very important, you can find multiple locations to set up shop, since your business is mobile. No matter where you decide to set up shop, it’s ideal to find places that are high in foot traffic. Just make sure that you have the proper permitting and follow all local laws when choosing where you will park.

2. Online Marketing

Many food truck owners want to focus on their food and day-to-day business at their food trucks and that’s it.

However, marketing needs to make an appearance if you plan on being the most successful food truck owner you can possibly be. A couple essential things you need on the online marketing front are a quality website and engagement on social media. These avenues will help keep your customers informed about important details, like hours and locations, while promoting the more exciting parts, like your menu and weekly or daily specials.

While your food truck is being built, you should be starting to get these types of things in order and making sure they are ready before you start serving food at your mobile kitchen. Build some hype before you hit the streets with your new business.

1. Build Your Food Truck

Along with all these things, you, of course, need a food truck. This is the foundation of your business. Be sure to use an eye-catching design that prominently displays your logo—your truck will act as a mobile billboard promoting your business wherever you drive it. Make sure you think through how you want your kitchen organized to minimize disasters and to ensure you have the ideal setup for running your food business.

Now Get Going!

There are many different things a restaurant owner will need to start up a food truck business, but the seven ingredients above are essential. Now that you have a place to get started, why not take your first step today?

Want an idea of what your food truck could look like? We encourage you to check out our recent builds.

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 Essentials For Starting A Food Truck: What You Need to Know appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Looks like food trucks are getting the green light. According to this report, more people are electing to expand the industry by adding new food truck-based businesses to the menu.

Thinking about starting your own food truck? Before you hit the road and chow down on new business ideas, it helps to consider your options. First of all, are you buying a new, customized food truck, or going with a used one?

For most people, a customized truck is the better bet. 

Here are seven reasons to consider getting a customized food truck. Take a bite out of these benefits!

1. Equipment & Layout

Purchasing a customized food truck instead of a used one puts you in the driver’s seat. With a new truck, you get to decide the equipment you use, the layout, the bells and whistles—everything. Otherwise, you’re left with the existing layout, which can limit your equipment choices. 

Every type of cuisine requires different pieces of equipment. Depending on the type of food you’re serving, you’ll need to choose specific equipment. Otherwise, you might find yourself making changes to the menu. 

Removing old commercial cooking equipment and replacing it with new stock isn’t cheap. It’s also not as easy as buying a new blender or microwave. Instead, you have to find equipment that’s suited for your truck’s outlets and plumbing. 

By purchasing a customized food truck, you decide the layout first. 

Instead of getting stuck with equipment that’s already installed, you can determine what equipment you need based on your cuisine. 

You can even search through different brands of commercial cooking equipment. Don’t get stuck with cheap options in a previously owned food truck. Purchasing a brand new food truck means you can make it your own!

2. Minimize Potential Issues

It’s important to choose a vehicle that’s reliable and safe for you and your team. After all, this is your place of business! You don’t want to take a used food truck on the open road and have it breakdown on a busy intersection. 

If the vehicle breaks down, you can’t just operate elsewhere.

Instead, you have to pay for repairs. In addition to the cost of getting the truck fixed, you’re also losing money for each day you’re out of business.

Don’t leave yourself with the stress of dealing with mechanical issues and costs. 

If this happens often, your customers will start to take notice. They might elect to grab a bite to eat elsewhere after your truck repeatedly breaks down. 

For some people, buying a used food truck that breaks down breaks their business, too. 

Instead, keep your food truck up and running! Purchasing a brand new food truck can help you get the peace of mind you need.

You’ll know you and your team are safe and that you can stay open for business. Plus, your customers will know they can rely on you for a good meal, too.

3. Easy Warranties

For any business, it’s important to have a backup plan. That’s where your warranties come in.

When you purchase an old, previously used food truck, warranties probably won’t come along with it. If anything happens to the food truck, you’re straight out of luck! You could end up paying an exorbitant amount of money to deal with the damages. 

Often when purchasing a new truck, you’ll find that a number of warranties are available to you to protect the various pieces of equipment in your truck.

Some food truck builders even offer warranties on their custom manufacturing work.

By choosing to purchase a custom food truck, you’ll have the peace of mind that these warranties are there to protect you in case an accident occurs. 

4. Health Codes

Whether you buy a used food truck or a new one, you’re going to need to make sure you’re meeting all the health codes.

If you purchase a previously owned food truck that operated in a different location, however, it’s probably not up to code for use in your city. Health codes can vary widely depending on the location. 

Why bother purchasing a food truck that you can’t use in your own city? Instead of hitting that roadblock, skip the stress. Buy a customized food truck that’s built with your city’s health codes in mind. 

That way, you’ll have a guarantee that you can operate where you intend to run your truck. 

5. Nice & Clean

Over the years, food trucks experience a lot of wear and tear.

Imagine the grease build-up, mildew, or other potential health-risk issues that could be lurking under the surface in a used truck.

When you purchase a customized food truck, you start with a clean slate—literally. You won’t have to worry about the previous owners or what they left growing in the fridge. Instead, you can start your food truck business with a clean place to work. 

6. Big Picture Costs

The food truck industry is expected to reach $985 million in 2019. Many people choose to buy a used food truck because it seems cheaper—at a glance. However, you have to consider the big picture.

When you purchase a used food truck, you still have to pay for updated equipment, possible changes, and potential repairs. If the truck keeps breaking down, those costs will add up over time.

You might end up paying more for a used food truck than a brand new one.

7. Larger Selection

When you search for a food truck, buying a used truck limits your options. You can only select sizes, equipment, and layouts you can find.

Why waste time searching when you know exactly what you’re looking for?

By purchasing a customized food truck, you make the decisions. You’re not limited to what’s for sale. Instead, you can design the truck to match exactly what you have in mind.

Meals on New Wheels

Ready to hit the road? Discover our food truck options and request a quote for your food truck 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.

The post 7 Benefits of Buying a New Customized Food Truck appeared first on Custom Concessions.

First and foremost, a sit-down restaurant will cost you more money than a food truck in terms of startup and overhead costs (not only will it be more money initially to open a restaurant but it will continue to be more costly after the grand opening).

Why You Should Branch Out And Expand Your Restaurant Business With A Food Truck

The biggest reason to open a food truck? It will complement your restaurant business. After all, you can reach and serve more people since your truck won’t be stuck in one place. You can run catering gigs for your restaurant through your food truck, and conveniently since all of the food and equipment will go in your truck.

A food truck will provide a new scene and experience for your truck, employees and yourself (or manager, if you aren’t running the daily operations). While food trucks and restaurants both cook food and serve customers, the food truck industry provides more flexibility. Not only are the hours different since you likely won’t have the same hours of operation on a weekly basis (it will all depend on where your locations are and when you’re expected to be there, and that will change) but food trucks tend to be more unique with their food since innovative cuisine is very much accepted in the food truck industry.

Looking for reasons to join the food truck industry that aren’t related to money? Make sure to check out the article below.

Reasons To Join The Food Truck Industry Outside Of Making A Living:

“This should be the No. 1 reason to join any industry — well, the passion part, that is. You’re going to be at (or working on) your food truck every day. You’re going to be cooking food day in and day out. When you’re not working at your food truck, cooking food and serving customers, you might be posting on social media, talking to vendors, working on employee schedules, crunching numbers, finding new locations, etc.”

One of the toughest parts about opening a food truck business (or any business) is standing out and gaining customers — this is a very competitive industry and there are so many food trucks for customers to pick from, as well as fast-food and sit-down restaurants. However, if you own a restaurant (or a few restaurants), then your brand and audience are already built in and people will recognize your truck because of your restaurants. Your social media networks and website will already have fans and followers. People will recognize your logo and love your food. These ingredients can help with growing your food truck faster than expected since you will already have key components in place.

There are many ways to expand your restaurant business and we encourage you to look into a food truck when considering your next big expansion option.

