Photo by Karen Zeng on Unsplash

Did you know that in only three years food truck revenue increased 300% industry-wide? 

Food trucks are more popular than ever and owners are making smart decisions to earn money all year long, especially when it comes to preparing for the unexpected.

Below we’ve compiled this list of five tips to never get caught off guard. Keep reading to learn more. 

1. Always Have a Back-up Plan for Bad Weather

As the owner of a food truck, you need to stay on top of the weather forecast. Watch local television reports and download a reliable weather app on your smartphone.

Not every forecast is 100% accurate but you should always have a back-up plan to avoid losing business.

2. Develop Business Partnerships To Survive the Unexpected

Always keep an open mind when it comes to expanding your business. One thing you can do is reach out to a major company in your community to see if they will reserve a spot for you. 

This could help develop a steady revenue stream and increase your customer base. Customers will start to expect to see you at that location on certain days.  

3. How Food Trucks Survive the Off-Season With Seasonal Menus

Meal preferences change throughout the year. Customers may love salads or tacos during the summer months but once it gets cold they’ll be desiring soups, casseroles, and hot drinks like coffee or tea. 

You should start switching up your seasonal menus to ensure you’re filling customer demand. It could be as simple as using more seasonal flavors like pumpkin or mulling spices. 

4. Try Catering Local Events During the Winter 

Wondering how to survive the off-season? Many food truck owners will cater over the winter months. They do it on their own or partner with another local business. This is perfect for customers who crave your food all year long.

If you start taking orders, there are a ton of food delivery services to use: Grubhub, Uber Eats, or Doordash. Trying to cater or deliver your food will ensure you don’t lose revenue in the slow months. 

5. Develop Winter Marketing Ideas To Attract New Customers

Every successful business embraces marketing. This is true for food trucks as well. You’ll need to switch up your marketing several times throughout the year to address customer behavior.

Winter is the best time to offer seasonal sales, ramp up your online presence, or expand your business into other areas. 

Marketing tools you should be using include social media apps, an SEO optimized website, local online listings, online ordering, an e-newsletter, and a brand loyalty program. 

Don’t Let the Unexpected Hold You Down

This article should provide you with more ideas on how to survive the unexpected. Besides partnering with local businesses in the bad weather, you can also use social media apps or food delivery services to keep earning when it’s slow. 

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 Tips to Survive the Unexpected as a Food Truck Owner appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Photo by Jill Wellington from Pexels

Food trucks are more than a trend—they’re a mobile food movement. There’s a place for mobile kitchens and brick and mortar restaurants, but food trucks are gaining momentum.

Though thousands of food trucks exist today, they’re not without obstacles. Operators must stay on their toes to keep food truck sales up during the holidays.

There are only 10 federal holidays a year, but every day’s a holiday to someone. Where there are holidays, there’s a food truck opportunity.

If you’re looking to rev up your food truck sales during the holidays, here’s what you need to know.

Food Truck Sales During Holidays

If you own a food truck, holidays can mean one of two things for you. For some, you’ll see an opportunity to sport your food truck around town. For others, you might fear less traffic and that your food truck sales will suffer.

There are two approaches you can take to make sure you stay successful. 

1. Food Truck Festivals

What better time to market yourself than the holidays? Pairing up with other local food trucks is a smart strategy. Depending on the holiday, bother winter and summertime can be hubs for food truck fiestas!

Food truck marketing tip number one: success doesn’t come from being the only food truck in town. Encouraging potential customers to support the food truck community and visit different food trucks nearby boosts traffic and your exposure.

2. Cater Events

If you can’t find a way to lean into the holiday happenings, consider catering specific events. While you may not serve the masses, you’ll make relationships and have high-volume orders to steady your sales.

You can choose to expand your horizons or hone in on niche markets. Before you choose, consider the following strategies.

Holiday Food Truck Strategies

Before you can take on the holidays, you’ll have to know the type of holiday. There are three: federal holidays, societal holidays, and self-made “holidays.”

