No question the pandemic has transformed the restaurant industry.
Though more and more people are getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and herd immunity is arguably in sight, some of the effects of 2020-2021 are here to stay.
While they’ve been around for some time now, food trucks aren’t going anywhere either.
Visit any major city—or travel to beachfront towns in Hawaii and California—and you’ll come across food trucks serving delicious meals. In some places, these mobile kitchens are seen as essential tourist attractions; in others, food trucks gather in lots to whip up quick lunches for office workers in a time crunch.
In 2021, there are over 24,000 active food trucks operating in the United States alone. These establishments initially rose to fame during the Great Recession of 2008, and they’ve only become more popular since then.
It’s important to note that brick-and-mortar restaurants experienced growth in the last decade as well. Yet food trucks are here to stay—in fact, many traditional establishments have even launched their own mobile kitchens to bolster business (and deepen their participation in the local food scene).
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that food trucks have to follow the same licensing requirements and regulations as their restaurant counterparts. Starting a food truck isn’t quite as easy as picking up a van or trailer, installing a grill, and plating meals the next day.
In other words, local safety and zoning laws do apply, which—while time-consuming for vendors at the onset—ultimately increase consumer trust and help their business.
So, why are food trucks so prevalent? The following statistics will shed some light on why they’ve skyrocketed in popularity:
Launching a food truck costs roughly $55,000 (compared to $275,000 on average for brick-and-mortar restaurants).
Annual food truck revenue ranges from $250,000 to $500,000.
The food truck market exceeded $1.2 billion in 2020.
Pre-COVID-19, annual food truck industry growth was 7.5%. (From 2021 forward, annual growth is projected at 2.4%.)
More than a third of mobile chefs experiment with their menu, giving guests an appealing sense of variety in flavor and cuisine.
Next we’ll touch on some of the benefits of food trucks—both for consumers, and through the lens of the pandemic.
How has the food truck industry fared during the pandemic?
While all dining establishments have been forced to change their guidelines in line with COVID-19 protocol, mobile kitchens have experienced a much easier transition. You see, food trucks can easily evolve with the times.
Yes, they’ve had to comply with safety and sanitation requirements, but they haven’t had to go through the same lengths as brick-and-mortar restaurants (which generally do most of their business indoors, and serve more people at any given time).
Given the fact that food trucks are mobile, and that they only rarely offer even outdoor seating, most have been able to continue operating efficiently during the pandemic. There are no reservations to be made, fewer staff to begin with, and the window space between consumers and staff is pretty sizeable—allowing for seamless social distancing.
These benefits notwithstanding, there are a number of reasons diners might opt for a food truck the next time they go out to eat.
Food trucks are a wonderful way to get involved with—and celebrate—your community.
Generally, there’s a focus on locally-sourced ingredients, chefs who know their city well, and an overarching mom-and-pop feel to the mobile food service industry.
But community isn’t the only reason to dine at a food truck. Here are five reasons to sample the captivating meals of a mobile chef:
Visit a restaurant, and there’s a lot of waiting involved. You’ll likely make a reservation, settle in before ordering, and then wait for your food to arrive. While food trucks typically have lines, they’re inherently fast. This is because the mobile restaurant industry is quick by design.
Translation: You’ll be enjoying a gourmet meal faster than ever by investing in your local food truck scene. Ideal for people in a time crunch and families on the go, you can grab that steak banh mi or vegan salad with plenty of time to spare.
Visit a brick-and-mortar eatery, and chances are your food is fresh. Certain ingredients, however, might be premade or frozen depending on a number of factors—which is perfectly acceptable. The same thing applies to food trucks in some cases.
The difference, though? With food trucks, consumers can trust their meals are made-to-order with only the freshest ingredients. Mobile chefs work quickly onsite, tailoring their meals to each order, and there simply isn’t enough space to leave plates under a heat lamp for long periods.
Food trucks are where affordable meals and gourmet dishes come together. Traditionally, you have to spend a decent amount of money to sample gourmet foods—but visit the right food truck, and you’ll walk out with a mouthwatering meal and a reasonable check size.
How so? It’s relatively simple. The reason food trucks can charge less for more is that owners’ startup and operating costs are lower, so chefs can pare down their prices and still turn a profit. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
So long as they’re following local health, safety, and licensing restrictions, food truck owners can do whatever they wish. This means they can plan specialized, evolving menus focused on what they do best. From cooking to marketing, they call all the shots.
If the owner wants to experiment with a new strategy, they’ve come to the right place: their mobile kitchen. If they choose to play around with themed menus or adjust their favorite recipes, they can. Per the spirit of the food truck industry, they can be as creative as they’d like.
Want to plan a picnic? A food truck will help you do just that—without the hassle of preparing and packing your own meal. Whether you want to post up on a blanket by the lake or bring your bounty home, most food trucks deliver a stress-free experience.
This is often the result of tech like self-order kiosks, which allow consumers to place their order safely right outside the food truck. These are intuitive, contactless devices that make the ordering and overall dining process that much more enjoyable.
Efficiency, ease of use, personalization—many of the things people appreciate about self-order kiosks are inherent to food trucks. The right tech can make a real difference for both patrons and staff, which is precisely where KioskBuddy comes in.
With a transparent approach to paying and ordering, and minimal setup on the backend, a kiosk will elevate the dining experience. For small business owners who operate (or plan to open) a food truck, and diners in search of an easy ordering solution, who knows? Contactless tech could be an ideal fit.
With that, we encourage you to learn more about self-order kiosks and how they can strengthen your customer relationships. Start your 30-day free trial with KioskBuddy today, or click here to schedule a quick call with our expert team.