Food trucks are having a moment… again! With the pandemic still keeping a number of restaurants closed or confined to takeout & delivery, the food truck — a sort of pop-up version of the full meal deal — is looking appealing to a number of operators.
Not all restaurant operators choose to stay inside in the comfort of their bricks and mortar buildings. Some decide to take their act on the road and try out a more mobile culinary experience.
Lancaster Smokehouse owner-operator Chris Corrigan decided to plunge into the food truck business in 2014. He purchased and outfitted a heavy-duty chassis with help from a local stainless-steel fabricator. “I built a versatile mobile kitchen and went with commercial grade quality to make it an extension of our Kitchener restaurant,” he says. “It cost more, but we feel it was important to do it right — especially as it reflects on the restaurant and our brand.”
Corrigan chose a late model lower mileage vehicle to outfit to his specifications. Originally he planned for curbside operation, but once he started running smack into webs of regulations, he decided to focus instead on catering and events.
“By putting our focus on catering, the costs and profit margins are more controllable,” he explains. “Our barbecue style product lends itself well to mobile operation, and we just modified our existing recipes to simplify and streamline where necessary. By catering events where we know the number of plates going in, we can be more efficient and it is far more lucrative.”
The pandemic has not put a damper on the food truck operation. “We are expecting a very busy season if we can ever get past this situation and are allowed to operate. It is my opinion based on enquiries and bookings that there is a lot of pent-up customer demand for both private (weddings, parties etc.) and corporate events,” says Corrigan.
Under normal times, Lancaster’s mobile kitchen helps increase the traffic at his standalone location and vice-versa. As part of the preparation for an event like a wedding, customers often come into the restaurant for a tasting session to help them decide on menu items for the event.
The restaurant’s kitchen staff love working the truck, he says. “When we go to events, they are competing to be along. There’s a lot of time pressure at the events and high energy. The service is fun because we’re parked at a location where everybody is having a great time.”
Corrigan is part of one of a growing number of foodservice operators choosing to go mobile. Canada-wide, estimates put the number of food trucks at more than 400, with more in the west than the east.
Corrigan’s takeaways
- For the best results, buy or build a quality food truck with commercial equipment that will last since it needs to handle a more industrial operation.
- Carefully evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on catering and events versus curbside service.
- Use a food truck as an opportunity for your staff, especially younger employees, to have fun and learn the business.
Top truck tips
- Build a menu with items that are simple, good and distinctive.
- Keep recipes simple and easy to vary.
- Get creative with dish names customers will remember.
- Watch your food costs and price points.
- Make your brand strong and distinctive.
- Get social, interact with your customers online.
- Be ready for bad weather.
- Budget for slow days in your business plan.
Calculate the $$$
Getting a food truck up and running is a challenging, competitive and potentially expensive venture. New fully operational trucks run to $120,000, and conversions of existing vehicles can cost between $30,000 and $100,000 plus the cost of a used truck like a step van.
As well, consider the costs of:
- licensing
- permits
- liability and business insurance
- vehicle registration
- parking
Sources: Canada Business Network, Internet search engines
Food truck start-up checklist:
How to Start a Food Truck Business in Canada
Source: Canadian Visa
Build your brand
Food trucks that distinguish themselves through smart marketing and menu choices can stand above the competition and reach customers they want to attract, says Small Business BC. Developing a strong brand is a top priority for successful food truck operators. “Aside from your menu, think of what sets you apart from your competition and sell it.”
Some food trucks proclaim their brand with LOUD letters and artistic flair, while others use a subtler approach. Experts say it’s important that branding fit and speak to your particular product niche and target clientele.
Lancaster Smokehouse opted to mirror the look of their restaurant with similar colour scheme, fonts and graphic design. “It gives us a consistency and helps build brand awareness between our mobile kitchen and our standalone location,” Chris Corrigan says.
What’s in a name?
Looking to be whimsical, clever, memorable, or humorous? Play on words, or keep it simple and descriptive? A name can make or break a food truck’s success. Some of Canada’s more popular food trucks over the past few years have featured names that are short and memorable: Winnipeg’s Tot Wheels (think tater tots), Duck Truck MTL (nothing but duck on the menu), Toronto’s Fidel Gastro’s (retro food), Vancouver’s Aussie Pie Guy (self-explanatory).
Looking to be whimsical, clever, memorable, or humorous? Play on words, or keep it simple and descriptive? A name can make or break a food truck’s success.
By choosing a name that is easy to pronounce, understand and remember, customers are more likely to tell their friends and colleagues. Avoid names that are too long, confusing or trendy because fads pass, after all. Consider the visual impact of any name you choose; how will it look on the side of your truck?
A useful name recognition exercise from the website mobile-cuisine.com: Share with 10 people the name you are considering and then, a week later, “connect with them again and ask them to recall that name. How many people were able to accurately remember it? If it was fewer than seven, you may want to consider other more memorable alternatives that truly grab people’s attention.”
Built to serve
In Canada, food trucks are outfitted by a range of manufacturers and fabricators. Here are just a few:
- Food Truck Canada
- Concession Nation
- Venture Food Trucks
- Apollo Custom Manufacturing
- Kitchens on Wheels
- Unique Food Truck
- UC Trailers
- Silver Star Metal Fabricating
So, what’s stopping you? It’s time to get truckin’.
