Keep on trucking. 

The food truck industry is growing rapidly. It is valued at more than one billion dollars, with nearly 25,000 businesses on the road. 

If you want to run an affordable and fun restaurant, a food truck is perfect for you. But you are going to have a lot of competition. How can you stand out? 

Here is a guide to the most popular foods in food truck cuisine. 

Burgers

Burgers are an all-American classic. They’re easy to make. Throw some beef on a grill, brown it on both sides, then slide it in between two pieces of bread. 

Yet there are thousands of street trucks selling burgers. To be successful, you will need to put a spin on your burgers. 

Use bison, ostrich, turkey, or lamb. These meats are healthier than beef, and far fewer trucks sell them. 

Top your burgers with interesting cheeses, like sharp cheddar, Swiss, or feta. Add other interesting toppings like bacon, avocado, and fresh-made sauces. Use potato rolls and French bread instead of white burger rolls. 

You’ll also want to have creative sides. Sell loaded fries, poutine, and baked potatoes. 

Pizza

Pizza is only second to burgers as the most popular street food. It’s also simple. Put some cheese and sauce on some dough and throw it in the oven. 

But people want more than Prego sauce and shredded mozzarella. Make your own tomato sauce. Infuse crushed tomatoes with onions, garlic, and fresh spices—or try something different to put a unique spin on your pies.

Spice things up a bit: try using freshly sliced buffalo mozzarella as your cheese. Top your pizzas with fresh meats and vegetables.

For best results, cook your pizzas in a wood-fired oven. Let your customers see you roll dough, prepare toppings, and bake their pizzas. The more authentic the pizza is, the more they will want to buy it. 

Curry

Curry is popular throughout Asia for its affordability and strong flavors. Few food trucks sell curry in the United States, so you will stand out all the more for selling some good ones. 

Stew chicken with ginger, turmeric, coriander, and other spices. Serve over Basmati rice, and side it with naan bread. 

Curry is also a great option if you want to sell vegetarian foods. Stew chickpeas in coconut milk and diced tomatoes. Stir in ginger, cayenne, and lime juice. 

Experiment with sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots. Curry takes longer to cook than other dishes, but it has rich flavors unmatched in those dishes, and it’s a big crowd pleaser.

Falafel

Falafel is another popular street food in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. Like curry, falafel has flavors not found in most American dishes. 

Soak chickpeas in water until they loosen. Dry the chickpeas, then mix them with garlic, onions, and herbs in a food processor. Form them into small balls and deep fry them. 

Serve falafel with tahini sauce and fresh vegetables. Wrap them in a pita for easy transportation. 

Go to the Experts on Food Truck Cuisine

Food truck cuisine is ever-evolving. Keep up with demand by standing out in your marketplace. 

Make burgers made from different meats. Use fresh and premium ingredients in your pizzas. Serve non-American street foods, like curry and falafel. 

Keep searching for new food menu ideas, but be sure and talk to mobile food truck experts before launching any food truck. To get started on your own truck today, contact us for a free quote. 

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 Cuisine: The Best Foods to Add to Your Menu 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.

Autumn is waiting just around the corner… bringing colorful leaves, crisper temperatures, and fall-favorites for your food truck.

The fall season often gets used as an effective marketing tactic for businesses. Seasonal changes offer innovative ways for food truck owners to grow their customer base. They can even get an edge up on the competition with unique marketing ideas.  

Read on for a few key ways you can use the fall season to boost sales.  

Rethink Your Menu

Creating an inventive menu is one of the most exciting parts of owning a food truck. Autumn brings about new ingredients, like seasonal fruits and vegetables. This makes it easy to change up your menu to feature new fall offerings.  

Feature specials that use fresh ingredients from the local farmer’s market. These new recipes can include seasonal favorites like pumpkin, squash, apple, and fig.  

People also love local products and favor businesses that offer them. This is a great way to reach younger demographics, like millennials. Supporting farmers and other small businesses can help boost your sales with customers, and it can also help spread your food truck’s name in the community.

Certain flavors also appeal to customers during the fall season. Focus your sweets menu on maple, salted caramel, and spices, like cinnamon.  