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 You Should Branch Out And Expand Your Restaurant Business With A Food Truck appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Every aspiring mobile kitchen owner knows that he or she needs to create a business plan, secure funding and purchase a truck before entering the food truck industry. Those, along with so many other ingredients, are must-haves.

How else can you prepare for the food truck industry outside of the obvious ingredients?

You can start by incorporating the steps below.

Prepare For The Food Truck Industry With These Steps

• Talk To Other Owners
• Read As Many Business And Entrepreneur Books As Possible
• Study Food Truck Concepts
• See Where The Industry Is Going
• Possibly Become An Employee Before An Owner
• Get Ready For The Journey Of A Lifetime

Talk To Other Owners

One of the best ways to prepare for the food truck industry is by talking to people in the industry. Fellow mobile kitchen owners can give you a good idea of what to expect once you become an owner, from horror stories to why being a food truck owner is a dream come true. They can help you steer clear of the mistakes they made in the beginning as well as things they didn’t prepare for.

You might think you know everything there is to know about running a business and a kitchen, but it never hurts to gain advice and perspective from someone who is currently where you want to eventually be.

Read As Many Business And Entrepreneur Books As Possible

A common mistake among new food truck owners is not knowing enough about running a business, managing or being a leader in general. While you have to learn some of those tactics on the job (and everyone’s style is different), you can help increase your chances of succeeding. Learn in the form of reading as many business and entrepreneur books as possible.

Yes, you know how to cook food and your recipes are amazing … but do you know how to run a business? Running a food truck might sound like a dream job — and to many people it is — but it’s not all fun and games. Running a successful business takes a lot of time and effort, and you have to learn on the job (that’s a never-ending process, in fact).

If you don’t want to read books, then read articles. Don’t want to read articles? Then listen to podcasts. If you don’t want to listen to podcasts, then go to conferences and network. The point being, you need to study and learn from successful business owners and entrepreneurs before you dive into this industry head first (and unprepared).

Study Food Truck Concepts

More likely than not, you’re going to pick a concept that you’re comfortable with and know many recipes for. That’s how it should be. After all, you should cook the meals that you believe in and want to cook, especially since you’re going to be, more likely than not, cooking the same things over and over again.

However, it would be a good strategy to study food concepts and food trucks in places where you plan on taking your food truck business once it’s up and running. See what other owners are doing to make their meals stand out. How unique are they getting? Are they going with simple concepts?

It’s always a good practice to study the competition, especially when it comes to the actual product.

See Where The Industry Is Going

Are there any trends? What concepts are tanking while others are thriving? Are there certain locations that are blowing up with food trucks while other locations have yet to even witness a mobile kitchen?

Sometimes, we get tunnel vision and only focus on our own vision. But if you want to be in business for the long haul, you have to monitor where your industry has been, where it currently is and where it’s going, even if you have the same business model and menu throughout your journey.

Possibly Become An Employee Before An Owner

This might sound like a stretch to some, especially if you already have enough money to open up a food truck now. Or if you want to be your own boss and can’t stand working for others.

The key behind this step: Getting a feel for the food truck industry. You’ll have a better idea of how things are operated, how busy things get, how to better treat your employees and customers, how much time and effort it takes to run a successful business and the list could go on and on.

This will give you an idea of how a food truck is run and if you actually want to become an owner in the first place. Of course, when you become an owner, things will be different since you’ll be the one calling the shots.

RELATED: Reasons To Join The Food Truck Industry Outside Of Making A Living

Get Ready For The Journey Of A Lifetime

You’re on your way to becoming a food truck owner. Now’s the time to prepare mentally for an exciting and neverending journey. Long days, nights and weekends are in store. Being at a food truck 24/7 is going to become the norm (or at least working on your business in some way). Get ready for food and people to become your life.

Get ready to embrace the process and to follow your passions and dreams. In the very near future, your business card will read “Food Truck Owner.”

While everyone prepares for battle (if you will) with different methods, we hope the steps above can help you prepare for the food truck industry.

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 Prepare For The Food Truck Industry With These Steps appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Why do you want to join the food truck industry?

