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.

The post Food Trucks vs. Food Trailers: 5 Differences You Need to Know appeared first on Custom Concessions.

There are more than 4,000 food trucks in the US and you want to join the action. 

Whether you’re a small business or entrepreneur, what better way to make some sales than to go directly to the people who are interested in your products?

However, this extra convenience does come with a cost. But don’t worry! Here are 3 tips to help you find the food truck financing you need:

1. Work With Other Food Truck Enthusiasts 

Chances are, you’re not the only business who has considered using a food truck; you might even have some friends who are as equally inspired as you.

Partnering with a fellow entrepreneur or other local small business can cut the cost of buying a food truck in half because you share the responsibility of food truck financing. 

Additionally, partnering with someone gives you a whole new skill set to get advice from. And if cash-flow becomes scarce, you won’t be on your own to solve every problem.

However, there are things to consider before working with another food truck enthusiast.

While your financing costs will be split, so will your profits. And you may also have to compromise on certain ideas in order to come up with something you can both agree on.  

2. Start Like A Seed, Then Grow

If your business’s finances are tight right now, but you don’t want to work with a partner, starting a catering service first can be a more affordable option.

If you don’t have prior experience in the food truck industry, consider using this time to gain advice from other food truckers.

This will help your business achieve maximum success and avoid common food trucking mistakes. Also, make sure you learn food truck laws and regulations to avoid unnecessary fines.

Then, once you’re familiar with the industry, and your business is in a better financial season, come up with a food truck financing plan, and then go for it!

3. Maximize Your Cash-Flow Potential

Awesome tools typically aren’t free, and food trucks cost between $50,000 and $200,000.

If you already have credit card debt, pay it off first to ensure your business will have enough cash-flow for your food truck financing.

If you choose to take out loans, do your best to minimize them by saving up a portion of your profits first or look for investors. This way, your loans can stay small and won’t take too much out of your profits.

Unless you have a degree in business or accounting, it’s also wise to talk to a financial expert to help determine the best food truck financing option tailored to your business’s specific goals and needs.

Final Thoughts on Food Truck Financing

Food truck financing is not an easy endeavor, but it’s definitely not impossible. Many food truckers have found a way to make it happen, and you can too. 

Once you decide it’s time to purchase a food truck, feel free to contact us! We can help you find the right option for your business and customize a truck to meet 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 Food Truck Financing: Keeping Your Meals and Money Mobile appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Did you ever think that we’d live in a world where you wouldn’t have to go to a bar to go to a bar?

The time is now and mobile beer trucks are here. If you’re a young entrepreneur, the mobile bartending business is a great new trend to jump on.

The logistics are simple. Educate yourself on booze and bartending and make sure you know your stuff when it comes to licenses and serving laws. Then talk to breweries and start securing contacts and contracts.

After that, you can start looking for your new truck. You’ll be serving to the masses ASAP!

What Are Mobile Beer Trucks?

Mobile bars are just like food trucks except they serve up cocktails, wine, and beer. You might not have seen these pop up too much at events, but you’ll start to. Here are 5 reasons why you should start a mobile bar business.

Cool Truck, Cool Events

You want your mobile beer truck to be the coolest one in town, right? You can literally be the life of the party anywhere you go. 

Build a list of contacts and start promoting your mobile bar, whatever it may include. Weddings, corporate parties, community events, and festivals will all come calling for your services.

Figure out what your niche is and give the people what they want.

Growing Market

Running a mobile beer truck in 2019 is the equivalent of being an ice cream man in the 50s. This is an untapped (pun intended) market and you’ll want to get in on the ground floor.

People love beer and event planners love to give it to them, so start your beer truck now and get ahead of the competition.

Huge Money Potential

Since you’re getting ahead of the competition, you’ll have a chance to expand and franchise your brand early on. Have a good business plan and get all of your licensing and contracts in order. 

There are many options for your mobile bar, but you should try and focus on one thing. You could have a mobile craft beer bar, a tiki bar, a cocktail bar, or a wine bar. An all-around bar will work, but planners are usually looking for a theme for their event.

Craft Brewery Boom

One of the benefits you’ll notice when starting your mobile beer truck is that we’re in the middle of a craft brewery boom in America. In the last 5 years, people from all walks of life have been dropping their old careers and opening breweries.

Every corner of every state has dozens of breweries now, and you’ll be able to select the best local craft beer for your mobile beer truck. People love consuming local products and you’ll love promoting local craft beer.

Endless Possibilities

There are endless possibilities when it comes to owning a mobile beer truck. Imagine having taps built-in right on the side of your mobile bar, or refrigerated storage for your beer kegs. All come with certain benefits, so just figure out which one works best for you.

Once you’re there, you just need to have fun with it. Remember, you’re a traveling party. People are going to love you and your business, rain or shine.

Beer, Beer, Beer

Mobile beer trucks are on the horizon and you’ll be holding the flag at the front. These perks are just the start—there’s no telling how far you can take your business.

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 Think Outside the Bar: 5 Reasons to Invest in Mobile Beer Trucks appeared first on Custom Concessions.

About Custom Concessions :

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

Comparing different food truck and concession trailer manufacturing companies can be a complex task. This is due to the large number of factors that will affect the end result: your food truck. Some of the points to consider are the fabrication materials, 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!

To 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 Purchase A Custom Built Food Truck By Custom Concessions appeared first on Custom Concessions.