People search for comfort foods during the autumn season. You can feature melty paninis, oven-roasted pizzas, and gourmet mac and cheese. The warm goodness of shepherd’s pie and chicken pot pie will appeal to your customers as autumn chill creeps into the air.

Serve Up Something Healthy 

Customers also appreciate a healthier option now and then, and these menu items can work well with fall flavors. More and more, people are beginning to have a preference for whole foods with organic ingredients.

Serve pizzas made with organic tomato sauce and fresh all-natural toppings. Sell salads with seasonal ingredients and homemade dressings. These could include apple slices, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a fall-inspired vinaigrette, like sweet maple balsamic.    

Be sure to use an attractive and easy-to-read menu design to appeal to customers. This will help alert them of your menu changes and your new featured offerings. 

Offer Up Some Autumn Warmth

Colder temperatures cause people to change their food preferences. This means you’ll want your food truck business to adapt to these changes.  

Offering warm beverages is a comforting way to appeal to customer needs. These are inexpensive to make, so profit margin is usually high on these types of items. 

Expand your beverage selection to include espresso, hot cider, or caramel hot cocoa. Seasonal coffees, with hints of pumpkin and spices, will also sell well. You could even add hot chai tea or mulled wine to the menu.  

Offering a daily soup special will help draw in customers. Rotate between homemade hearty soups, chilis, and stews.

Popular choices include chicken and wild rice soup or sausage and tortellini soup. Broccoli cheese and french onion are other favorites. Serve these soups with freshly baked bread from your truck or a local bakery.  

Soups also make it easy to appeal to different dietary needs. Try a vegan sweet potato chili or butternut squash bisque. 

When Fall Weather Stays Warm

Flavored ice creams may be more ideal for those operating in southern states. However, you can still use these same fall-inspired ingredients. Feature a pumpkin spice sundae or caramel apple frozen yogurt to boost sales.

If it’s not cold enough to make hot drinks, try iced versions of some fall favorites. You could make a frozen apple cider slush, or iced maple cinnamon lattes.

When hot soups and pot pies won’t work in your climate, try going for salads or sandwiches with fall-favorite flavors. You could experiment with adding fall ingredients like stuffing or cranberry vinaigrette to a turkey sandwich. Or make a fall-inspired chicken salad, with apples, cranberries and pecans.

Feature Seasonal Decorations 

Operating a food truck allows you to get creative with your truck’s branding and design. For fall, you can go with some cost-effective decorating options. This includes fall florals, pumpkins, and bales of hay.

You can also spruce up your menu design to feature fun fall graphics. This is as easy as using a chalkboard for your menu with drawings of fall leaves and pumpkins. 

Try switching up your paper products and cups to be more fall-focused. Serve food on fall-patterned or orange-hued napkins and plates. You could even create a custom design to advertise your brand further. 

If your fall decorations catch customers’ eyes, this can generate more business by word of mouth or online sharing. Customers will tell friends about your memorable presentation, and they may even share photos on their social media profiles.

Make a Smart Parking Plan 

Deciding where to park your truck is an essential part of any food truck business plan, but changing up your usual locations during the fall can be a good way to drum up new customers. 

Try new spots near popular fall activities. Park near festivals, hayrides, breweries, and wineries to attract new crowds. 

Other popular fall places are orchards that offer apple picking or farms that have a pumpkin patch. Fall-themed food truck festivals can also bring in new customers. Be sure, however, to get the right parking permits if trying out a new location.  

Amp Up Your Marketing Tactics 

Running a successful food truck takes an innovative and strategic marketing plan. A fall marketing push can help increase awareness of your new offerings. 

Use social media channels, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to attract business. You can post timely updates and engage with customers. Be sure to post about your fall specials, and even include some photos of particularly attractive dishes.

It’s also helpful to get people to interact with your brand. Entice them to share pictures of your food and geotag your location. A website will help more customers find you and learn about your business year round—not just during the fall season.

It could be helpful to hire a professional photographer for fresh and unique image content for your website or social media platforms. They can capture some great images of your fall food truck display and menu items.   

Taking advantage of popular holidays like Halloween can be another good fall strategy. Offer a free meal from your food truck for the customer with the best costume. Advertise the contest on your social media channels and also use food truck signage to spread the word. 

