Things to Focus on in the Food Truck Business

Running a food truck can be hard work, but it can also be very satisfying and a lot of fun. As long as you, as the owner, are focussing on the right things, you will make a living from your food truck and make your customers happy with the quality of food while being your own boss and living on your own terms. Sound good? Here are some of the most important things you’ll need to focus on...

Focus On The Truck First

Your truck always needs to look clean, inside and out. Nothing will put potential customers off your business quicker than dirt and grime.  There are hygiene standards you need to adhere to which are the same as if you were in a bricks and mortar food establishment. Your truck needs to be equipped with the proper facilities to deal with cleaning, sanitization, hand hygiene, refrigeration and pest control.

Food truck owners need to focus on what is expected from them, and not having water and soap available, for instance, is in breach of the food a safety law.  The FDA Food Code covers all 50 states, but some states go even further and have stricter rules for food truck owners to abide by. 

Focus On The Quality Of The Food

As long as your truck meets all the required safety standards and the food has been stored correctly, the next thing to focus on is the quality of the food you are producing. You should have samples of your food put through microbiology testing to ensure that it is safe for consumers to eat. The largest portion of foodborne outbreaks is caused by food handlers, whether they are mobile or static.

No one will want to return to your food truck if the food is not too good, so make sure it is thoroughly cooked and tasty. You can make a lot of your food ahead of time and freeze it to be cooked later. For example, you may want to freeze crescent roll dough before you bake it in your truck so it’s nice and fresh for your customers. Be flexible about the food you put together. There are many fussy eaters out there who will want something extra or something left out of your standard meals.

Also, try incorporating extras into your food truck that make sense with your main cuisine. For example, if you’re primarily selling American staples like hamburgers, hot dogs, and mac and cheese, you may want to also purchase a popcorn maker to sell all kinds of gourmet popcorn to your customers. This will make your food truck stand out!

Be Pleasant

Always be pleasant to your customers. They will react well to a chat while they are waiting for their food, and will remember that the next time they see your food truck. If you and anyone working with you greet them with a smile, they will leave your truck much happier customers.

Surly staff do not encourage people to buy from you, so make sure your staff stay happy as well.

Know Your Figures

You may love running your food truck, but are you actually making any money? It is easy to think that you have had good days sales, but what has that day cost you? You need to understand the figures you are working with, and to know how much profit you are making on each sale. It is only then that you can account for the overheads of your truck and make sure you are making the profit you deserve.

Some people see a food truck as a way of making a quick buck, but they are hard work and there are lots of rules and regulations to follow. In spite of that, the numbers of them are increasing every year and in most cases the people that run them seem very happy to do so, so why not you?