More likely than not, it has something to do with money and working for yourself. Those are two valid reasons for wanting to become a food truck owner. However, we wanted to highlight reasons to join the mobile kitchen industry outside of making a living.

If your passion is cooking food, then you can likely relate to some of the reasons…

Reasons To Join The Food Truck Industry Outside Of Making A Living

• Cooking Food Is Your Passion
• You’re A People Person
• Mobility
• The Flexibility With Menus
• The Excitement Surrounding Food Trucks

Cooking Food Is Your Passion

This should be the No. 1 reason to join any industry — well, the passion part, that is. You’re going to be at (or working on) your food truck every day. You’re going to be cooking food day in and day out. When you’re not working at your food truck, cooking food and serving customers, you might be posting on social media, talking to vendors, working on employee schedules, crunching numbers, finding new locations, etc.

The point being? When you’re a food truck owner, your life is going to become your food truck. If you aren’t passionate about cooking food, the food truck industry or running a business, then you’re going to reach burnout fast.

Every food truck business is different, but one of the constants is, of course, cooking food. If cooking food is your passion, then that’s reason enough to become an owner in this industry.

You’re A People Person

Part of running a food truck business is talking to your customers. On top of being a chef, if you’re a people person, then the food truck industry might be perfect for you.

You’re going to be working in a small space and taking a lot of orders. The better you engage with your customers and focus on their wants and needs, the better your customer service will be.

Not everyone likes dealing with customers, but if you want to make it in this industry, customer service has to be a top priority, whether you’re taking an order at your truck or responding to a comment on social media — it’s all important.

Mobility

This is one of the biggest reasons why people decide to open up a food truck business over a sit-down restaurant (well, that and food trucks tend to cost less money). Food trucks are mobile and they aren’t required to stay in one spot as a result.

Don’t like your location? You can find a new one. Tired of normal locations and want to try something new? You can enter food truck events or take on catering gigs.

A food truck provides a lot of freedom since it’s on wheels, and this helps to create a job that provides a new experience and journey every day.

The Flexibility With Menus

While a restaurant owner can change up a menu if he or she wants to, it’s not necessarily expected — menus tend to stay the same at restaurants, although specials, seasonal items and new meals are added along the way.

With a food truck menu … anything goes. Not to mention, you can have 50 meals or two. The choice is truly yours. The food truck industry is also known as a creative industry when it comes to the concept that’s innovative cuisine. You will see (and probably cook) unique meals that people have never seen before.

Needless to say, people love the food truck industry (owners and customers alike) because of the flexibility with menus alone.

The Excitement Surrounding Food Trucks

People tend to get excited for food no matter what type of restaurant it’s coming from. People spend their anniversaries and celebrations over a meal, after all.

Add that to the fact that there’s so much excitement surrounding food trucks and you have another reason why people want to become owners in this industry. The food truck industry is fun thanks to the atmospheres that owners create, the unique food that’s offered and the joy and happiness that comes with every bite.

Everyone wants to be happy and work in a profession they love, and if you fancy yourself a cook, then we encourage you to become a food truck owner for those reasons alone. This industry is exciting, innovative and every day can be a journey.

There are an endless amount of reasons to join this industry outside of making a living, to say the least.

There are plenty of issues one might face when trying to become a food truck owner, and we encourage you to read the article below in hopes of dodging some of those issues.

Common Issues Restaurant Owners Will Face When Starting Up A Food Truck

Preview:

If you’re an entrepreneur or first-time chef, then you’re likely going to treat your food truck as an everyday business in the sense that you travel from one location to the next on a daily/weekly basis. You might even incorporate some catering gigs and food truck events along the way.

However, if you own multiple restaurants and want to expand with a food truck … you still might not know what to do with the food truck. After all, you could just travel from location to location on a weekly basis, or you could use a food truck as a catering machine for your restaurants. The key is figuring out what’s going to benefit your business and then going from there, whether it be a mixture of ideas (catering and normal locations) or going one route.

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 Reasons To Join The Food Truck Industry Outside Of Making A Living appeared first on Custom Concessions.