Boosting Food Truck Sales All Season Long 

Making small yet smart seasonal changes can help your food truck business thrive this fall. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity for inventive menu changes and new marketing tactics.

Promote these menu changes and use local ingredients that change with the seasons. Have fun with festive decor that ties in with your branding. These ideas will help to attract new business and boost sales.

Who knows, you may even have customers who “fall” in love with your truck and continue to visit throughout the rest of the year!

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 Fall into More Sales: A Food Truck Owner’s Guide to Selling in Autumn appeared first on Custom Concessions.

In the spirit of it being Flashback Friday, Custom Concessions will be going all the way back to 2016.

And in the spirit of helping food truck owners conquer the mobile kitchen industry, we are about to unleash some articles from 2016 that will do prospective and current food truck owners wonders.

Check them out below!

RELATED: 25 Motivational Quotes That Aspiring Food Truck Owners Can Relate To. A little motivation can go a long way.

Flashback Friday: Custom Concessions’ Top Articles Of 2016

You Purchased A Food Truck — Now What?

“You conquered your business plan, you have come up with amazing strategies for your business, you have picked your location, purchased your truck — now what?”

“Well, assuming you have already taken care of your permits and insurance (among other things), the real fun is about to begin. After all, you are about to become a food truck owner, which means you are about to serve up amazing food to happy customers. That’s the dream, right?”

“We will leave you with this question once more: You purchased your food truck — now what? Well, here’s the thing, not every food truck owner’s path is going to be the same. However, we have provided four steps that you can’t forget, and these steps typically come after you have finally purchased your truck.”

Why A High-End Food Truck Is Worth Every Penny

“If you are like us, then you are all about quality.”

“When it comes to buying your food truck, you should not be taking any shortcuts when it comes to quality. Therefore, buying a high-end food truck is worth every penny, and should be a no-brainer. Buying a cheaper truck might seem like a good option on the surface since you will be initially saving money, but that might not be the case in the long run. In fact, a cheaper mobile kitchen could end up costing you a ton of money in the long-term, but we will go into further detail about that later on.”

3 Extremely Unique Ways To Attract More Food Truck Customers

“Believe it or not, you don’t have to have a menu makeover to attract new customers. You don’t even have to change up your brand. While taking extreme measures might help some companies, which includes food truck businesses, you don’t necessarily have to have an extreme makeover to gain new customers.”

“If you are struggling to retain customers, or attract them in general, then you are in luck. We understand how hard it can be to attract customers to your food truck during the offseason (aka when the temperatures start to drop). That is why we have provided three extremely unique ways to attract more food truck customers. Use the points below to your advantage, mobile kitchen owners. In the process, you will attract more customers to your truck, which will lead to more business and more money.”

7 Reasons Every Successful Restaurant Needs A Food Truck

“Do you currently own and operate a successful restaurant? Are you looking for ways to take said successful restaurant to the top? If so, then you should think about adding a food truck business into the mix.”

“If you are on the fence about this idea, or are just hearing it for the first time, then make sure to really think about the seven reasons below. Yes, owning and operating a food truck business might be different than owning and operating a sit-down restaurant, but if you are a good boss, your menu is flawless and you have a good business plan on top of that, then you can certainly make it in both industries, if you will.”

“Nonetheless, here are seven reasons why every successful restaurant needs a food truck.”

Helpful Tips For New Food Truck Owners

“Are you new to the food truck industry? Perhaps you are more fresh than that and have yet to buy your very own food truck. Therefore, your mind might be racing with questions.”

“For example, you might be wondering what a business plan should include, where you can buy a food truck, if you have what it takes to enter this industry, how social media works and the list goes on and on. While we won’t be answering all of those questions, we will be providing future and relatively new food truck owners with some helpful tips. Use them to your advantage.”

“Bonus: Know the laws. There are so many laws that food truck owners have to learn before they jump into this industry, and they can be different in every state. Before you even think about buying a food truck, you might want to learn the laws in your area first.”

Things A Food Truck Owner Has To Learn On The Job

“Being a food truck owner is no cakewalk. After all, you are the one who is taking the risk since you are the one who put the money down, and you are also the one who is running the daily operations. No one said the food truck industry was going to be easy, but it is worth it if you are passionate about food and people.”

