Food Trucks Drive Success
For those who like to be on the cutting edge of food trends and events, food trucks have come and gone. For the rest of us, food trucks have parked themselves at the forefront of our minds when thinking about how to spice up not just the cuisine but the atmosphere of anything from a kid’s party or fundraiser to a corporate outing.
We know that experiences are created by engaging all five senses, which food trucks do effortlessly and affordably. Let’s review.
Let’s start with smell: while we may eat with our eyes, it’s often our noses that draw us to the food. Sausages grilling, zeppoles sizzling, popcorn popping, cookies baking. Need I say more? When guests smell the cornucopia of flavors waiting to be sampled you’ll see a spring in their step that no buffet, no matter how elaborate or well stocked, can compete with.
Touch: What’s more ‘in the moment’ than reaching up into the window to take the delectable you’ve chosen and hold the warm, wrapped item in your hands? It’s reminiscent of childhood’s carefree summers and the giddy joy of getting ice cream from the ice cream man. Anticipate some finger licking throughout the process as well!
Sight: Whether it be day or night, food trucks are visually interesting. You can scatter them or cluster them in a specific area depending on your goals. String lights a few feet above the truck’s clearance height and adds to the visual attraction. Ask the food truck vendors if they adorn the outside of their trucks for special occasions.
Sound: Do we start with the cheerful personalities of most of the people serving the food or the conversations and laugher the food inspires? If you are clustering trucks, avoid music from a specific truck. If they are scattered, some come with music that reflects the food’s theme, style or mood. Add to that the conversations that organically happen while selecting what to sample. Bonding over food is a delicious way to make a new friend.
Taste: If your stomach isn’t rumbling yet, you’re not reading closely enough! Food trucks cater to a huge spectrum of tastes and budgets. Specialty and gourmet food trucks allow an audience that is somewhat formal to let down their hair while still partaking in cuisine that meets their expectations. For those who want a wide variety of options, food trucks serve up everything from kimchi to pizza and gourmet grilled cheese to organic dishes.
If you oversee an annual fundraiser, this may be a great way to spice things up. Ask a local office park or school to let you use their parking lot and you have eliminated or greatly reduced your rental fees. The event is now family friendly and can run into the evenings. (There are entire lines of trucks that make adult beverages as well.) How much more fun does that sound than attending another gala.
Things to note: you may need a power supply, a dumpster, permits and in rare instances, running water. Don’t let the list deter you as none of it is particularly difficult to do/get.
So, if you want to serve up some tasty cuisine in an unexpected way, try food trucks. Would we steer you wrong?