How you approach Memorial Day—a federal, known, popular outdoor holiday—will vary from a self-declared holiday like Food Truck Friday. Something like Valentine’s Day is a societal holiday—well known, but not official.

Federal holidays need less food truck marketing than self-declared holidays. Food Truck Friday celebrationsare like self-crafted campaigns. You’re in charge of spreading the word from start to finish.

Food truck folk are no strangers to social media, so holiday marketing can be a breeze. Consider how you might up your social media game for these occasions.

Will you make a mobile app? Pass out coupons and flyers? You might even make a food truck finder game on social media to incentivize folks to locate you.

Holidays have playful energy. Make fun out of your food truck strategy!

Every Day is a Holiday With Food Trucks

You’re in full control of your food truck sales. It’s not the holiday that determines your success, but how you relate to it.

Sprinkle in a few self-proclaimed holidays with national ones. Be sure to space things out enough to communicate with your following and build momentum!

So long as you’re forward-thinking, you’ll have no problem tackling holidays the food truck way.

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 Maximize Holiday Food Truck Sales appeared first on Custom Concessions.

It’s normal for niche markets to have off-seasons. Like outdoor sports and tropical vacations, there’s a time for everything. It’s easy to assume winter would be a food truck’s off-season—but it doesn’t have to be if you use these winter food truck success tips.

Food truck operations are unique both in their food as well as how they serve it. Food truck folk are no strangers to change, so don’t let seasonal changes hurt your business.

Though food trucks rely on the outdoors for sales, winter encourages new strategies. While some might close, others switch gears.

Follow these food truck success tips to keep your winter service a warm one.

Food Truck Success Tips

First thing’s first. Winter’s not the time for record-breaking food truck profits. It’s best to go into the season with realistic expectations.

That said, consider it a chance to experiment. Do you want to stay on brand, or venture out a bit? 

Your answer can influence how you relate to these food truck tips.

1. Consider Catering

Food trucks offer made-to-order food, but catering could be good for winter. Instead of serving on the spot, box up those orders and deliver! While customers usually go to you, winter’s the perfect time to return the favor.

2. Boost Your Online Presence

To combat people assuming you’re out for the season, use social media to communicate! Your followers will be happy to hear you’re adjusting and they won’t have to wait for months to eat your food again.

Keeping customers engaged keeps them loyal.

3. Consider Your Concept

Food truck chefs love innovation. For that reason, winter’s no monster. If you want to embrace your cold food in winter, more power to you!

There are those people who love cold foods like ice cream in winter, but you might want to consider a switch to more warm and hearty fare.

If you choose to flip your concept towards hot food, what works with your customer base?

Following food truck chef tips means using your concept and your customers to your benefit.

4. Consider Your History

How long have you been operating your food truck? Your winterizing decisions may depend on how long you’ve been around.

If you’re learning tips for starting a food truck, know that your winter-born concept can dictate what you serve the rest of the year.

5. Up Your Community Partnerships

There’s no better time than wintertime to up your professional network. Reach out to organizations, restaurants, and other trucks you could work with. 

Teamwork makes the dream work, as they say.

Food Truck Tips Gone Right

There’s no reason for the winter blues with these food truck success tips. The food truck thrill lives in its constant evolution. No two days—or seasons—are the same.

Consider winter another food truck adventure. Imagine how it could change your business for the better—perhaps with new traditions. The right menu, equipment, and marketing will make your winter food truck unstoppable.

Don’t wait for winter to get winter-ready. Start organizing your winter food truck plan 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 5 Food Truck Success Tips for This Winter appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Food trucks tend to be very busy and profitable during the summer. But there are slower periods—and winter is one of these times.

During summer, foot traffic is higher, which means more customers. When it’s cold out, you need to put in extra effort to draw people to your truck.

Do you know what to do when the nights are closing in and sales drop?

Luckily, we do. Ready to find out what kind of holiday marketing you need to do to keep your customer base healthy? Then check out our list of holiday marketing tips and keep on truckin’!

Offer Seasonal Variations of Your Food and Drinks

One surefire way to keep customers hooked is by changing your menu for the holidays. If you’re the only food truck offering that must-have food or drink, customers will come regardless of the weather.