“As a result of this fine industry being tough to grow and thrive in, there are plenty of things mobile kitchen owners have to learn on the job. You know, if they plan on staying in this industry for a long time. While some days might be easier than others (that’s typically the case for any business, and how life works in general), food truck owners should use every day, every moment, as a learning experience.”

“Going along with that theme, here are four things a food truck owner has to learn on the job.”

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 Flashback Friday: Custom Concessions’ Top Articles Of 2016 appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Whether you are thinking about joining the food truck industry or are already living out that dream, you can never push off advice when it comes to said food truck industry.

After all, being a food truck owner is tough (really, really tough!). Not only will you be working more than you have ever worked in your entire life (unless you have started up a business in the past) but you will also have to do a lot of learning on the job. You see, to succeed in this industry, you have to be so much more than just a chef. You also have to be business savvy … and that’s just the beginning.

In hopes of helping mobile kitchen owners during the food truck journey, we are about to unleash five videos that every mobile kitchen owner has to watch. Check them out below!

5 Food Truck Videos That Every Mobile Kitchen Owner Needs To Watch

How To Retain Customers In The Food Truck Industry

“In the food truck industry, there are so many things that owners have to worry about. However, the one thing that said owners have to always keep in mind is the customers.”

“After all, without customers, who would buy the delicious foods that mobile catering trucks have to offer? Without sales, a food truck would sink just as fast as it started. That is why we are going to talk about the importance of retaining customers. Just to go into a little more detail, we will explain how to retain more customers in the food truck industry.”

Check out the video here!

What Not To Do When You Are A Food Truck Owner

“While we like to take the positive spin on most of our articles, which involves helpful tips and learning how to grow your food truck, in this article we will look at what not to do when you are a food truck owner.”

“If you are doing any of these things, then you need to shift your mindset immediately by doing the opposite. As most food truck owners already know, this is not an industry for the faint of heart — blood, sweat and tears will go down in the food truck industry.”

“Now, we are not saying people do all of these things. However, from time to time, there are probably an endless amount of food truck owners who get caught doing one of them, and breaking those habits as soon as possible is how you are going to grow your food truck business.”

Check out the video here!

Some Common Reasons Why Food Truck Businesses Fail

“Entering the food truck industry can be a very exciting time, and it can also be considered some people’s dream. With that said, food truck businesses fail all of the time, and there are plenty of reasons why.”

“Are you prepared to enter this industry? Are you more than just a chef? Can you handle the fact that you will be someone’s boss? Do you have an amazing business plan?”

“Nonetheless, here are some reasons why food truck businesses fail.”

Check out the video here!

3 Ways To Grow Your Food Truck Business

Looking for ways to grow your food truck business? Of course you are! Luckily, not only do we have a great video for you but an awesome infographic as well!

Check them out here!

3 Ways To Invest Food Truck Business Profits

“The below infographic illustrates how you can invest your food truck business profits. Having an emergency savings account should be priority number 1.”

Check it out here!

Looking for ways to conquer the summer? If so, then you are in luck, because we have some very helpful information when it comes to the busy season in the food truck industry. The first article is from us while the second article is from our friends over at Prestige Food Trucks.

Spoiler alert: Now is the time to really put your foot on the gas pedal. Summer 2017 is almost among us, food truckers! If your sales aren’t where you want them to be, then make the necessary changes now (whatever they might be), and get ready to crush the busy season.

Summer Advice For Food Truck Owners

“Summer is almost here, food truck owners, and you know what that means! The busy season in the mobile kitchen industry is almost among us. It’s almost time to say hello to an overload of customers, double-digit hours, food/cooking galore and crazy sales.”

“In hopes of getting food truck owners ready for the summer months, we will be dropping a few articles that should do you wonders all summer long. Feel free to read them once, or drop by all summer! Nonetheless, good luck during the busy season, and we hope this advice helps you conquer your goals and dreams.”

“Note: Whether you are new to the food truck industry, have been going at it for years or are thinking about taking the leap in the very near future, these articles can do you wonders.”

Summer Goals That Every Food Truck Owner Should Incorporate

“It might not officially be summer just yet (the first official day of summer 2017 is Tuesday, June 20), but summer is basically in the air, because the temperatures are starting to really heat up and food trucks far and wide are receiving some serious business.”

