When the cost of eating out skyrockets, people go to food trucks. Food trucks stand the test of time and economic uncertainty because of their lower overhead. People can eat well and eat out while sparing themselves the cost of going to a sit-down meal. This means they can happily spend more, because they feel they’re getting more value.
The only issue is the competition. Having a tasty product is absolutely essential, yes, but if you’re at a food market you need your product to stand out. You need people to first look at your truck and think yes, that’s what I want to eat!
The good news is that there are many ways that you can make your food truck stand out from the competition. You’ll still need to win them over with great tasting samples, smells, and customer service, but with this guide you’ll be able to tempt them over faster, and in bigger droves.
Invest in High-Quality Vehicle Branding
Your food truck is one big opportunity for marketing. That being said, you don’t want to just spam marketing materials all over the exterior of your vehicle. Instead, you want a beautiful design that works with your vehicle. You want people to see your truck and know what you sell, who you are, and your brand identity. This can be a fun, bright design (a great idea if your food itself is colourful and full of different bright ingredients. It can be darker and more enticing, if you want people to be drawn to your truck for a more luxury ingredient (like steak or lobster).
No matter your design, you’ll want to take your ideas to a highly recommended printing company specializing in vehicle branding. This way, you not only get high-quality decals, but can also get them installed properly on your food truck so that they look fantastic at a distance.
Use Smell To Draw Customers In
Smell is half the joy of eating. That’s why you’ll want to waft your food. This is, of course, only possible with hot foods, since cold foods like a poke bowl just aren’t going to be as fragrant as cooking onions.
However, If you cook in your food truck, remember to angle your exhaust vents towards the crowd. If people can smell great food before they see the food options, they’ll usually head straight to you. This is because your food is the first they thought about, since it was the first thing they smelt. Get them craving your food before they see any other option, and they’ll be your next happy customer.
Expand Your Space
Set up signs in front of your food truck, put flowers or other décor items, and even consider getting bar tables so people have somewhere to quickly eat before they head out. All of this works to expand your visual space beyond just your food truck, making you look more established and simply bigger. It’s also how you can spread your customers out so the crows look bigger, making your product a better choice.
Offer Samples
Always offer samples, even to those who have already chosen what they want to eat. If you’re in an area with a lot of repeat customers (employees on lunch), then offering different tastes gives existing customers an idea of what else they can get next time. You want to always think about bringing customers back, especially if you regularly set up shop in the same areas or markets.
Create New Items
Another way to keep customers coming back is to have a special. Create a special dish on a rotating basis. You can simply have a monthly special dish that you cycle through. This keeps your menu feeling fresh, so more customers return again and again.
Always Follow Up With Great Customer Service
No matter what, the best way to keep customers coming back is to offer great customer service. People will gravitate to you if you’re warm, friendly, and even funny while keeping things efficient. They want to feel good when they spend their money, and smiling and being in good spirits is a great way to elevate your food that much more, even if you’re only talking to someone for a minute.
This is particularly important if you set up shop in an area that sees a lot of repeat business. If there are a lot of businesses in your area, for example, then you’ll end up seeing the same employees during their lunch break or after work. You’ll become a fast favorite if you offer a great customer experience alongside great food.