What Makes a Successful Food Truck?

Successful food businesses don’t just include those that exist as a permanent, fixed establishment; the entrepreneurs that have taken their meals on wheels and gone mobile will know that food trucks can be equally successful!

But what is it that makes a successful food truck? If you’re considering setting up your own, then read our top tips below.

1 | Food & Drink Offerings

One of the first and most important things you need to consider before setting up a food truck is exactly what food you plan on offering. Do you plan on serving hot food, cold food or both? Do you plan on offering a specific cuisine or category of food? Perhaps you have a specialty?

Having a defined menu gives you a clear starting point and vision to work towards, making the process of getting your food truck up and running much easier.

In order to attract as many potential customers as possible, you might want to consider how you can adapt some of your dishes to meet dietary-specific needs, such as vegan or gluten-free options - that’s if they don’t already!

2 | Branding

It’s all very well having a physical food truck put together and ready to serve people, but it’s no use if A. it’s not visually pleasing enough to attract customers, and B. if you haven’t got clear and consistent branding for them to be able to promote your food truck through word of mouth.

Having a food truck that is clean, well-maintained and designed to be aesthetically pleasing is imperative for attracting customers to your business. This is because the van itself is the first thing they see, thus what makes up their initial impressions and can have an impact on whether or not they decide to consider purchasing your food.

If your food truck looks clean, professional and inviting, then people are more likely to assume the same of your food.

3 | Packaging & Accessories

Lastly, being a food truck, the very nature of your business is that your food is made to be taken away and eaten. As such, the packaging and accessories you use for your food are of high importance - both for the convenience of your customers and for the sake of the environment.

Not only should your packaging be suitable for the food it’s holding (i.e. does it insulate hot food? Does it prevent grease stains from seeping through?), but you get bonus points if you invest in recyclable or compostable packaging!

Make sure to also offer any useful accessories, also. For example, if you plan to sell coffee, then supplying wooden coffee stirrers will allow customers to stir in their choice of sweetener. Similarly, napkins are a must if you offer anything that can make a mess, allowing customers to clean themselves up post-eating.

Disposable Takeaway Packaging in Scotland

Of course, this isn’t an extensive list of what makes a successful food truck - there are many other things to be considered, but these are certainly good starting points.

If you’re establishing a food truck in Scotland and the next step in your plan is to invest in some takeaway packaging, then look to us here at Marshall Wilson - we’ve got you covered. From coffee cups to ice cream tubs and everything in between, we offer a vast range of disposable takeaway packaging to suit your needs - including fully recyclable products!

Take a look at our products today, and don’t hesitate to get in touch with any queries.