“In hopes of rocking the summer (also known as the busy season in the mobile kitchen industry), you have to make goals and/or update your 2017 goals. In the spirit of that thinking, we will be unleashing some summer goals that every food truck owner should incorporate during the hottest time of the year.”

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 Videos That Every Mobile Kitchen Owner Needs To Watch appeared first on Custom Concessions.

If the only thing food truck owners had to worry about was the business side of things when it comes to owning a food truck, then it would still be a rather tough feat. After all, there is so much a food truck owner has to accomplish, such as creating an all-star business plan, hiring — and managing — employees, learning about permits, rules and regulations, figuring out where to set up shop and the list could go on and on.

However, for the purposes of this article, we will focus in on the food truck concept and menu. You know, the reason why so many chefs decide to join this fine and delicious industry in the first place.

In the spirit of that thinking, we will be providing a full dish of advice below! If you are trying to figure out your menu and food truck concept, then take the information to heart (all year long), and good luck on your journey of becoming a mobile kitchen owner!

Food Truck Menu And Concept Advice For Aspiring Mobile Kitchen Owners

Tips For Creating A Unique Food Truck Menu

“One way to succeed in the food truck industry: Be unique.”

“After all, if you plan on standing out among all of the food trucks that are sprouting up across America, then you have to stand out in some fashion, and the best way to do that is by being unique.”

“One of the ways you can achieve that feat is by creating a unique food truck menu, and if you are in the market for exactly that, you are in luck, because we will be unleashing five tips to help you create a unique food truck menu.”

Hot Food Items Food Truck Owners Need To Incorporate Into Their Fall Menus

“Believe it or not, tomorrow is the first day of fall. With it comes so many great things, such as the perfect weather, nature being full of colors, holidays and some of the best foods. Needless to say, food truck owners need to take advantage of the fall, which is why we have come up with some hot food items for them to incorporate into their menus during this glorious time.”

“Now, there are plenty of ways food truck owners can approach fall. For instance, they can simply follow the trends and the seasons, which is never a bad idea, or they can stick with their golden menus that helped their food truck businesses grow and thrive — the choice is yours.”

Tips For Picking A Food Truck Concept

“If you are thinking about entering the food truck industry, then there are about 1,000 different things you are going to have to figure out. While that might be exaggerated a bit, food truck owners have to make a ton of different decisions before they even get their trucks up and running.”

“One of those decisions — and it is a very important one — is figuring out what you want your concept to be. Figuring out your concept and menu might not be the easiest decision to make, but once you have made up your mind, you need to stick with your concept (and love it).”

“Branding and marketing aside, your concept and menu alone are going to attract customers. After all, people go to food trucks for the — wait for it — food. And if your concept is good enough, your lines will be flocking with customers in no time.”

Still hungry for advice and tips? Our friends over at Prestige Food Trucks are overflowing with advice when it comes to the menu as well!

Ways Food Truck Owners Can Spice Up Their Menus During The Hotter Months

“Spring is already here, if you can believe that, food truck owners. This spring — and all summer long for that matter — don’t be afraid to spice up your menu. And if you are looking far and wide for food trucks for sale, make sure you follow along.”

“First things first, mobile kitchen owners can spice up their menus with one simple step, which is adding something new to the table. This can include something out there like lobster tacos, or something simple like tomato soup and grilled cheese. You’re the gourmet food truck chef, so it’s up to you to make the big decisions like what to actually have.”

“Another thing mobile food trucks should do: Follow the trends. What food trends are happening right now? Tackle those trends and then try to incorporate them into your menu. They are trends for a reason, and you might as well use said trends while they are still, well, trending.”

5 Menu Mistakes Food Truck Owners Have To Avoid

“So your business plan is golden and your food truck is catching everyone’s eye. The food, of course, is otherworldly as well. However, mobile kitchen owners also need to make sure to avoid these mistakes when it comes to their menus.”

“Lunch truck owners looking for food trucks for sale, now is the time to really take note, because these mistakes could sink your kitchen truck menu in no time.”

