The last year has changed so much about how the food and restaurant business operates. Many people relied heavily on order ahead and food delivery services, a trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. 

Thanks to order-ahead food truck apps, this proverbial ship has been able to stay afloat through the pandemic and beyond. In fact, integrating online food ordering into your food truck business can ensure your ship not only stays afloat but has an upgraded propulsion system and is ready to sail!

Here are three unique ways to use this technology to your advantage!

1. Mobile Order Ahead

What makes this service so useful is that it lets QSRs build clout on the internet through mobile apps and PC web browsers while ensuring the customers’ orders will be prepared in advance.

This means that wait times will be practically nonexistent. Customers can show up when their order has been completed, pick up their meal, and be on their merry way.

Here’s a little food for thought. If everyone is on the internet these days, then where do you think your food truck business should be?

If you guessed the internet, then congrats! You’ve already got the right mindset!

2. Using the Right QSR App

Don’t just settle for any QSR app. Make sure the one you choose fits with your catering business needs. Here are three tried-and-true QSR apps you can find on the market today!

Square for Restaurants 

This is arguably the #1 best point of sale service on the market. It has an online store integrated into it and a conversational ordering system. Better yet, its baseline service is free.

Revel Systems

Cloud-based, highly customizable, detailed reporting, and has a loyalty baseline subscription. Comes with a price.

Toast

Easy-to-use, contactless ordering and payments, always making new tools. Also has a price.

The trick is to choose a QSR app that has a highly conversational system so you can interact with your customers during the life of the sale. Customers want to know when their meal will be ready and the step-by-step process by which it is being made. If the app you’re using provides this feature, then you’re doing things right!

3. Reach More Customers With Delivery Apps

Instead of hiring people to deliver food to your customers, consider partnering with a delivery app to save money. What makes these apps convenient is their ease-of-access systems and cheap delivery options.

Here are some tried-and-true delivery apps:

• Postmates
• Doordash
• UberEats
• Grubhub

Using one of these apps gives you access to another customer base that you might not otherwise tap into, but be careful—many of them charge hefty fees. This is a decision you’ll want to do your research on before deciding if it’s worth it for your food truck business.

Don’t Wait to Transform Your Food Truck Business

There has never been a better time than now to change how your food truck business operates. Everyone has gotten used to the ease and convenience of ordering ahead online, or ordering online for delivery.

With the aid of online food ordering and delivery apps, you can flip the switch in a matter of minutes. Take your food to your customers and they’ll keep coming back for more!

Have Food Truck Questions?

Before you get online ordering and delivery set up, it helps if you already have your food truck up and running! Need help getting started on your food truck journey? Give us a call today at (800) 910-8533, or fill out a free quote request to be contacted by one of our food truck specialists.

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

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

The post 3 Ways to Integrate Online Food Ordering into Your Food Truck Business appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Now that your food truck is ready to roll, you are wondering how to bring in those customers. In the age of technology, almost everyone has access to a smartphone. And smartphones have a knack for installing mobile apps.

How does this help today’s food truck owner? Mobile business apps help to keep current customers up-to-date on your whereabouts. They help potential customers get a feel for what to expect when they visit your food truck business. And you can even have the option for customer to order online through your app.

Continue reading to learn more about apps for food trucks and why you need one.

Show Off Your Brand

Being one of the 23,873 active food truck businesses in the U.S. isn’t going to be easy, so you will have to do everything that you can to stick out from the rest. An app will allow you to promote your brand and draw in more customers.

Once you have your mobile kitchen up and running, an app for your food truck is a great way to promote your brand. Apps are customizable to your business colors/logo to catch your customer’s eye.

An app is a perfect opportunity for you to try out new things and advertise daily lunch specials. 

You can tell your story on the app as a way to connect with your customers on a personal level. You sell amazing food creations every day, but what do you do when you aren’t catering to the public? Where do you get inspiration for your specials? Your customers want to know more about the person running the food truck.

This becomes your brand. 

Location

Mobile businesses are well-known for moving from one location to another. A food truck is not always going to be in a singular place. Depending on the time of day or day of the week, you may be in a different location in an attempt to bring in more customers.

It might be ideal for you to be in the business district during lunchtime on a Tuesday. While it would make more sense for you to be near the park entrance on a Saturday afternoon. Location is all about where the money is.

If you are going to be moving around your city to different places, your app is a place where people can stay up to date on where you will be on which days.

Coupons, Freebies & More

An app is a great place for you to advertise coupons or freebies for your customers. If your customers want to sign up for a loyalty program, this is where they could do so.

Other Alternatives

If creating an app for your food truck business isn’t something that you can do right now, you have other options. There are apps already out there that allow you to advertise your business on them, but that may entail paying a membership fee or advertising costs.

There are different apps available depending on where you’re located. Apps like, Roaming Hunger or Street Food Finder can get your mobile business off the ground.

Once your food truck has a decent following, you will be in a better position to create your food truck’s app. This will help you reach that next level.

Mobile Business Apps: The Next Step

Now that you are thinking about mobile business apps, you are ready to take that next step.

Create the app for your food truck and you will be ready to take on the world. Or at least you’ll be ready to take on the streets of your city.

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 Mobile Business Apps: Why You Need a Mobile App for Your Food Truck appeared first on Custom Concessions.