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.

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.

Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash

Did you know that the food industry is worth 985 million dollars? Even if it’s the wintertime, your business can still thrive.

Are you looking to increase your food truck profits? Not to worry! In this guide, we’ll go over how to survive the winter.

Consider Catering at Banquets and Receptions

If it’s too cold in your area, customers might not want to venture outside for food. Instead, let your community know that you are available for catering opportunities.

You can contact local schools, offices, and businesses. Inform them that you cater for special events or meetings.

People love to gather to celebrate in the wintertime, so make the most of these opportunities.

Change up Your Menu

Most food trucks will create a menu centered around summertime foods. Stand out from your competition in the winter by selling seasonal foods.

Add savory food items for your customers during the colder months. Introduce warm beverages, as well. You will have an influx of customers excited to try out these new menu items.

Connect with Local Businesses

Print off menus and add a delivery service to your food truck. You can pass them out to businesses in your local area. This way, you can build a partnership and sell more food.

Grow Your Customer Base and Food Truck Profits

Work hard at building relationships with your customers and deliver excellent service. When the colder months hit, you will still have regulars who will come for their coffee or food.

Going to a food truck becomes part of many people’s routines. Let them know that you are still around in the wintertime.

Treat Your Employees Well

With the changing of the temperature, you’ll want to make sure your food truck’s warm enough. You might need to revamp your vehicle or buy a new one, so it’s prepared for the cold.

This way, your employees’ morale will remain high. In turn, your customers will get a better service from your happy team members.

Make the Most of Your Mobility

The benefit of having a food truck is getting to move around to different places. In the winter, check out new areas. You can make notes about where you get the most foot traffic.

Keep updating your social media, so people know where to find you each week. Learn more about how to improve your social media strategy.

Make a plan to see where would be the best place to park during the colder months. You could get close to a sports arena or a mall near a lot of traffic.

Contact Us Today

We hope you found this guide on winter food trucks helpful. Increase your food truck profits with these tips. Find out where you can access the most foot traffic in your area.

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 Food Truck Profits During Cold Weather 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.

If you run one of the 23,551 food trucks in the U.S. as of 2019, you know it’s a more affordable way to get your food in the hands of your fans than a traditional restaurant.

But the outdoor nature of your business also adds a challenge as temperatures drop in the winter. Customers aren’t as willing to line up in cold and snowy weather, even if they love your food. Without a warm dining room, you may see a slump in sales.

But instead of packing up for the winter or looking for a regular job, you can use winter food truck strategies to encourage increased off-season sales. From special promotions to expanded business offerings, slight changes in your business model can keep your cash flow going.

Try these winter food truck options for the winter months.

1. Partner With Local Businesses

Collaborating with other businesses is a mutually beneficial way to drum up more business. If you prefer the lunch crowd, find a large employer in the area who lets you set up in the parking lot. You get the captive audience of the company’s employees to keep you busy during the lunch rush.

You might also set up a table inside the business. Prepare food in your truck, and pack it up in a warmer. Head inside the business to sell to their employees.

Another option is to partner with local breweries and similar businesses that don’t serve their own food. Many breweries focus only on their beverages. That leaves patrons hungry while they’re drinking.

By setting up just outside the door of the brewery, you give those customers a quick food option. Consider hiring a runner who goes into the brewery to take orders then delivers them when the food is ready. 

The brewery can promote your food truck to help draw more customers into the establishment. Both businesses benefit from increased sales.

2. Set Up at Outdoor Holiday Festivals

Not everyone stays indoors in the winter, but you’ll need to be strategic about where to park to find those customers. Outdoor holiday festivals, such as outdoor Christmas markets or holiday tree lighting ceremonies, attract people who expect to stand out in the cold. Signing up as a food vendor for those events puts you in a prime spot to make sales during the winter.

3. Offer Delivery

The traditional food truck model involves parking your truck and waiting for customers to swarm. Since winter weather makes people want to stay indoors where it’s warm, consider flipping that model. Instead of making customers come to you, go to them.

If you park in a busy commercial area, your truck can serve as your hub. Hire a delivery person to run the food to the nearby office buildings. Adding online ordering to your website for this delivery service makes it even easier for your customers to get their food.You can also use established food delivery services, such as GrubHub, DoorDash, and UberEats. Your customers can get their food delivered, and you don’t have to manage the delivery process yourself. 

4. Create Winter Specials

Customers may need a little incentive to line up outdoors for your food. Offer special winter discounts to give customers that push. You’ll take a small hit to your profits, but you’re not making any money if no one shows up to your food truck.

You might offer a meal bundle for a cheaper combined price or a freebie with a meal order, such as a free coffee or hot chocolate with every entree. Encourage customers to bring friends by offering a buy-one-get-one-free promotion during the winter. 

5. Embrace Winter

Instead of fighting the cold and flurries, use it as part of your seasonal food truck marketing plan. A winter menu or a few additions to your normal menu help draw crowds. Consider dishes such as soup or coffee drinks to help customers stay warm.

Get the customers who brave the cold to help you promote your food truck by offering branded winter gear. Scarfs, ear warmers, and gloves are examples of items you can print with your logo as a special winter promotion.

Have fun with winter activities by putting out a few sleds that customers can use on a nearby hill while they wait for their food. Offer a free coffee to anyone who makes a snow angel, or start a snowman-building contest among your customers. These activities make the wait more enjoyable and make your food truck memorable.

6. Ramp Up Your Online Presence

When business is slow, take the spare time to focus on promotional efforts. Growing your online presence can help drum up new business in the winter. It can also help expand awareness about your food truck in the coming months.

If you don’t already have a website and social media channels, set them up and start posting. Share information about your menu, your business, and your employees. Post about any winter specials you create to encourage people to visit.

Another promotional option is to approach local food bloggers, newspapers, and other media outlets about your food truck. Invite them to try your food or do an interview with you. Being promoted on those local channels can help new customers find you.

7. Expand to Catering

Shift gears in winter toward catering instead of individual sales. Your food truck can work as the headquarters for your mobile catering service. 

Waiting for customers to stop by your truck is often unpredictable, especially in colder weather. A catering gig gives you a guaranteed amount of business. You know in advance if it’s profitable and worth your time.

Your truck offers a mobile kitchen option for cooking food on-site at the event venue. You can also use it to transport food, ingredients, and equipment to the location if you plan to cook the food in a commercial kitchen space.

Promote your catering services on your website and through your social media channels. You might cater weddings, birthday parties, fundraiser events, and other celebrations.

8. Head to Warmer Weather

One of the benefits of food trucks is the mobility aspect. When you’re the boss, you decide where to set up the truck.

If cold winter weather severely cuts into your business, consider heading to warmer climates for part of the year. Think of yourself as a business snowbird instead of a retired one.

This option works well if you already own a home or have relatives in a warmer climate. You can also find a short-term rental in your new location.

You’ll need to find temporary employees once you get to your new destination if you can’t run the truck yourself. You’ll also need to get permits and follow food truck regulations in the new area.

Use Winter Food Truck Strategies

What are your favorite food truck strategies for beating winter sales slumps? Getting creative with your food truck advertising, menu planning, promotions, and services can help keep your income up during colder periods.

If you’re in the market for a new food truck, check out our mobile kitchen galleries to fuel your inspiration!

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 8 Clever Winter Food Truck Strategies to Bring in New Customers appeared first on Custom Concessions.