Menu Tips To Help Food Truck Owners Conquer The Less Busy Months

“Depending on where you live, the less busy months — you know, the fall and winter — can be a struggle. After all, colder weather surely means less business since foodies aren’t as likely to go outside when white stuff (better known as snow) is falling from the sky. So, what can you do during this time in hopes of attracting some customers?”

“For starters, food truck owners can change up their menus, but more about that later.”

“Nonetheless, fall is just around the corner. Believe it or not, Sept. 22 (aka tomorrow) is the first day of fall. While temperatures are still likely pretty solid all over the country, it’s important to be prepared. After all, you never know when that first snowstorm is going to hit.”

“Depending on where you live, fall could be your busy season; however, most mobile kitchen owners’ busy season is the summer. No matter where you are running your business, these menu tips will help kitchen owners conquer the less busy months, so make sure to incorporate them early and often.”

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 Menu And Concept Advice For Aspiring Mobile Kitchen Owners appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Summer is almost here, food truck owners, and you know what that means! The busy season in the mobile kitchen industry is almost among us. It’s almost time to say hello to an overload of customers, double-digit hours, food/cooking galore and crazy sales.

In hopes of getting food truck owners ready for the summer months, we will be dropping a few articles that should do you wonders all summer long. Feel free to read them once, or drop by all summer! Nonetheless, good luck during the busy season, and we hope this advice helps you conquer your goals and dreams.

Note: Whether you are new to the food truck industry, have been going at it for years or are thinking about taking the leap in the very near future, these articles can do you wonders.

Summer Advice For Food Truck Owners

How Food Truck Owners Can Keep Their Sanity In The Mobile Kitchen Industry

“If you have had the pleasure of owning and operating a food truck, then you can likely agree with this statement: Being a mobile kitchen owner is tough — to say the least.”

“After all, being a food truck owner typically requires you to put in more work than you have ever done in your entire life, and the stresses that accompany owning your own business can be unbearable. Problems will arise, money will be tight (well, until you are established, that is) and the list of worries could go on and on.”

“If you are discouraged as a result of the daily grind in the food truck industry being rather grueling, then use the techniques below. Said techniques will help you keep your sanity, food truck owners.”

3 Extremely Unique Ways To Attract More Food Truck Customers

“Believe it or not, you don’t have to have a menu makeover to attract new customers. You don’t even have to change up your brand. While taking extreme measures might help some companies, which includes food truck businesses, you don’t necessarily have to have an extreme makeover to gain new customers.”

“If you are struggling to retain customers, or attract them in general, then you are in luck. We understand how hard it can be to attract customers to your food truck during the offseason (aka when the temperatures start to drop). That is why we have provided three extremely unique ways to attract more food truck customers. Use the points below to your advantage, mobile kitchen owners. In the process, you will attract more customers to your truck, which will lead to more business and more money.”

Helpful Tips For New Food Truck Owners

“Are you new to the food truck industry? Perhaps you are more fresh than that and have yet to buy your very own food truck. Therefore, your mind might be racing with questions.”

“For example, you might be wondering what a business plan should include, where you can buy a food truck, if you have what it takes to enter this industry, how social media works and the list goes on and on. While we won’t be answering all of those questions, we will be providing future and relatively new food truck owners with some helpful tips. Use them to your advantage.”

“Bonus: Know the laws. There are so many laws that food truck owners have to learn before they jump into this industry, and they can be different in every state. Before you even think about buying a food truck, you might want to learn the laws in your area first.”

How To Retain Customers In The Food Truck Industry

“In the food truck industry, there are so many things that owners have to worry about. However, the one thing that said owners have to always keep in mind is the customers.”

“After all, without customers, who would buy the delicious foods that mobile catering trucks have to offer? Without sales, a food truck would sink just as fast as it started. That is why we are going to talk about the importance of retaining customers. Just to go into a little more detail, we will explain how to retain more customers in the food truck industry.”

25 Motivational Quotes That Aspiring Food Truck Owners Can Relate To

“No one said entering the food truck industry was going to be easy, yet here you are, on the verge of becoming a food truck owner!”

“Coming up with the necessary funds to start a food truck business is tough — to say the least. Simply coming up with a business plan or food truck concept might seem like a real feat to some aspiring owners, and that’s because it is. If opening up a mobile kitchen business was easy, then everyone would be doing it.”

