What's Cookin'
We get calls and online quote requests daily from new food truck owners daily. Most have already purchased their trucks and are preparing to open. It is shocking how many have not fully developed a business plan and started their networking to fill their calendars for the first several months of operation. The success ratio of food service-related businesses is very low. This is exactly the reason why food truck owners need to come prepared…
Choosing a color is important for your food truck's brand and identity. A color can suggest part of your company beliefs, traits and objectives or simply can grab some attention. Many people have the same natural responses to colors, so picking colors is part of creating a first impression. We've talked about food truck branding before, but below is a list of some of the most popular colors, what they tend to represent and some examples of popular food trucks and the colors they chose
As many forms of social media steadily continue to grow in terms of users, they are also used more and more in our everyday lives. You can now buy items directly from advertisements on Instagram, you can login to thousands of other sites through Facebook, and you can order a pizza by simply tweeting the pizza emoji to Domino’s on Twitter. Because of this integration, social platforms are being used by everyone now more than ever. Food truck customers are no different, so why not use social media to help grow the brand of your business? There are many ways you can use online platforms to your advantage, but here are some simple ideas to get you started if you are not yet using social media for your business!
Food trucks and breweries have become almost as synonymous as peanut butter and jelly or burgers and fires. People love their local brewers, but many breweries don't have food options. So gourmet food trucks and breweries have built a symbiotic relationship that boosts business for both all while satisfying the masses. Selling at a brewery can bring tremendous sales to your food truck, but it can be hard to get in if the brewery already has established relationships and food truck schedules. Here are a few ways you can secure your spot and secure steady income by working with your local brewers.
When it comes down to it, your employees are working for you so they can get paid. In a perfect world, you could pay your awesome employees a six figure salary, because we know that you (and your staff!) feel they deserve it. However, there are other ways to get some extra cash in their pockets. Tips are always welcomed by your hardworking employees, and there are different methods that can be used to try to maximize the amount they receive.
Almost every business has a way to generate more revenue very easily, food trucks are no exception. Every food truck I have ever visited typically sells add-ons, drinks and sides, but rarely am I asked to upgrade my meal. There are most likely three reasons your staff are not asking. They are either ignorant, lazy, or scared
So you want to start a food truck... Great! Food trucks can provide amazing opportunities for expansion, restaurant ownership and a way to get your name and signature dishes in front the public. They still remain one of the fastest and least expensive ways to start a food service business. However, before you drop thousands of your hard earned dollars or take out a loan to start your food truck, consider taking a temporary job or volunteering to shadow a current food truck operator before you make the jump.
One of our preferred carriers has come up with a great video that goes over seven tips for buying insurance. Hanover Insurance is a program partner carrier for our food truck clients and these tips are excellent for food truck operators as well as most business insurance consumers. Please spend a couple minutes to watch the video here https://www.hanover.com/marketing/video/seven-tips-to-buying-insurance.html. The tips are also below if video is not your thing.
Last weekend we had unbelievably good weather for April. My son and daughter were given a bunch of lemons by a neighbor so they approached me with the idea of opening a lemonade stand. Naturally I encouraged the idea because there are so many valuable business and money lessons they can learn from operating a lemonade stand. Here are some of the lessons they learned which reminded me of some of the lessons we all can learn from selling lemonade:
S-A-L-E-S. You're in the food truck business, but first and foremost you're in the sales business. It seems that many food truck operators underestimate the importance of sales. I've eaten at trucks with average food, but amazing branding and sales staff. I've also eaten at many trucks with terrible branding and customer service, but some of the best food I've ever tasted. You can be successful somewhere in the middle, but why not be great at both food and sales? I can't help with your food, but here are some tips to be better than average in sales:
