The trend up on the blogs, in the mags, and at bridal shows I have heard the most buzz about? Food trucks and their little bits of foodie goodness. It seems like everyone’s talking about how great they are, but how in the world do I find them? Do I use one truck or a few trucks? Do I want one for the meal or for a late night snack? Will my venue allow it? My venue allows them, but where do I put them? So much buzz and so many questions. Well, I think I’ve got some answers for you!
The how…Food trucks don’t work like venues, with listings on wedding sites and directories…yet. You have to know where to find them and that can take a bit of exploring…or does it? Like with most things nowadays, there’s an app (or two) for that! However, how good are those apps?
For the purposes of this post, I checked out a few of the more popular apps and none wowed me. Some were clunky to use, while others were incomplete in the coverage of many major cities, and those that were in cities I was familiar with, just didn’t return many trucks. I know Denver has more than three food trucks.
My best advice is to do a comprehensive Google search. The best way to get targeted results is to conduct your search as such, “food truck” and your city name. My first page of hits for Denver were filled with food truck gold. Lists sorted by food type with links to each truck’s Twitter accounts (most food trucks post their daily locations on Twitter no matter what city you are in. One site, Where is that food truck? even had a contact form one can send to the site with a specific food truck request for your event and they will pass your info on to the truck, making a food truck bride’s search much easier! No matter what city you’re in, you are bound to find food truck loving sites to point you in the right direction and help you cater your fabulous food truck fete.
Once you’ve gotten some ideas as to which vendors you would like to explore, pay them a visit…no, really pay. A food truck doesn’t operate like a caterer or banquet hall. Their income opportunities are not based on ambiance, wait staff, etc. They have to sell good food and sell it fast. So, don’t even think of asking for a free tasting from their menu. Get out there and get to their stop/s and get a sense of whether you like the food or not and as to how they respond to their customers when the line starts to mount. You want a vendor who can not only make great food, but that can keep his/her cool under pressure.
So, now that you’ve tasted from your list of truck/trucks and chosen your fave/s, here are some questions to ask the vendor before signing a contract.
- Do you have a set menu that you stick with or do you customize it for an event?
- How many people are you able to serve and what is the maximum time allowance to serve those people?
- How do you keep food hot and/ or cold?
- Do you charge a flat fee or per person?
- Do you offer beverage service? Alcohol?
- If you are going to use the trucks as stations: What other food trucks have you worked with or recommend to compliment your truck’s fare?
- What are the city’s rules regarding food truck service for events?
- If you are using the trucks for a late night snack: What’s the latest you can serve? What foods do you recommend or caution against for late night snacks?
- Do I need to obtain any permits or insurance to use your services?
- Are there any limitations on where you can park?
- Does the city permit such services at my venue? Some cities restrict the boundaries of where a food truck may go.
I hope you find these tips helpful. Are you considering a food truck wedding? If so, I’d love to hear about it and what you are planning to serve. Planned a food truck wedding? What was your experience at your wedding?
Belle Memorie 