“We are here to say this: Keep moving forward, and never stop following your dreams.”

“In hopes of giving aspiring food truck owners a monster dose of inspiration, below you will find 25 motivational quotes. Use them as fuel!”

Now is the time to really get moving on those food truck goals, mobile kitchen owners. If you are on pace to hit all of your goals this year (although the summer months are probably a big portion of your business, and we understand that), then great! If not, then now is the time to put your foot on the gas pedal and get moving, and hopefully the advice in the articles above can help you get on the right track.

Nonetheless, the busy season in the food truck industry is almost here, and that should be music to the ears of food truck business owners and food lovers alike.

Happy summer 2017!

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 Summer Advice For Food Truck Owners appeared first on Custom Concessions.

No one said entering the food truck industry was going to be easy. Here you are though, on the verge of becoming a food truck owner!

Coming up with the necessary funds to start a food truck business is tough—to say the least. Simply coming up with a business plan or food truck concept might seem like a real feat to some aspiring owners, and that’s because it is. If opening up a mobile kitchen business was easy, then everyone would be doing it.

However, we are here to say this: keep moving forward, and never stop following your dreams.

We hope to give aspiring food truck owners a monster dose of inspiration. So, below you will find 25 motivational quotes. Use them as fuel!

25 Motivational Quotes That Aspiring Food Truck Owners Can Relate To

25. “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” —Earl Nightingale

24. “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” —Farrah Gray

23. “Love what you do and do what you love. Don’t listen to anyone else who tells you not to do it. You do what you want, what you love. Imagination should be the center of your life.” —Ray Bradbury.

22. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

21. “The only thing worse than starting something and failing… is not starting something.” —Seth Godin.

20. “At the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your success and your failure. And the sooner you realize that, you accept that, and integrate that into your work ethic, you will start being successful. As long as you blame others for the reason you aren’t where you want to be, you will always be a failure.” —Erin Cummings

19. “Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is a chance in a million that you can do something, anything, to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need be, wedge your foot in that door and keep it open.” —Pauline Kael

18. “There is no royal, flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it. For if I have accomplished anything in life, it is because I have been willing to work hard.” —C.J. Walker

RELATED: Tips For Creating A Unique Food Truck Menu. Creating a unique food truck menu is never easy, but hopefully this advice will help you during that journey.

17. “Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts.” —Albert Einstein

16. “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot

15. “There will be obstacles, there will be doubters, there will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” —Michael Phelps

14. “If you want to succeed in your life, remember this phrase: That past does not equal the future. Because you failed yesterday, or all day today, or a moment ago, or for the last six months, the last sixteen years, or the last fifty years of life, doesn’t mean anything… All that matters is: What are you going to do, right now?” —Anthony Robbins

13. “Don’t wait for something big to occur. Start where you are, with what you have, and that will always lead you into something greater.” —Mary Manin Morrissey

12. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” —Mark Twain

11. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” —Steve Jobs

RELATED: How Much Does It Cost to Start a Food Truck Business?

10. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

9. “Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.” —Lao Tzu

8. “Every morning you have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.” —Unknown

7. “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” —Florence Nightingale

6. “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” —John C. Maxwell

5. “The best revenge is massive success.” —Frank Sinatra

4. “Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” —Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa

3. “Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” —Nelson Mandela

2. “Why should you continue going after your dreams? Because seeing the look on the faces of the people who said you couldn’t… will be priceless.” —Kevin Ngo

1. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” —Walt Disney

To sum it up, don’t wait to make your dreams come true, otherwise, it might never happen. You need to start working toward your food truck today, because if you wait for tomorrow you may never get started!

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 25 Motivational Quotes That Aspiring Food Truck Owners Can Relate To appeared first on Custom Concessions.

One way to succeed in the food truck industry: Be unique.

After all, if you plan on standing out among all of the food trucks that are sprouting up across America, then you have to stand out in some fashion, and the best way to do that is by being unique.

One of the ways you can achieve that feat is by creating a unique food truck menu, and if you are in the market for exactly that, you are in luck, because we will be unleashing five tips to help you create a unique food truck menu.

Check them out below!

RELATED: 5 Custom Concessions Articles From 2017 That Are Perfect For Prospective Food Truck Owners. If you are looking for advice when it comes to succeeding in the mobile kitchen industry, then you are in luck — because this article is jam-packed with advice!