In the UK, food trucks often carry a full roast dinner in a Yorkshire Pudding wrap, complete with gravy, at Christmas. It’s been a huge success over there, and that kind of creative thinking plays just as well this side of the pond.

We’re not only talking about putting pumpkin spice in your coffee, either. Come up with some fun holiday promo ideas, like eggnog lattes, or Christmas-themed burritos. Fit a pizza oven in your truck, and offer holiday-themed topping choices.

Use Ideas Associated with the Holidays in Your Ads

Don’t just stick with the same ads that you use for the rest of the year. Run special holiday ads in your area. Get some photos of your truck in snow, or even add some digital snowflakes to your ad.

Create a cozy atmosphere and get on Google or Facebook Ads and target your local following. Let your customers know where you’re going to be and when, and tell them about your holiday specials.

You should also consider offering coupons. While these bite into your profit margins, creating holiday-themed offers will help attract customers.

You could give customers a two-for-one deal on certain days, letting them share their food with friends and loved ones for free. Market this as promoting seasonal goodwill to all.

Create a Loyalty Program

This is fantastic all year round, but during the holidays, it can really help you out. Give your customers points for every sale, and give them a free dish once they’ve hit a certain number of points. 

When customers sign up for the program, ask for their email. When you’ve got a list of customer emails, create a regular newsletter. Promote your new foods, run contests, and offer exclusive discounts. 

You could also offer customers access to a VIP event if they hit a certain number of points. Organize a seasonal party a few days before Christmas, invite your most loyal customers, and give them free food. You’ll make a bit of cash from drink sales, but most importantly, you’ll increase customer loyalty.

Offer Catering

Your food truck doesn’t have to be out on the sidewalk. Is there a big event coming up, or a wedding? Lots of corporate holiday parties are going on during this time of year. Start offering your services for these celebrations.

During the Christmas season, focus on running holiday campaigns. Let customers know that you can cater to their office Christmas party, or set up shop at a local Christmas market. 

Sure, you’ll have to take a day out of your normal business, but you should make just as much profit, if not more.

Everyone is celebrating during this period. Events offer a steady stream of business.

Keep Your Instagram Profile On Point

You shouldn’t upload the same images to Instagram all year round. Keep it friendly, relatable, and most of all, fun. 

Looking for holiday marketing ideas for your Instagram? It could be as simple as having your crew dress up in ugly Christmas sweaters. If you’ve got a pet dog, upload a picture of them with some antlers on.

Got special packaging for the holidays? Upload a picture of it when you have the stock. Essentially, get people in the mood for two things: the holidays and your food.

Segment Your Customers

Customer segmentation is a key skill. While you should be using it all year round, it’s especially effective during the holidays. 

Facebook and Google both let you segment your customers, and target a certain age group or profession with your messaging. 

Think of what is involved in finding, getting to, and ordering from your truck, and who finds it especially tiring. For example, consider targeting older people who are more likely to be grandparents. Park near the hot spots for holiday shopping and encourage them to come by your food truck while they’re out shopping for their grandchildren’s gifts.

Give a Percentage of Profits to Charity

The holidays are a season of giving, and that applies to businesses too. Think of a cause that you’re passionate about. 

Maybe you’d like to help homeless people stay warm and fed this winter. Maybe you care profoundly about animals or helping the hungry get some extra food in their bellies.

Take a small percentage of your profits and donate them to charity. This is great for a number of reasons:

1. You’ll getting more involved in your community and helping others.
2. Customers will prefer buying from you, knowing that you’re helping out the less fortunate.
3. Featuring your donations in your holiday marketing will help spread word of mouth about your food truck.

Final Thoughts on Holiday Marketing

Holiday marketing is essential. You want to make sure that your content is relatable and fun. Share in the holiday spirit, and offer additional incentives to get customers to your food truck. 

You’ll have to get creative if you want to hit summer customer numbers, but it’s possible!

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 Best Holiday Marketing Ideas for Your Food Truck appeared first on Custom Concessions.