Tips For Creating A Unique Food Truck Menu

• Build A Unique Brand
• Incorporate Unique Recipes
• A Twist On Basic Food Items
• Get Psychological With The Menu
• Tailor Your Meals Around Your Customers

Build A Unique Brand

There are so many ways to achieve a unique brand in this industry. For starters, you can be quirky in some fashion, you can create a food truck tailored around dogs (trust us, it exists!), you can offer up food that isn’t typically served in this industry and you can simply be your unique self, and let your identity, if you will, shine on your food truck brand.

Build a food truck business in your image, with your ideas. That’s how you achieve the feat that is building a unique brand.

Incorporate Unique Recipes

If you want a unique menu, then you can start by incorporating unique recipes. You are the chef here, so this step is 100 percent up to you. Of course, you likely have some delicious family recipes up your sleeve, and you should bring them into play if you want to create a unique menu.

A Twist On Basic Food Items

What do we mean by this? Simple. Literally add your own twist to basic food items. For example, add lobster to macaroni and cheese, bacon to ice cream, cucumbers to water, etc.

Of course, those cards have already been played out a time or two, so it is up to you to come up with your own twists! Nonetheless, this step will help you achieve the goal that is creating a unique menu.

Get Psychological With The Menu

Create your menu in a way that is going to attract your customers psychologically. For example, make your specials/house favorites stand out. You can do this by bolding these items, or making them different than other items in some fashion. You can also add pictures of items that you know your customers will love, or items you really want to push.

Do your research when it comes to making your food truck menu, and don’t be afraid to get a little psychological with this process.

RELATED: How Food Truck Owners Can Keep Their Sanity In The Mobile Kitchen Industry. No one said being a food truck owner was going to be easy, but this article can certainly help you get through the daily grind.

Tailor Your Meals Around Your Customers

If you really want to make your menu unique, then you can listen to your customers’ wants and needs. Ask them what they would like to see at your food truck, and then add some version of the meal/food item they are calling for. Of course, you don’t want to only incorporate meals that your food truck customers want to see — because this is your business, and you are the owner and chef — but it’s okay, and rather unique, to give your customers what they want in some form.

Tailor your meals around your customers — that’s certainly one way to make your mobile kitchen menu stand out.

Looking for more ways to spice up the menu/attract more customers? Let the articles below be your guide!

Hot Food Items Food Truck Owners Need To Incorporate Into Their Fall Menus

“Believe it or not, tomorrow is the first day of fall. With it comes so many great things, such as the perfect weather, nature being full of colors, holidays and some of the best foods. Needless to say, food truck owners need to take advantage of the fall, which is why we have come up with some hot food items for them to incorporate into their menus during this glorious time.”

“Now, there are plenty of ways food truck owners can approach fall. For instance, they can simply follow the trends and the seasons, which is never a bad idea, or they can stick with their golden menus that helped their food truck businesses grow and thrive — the choice is yours.”

Ways To Attract More Food Truck Customers This Spring

“Spring is finally here, food truck owners. What does this mean? Well, it simply means the busy season is right around the corner, and now is the time to really get your mobile kitchen running on all cylinders.”

“While spring isn’t necessarily going to be as busy as the summer (well, depending on where you live, that is), most food truck owners should still see an increase in sales. Also, since more people tend to start venturing to food trucks during this time, it provides mobile kitchen owners with the perfect opportunity to get prepared for summer.”

“In the grand scheme of things, more customers means more sales, which means more money for your food truck business. Therefore, we have come up with some ways to attract more customers during spring. Use them to your advantage, food truckers.”

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 Tips For Creating A Unique Food Truck Menu appeared first on Custom Concessions.

How many kids are there in this world? Better yet, how many of your customers have kids? Sometimes even adults will get kid’s meals whether it’s to save money of because they want a smaller portion size. For these reasons, we think having a kid’s meal/option is important. It’s also one of the easiest ways to increase your food truck revenue.

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. Some of the points to consider are the materials used in the fabrication, equipment brands and how they are installed, 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.

The post Catering To Kids Can Seriously Increase Your Food Truck Revenue appeared first on Custom Concessions.