Food Trucks – What to Consider

Attendees at the NRA show had an opportunity to learn a little bit more about the intricacies of owning and operating a successful food truck. Ross Resnick, founder of the food-truck-locating website www.roaminghunger.com, offered a variety of tips to succeed in this growing foodservice segment.

Since 2009, the number of trucks listed on the Roaming Hunger website has grown 710 percent, to more than 2,300, Resnick said. Food truck growth is anticipated to grow another 260 percent by 2014.

According to Resnick, food truck success depends on many factors, but mostly dependent upon brand differentiation, reasonably sized menu, sales locations, strong media presence and patience when it comes to growth.

He also warns that owning a food truck is not a get-rich-quick type of business. Food trucks are no longer a novelty and must be built as sustainable businesses where customers want to eat frequently.

Takeout Proves to be Strong Source of Revenue

Providing your consumers with the option for takeout could bring increased sales to your restaurant. A recent Technomic survey indicates that 57% of consumers recently surveyed say they purchase takeout once a week or more. Of those consumers who purchased takeout, 60% said that if they had not done so on that occasion they would most likely have made food at home and not purchased from a foodservice operator.

Takeout provides an effortless dining option for consumers focused primarily on convenience.

Safe Food Handling Starts with your Employees

Week two of National Food Safety Education Month is well underway. This week’s topic includes tips on proper food handling by employees. The free training activities offered at www.ServSafe.com/NFSEM teach employees how to avoid touching their bodies and then touching food, and how to use gloves correctly.

Research Indicates Food Trucks are on the Rise

According to a recent study by the National Restaurant Association, food trucks are one of the hottest trends in the restaurant industry right now. Consumers are showing increasing interest in mobile foodservice, with 59% percent of American’s surveyed saying they would visit a food truck if their favorite restaurant offered one.

Food trucks currently have a more noticeable presence in the Western and Northwestern United States, however research indicates that consumer interest is on the rise in the Southern and Midwestern states. For more information visit the NRA’s website.

This week kicks of National Food Safety Education Month. If you haven’t checked out the free resources available from the NFSEM’s website, you really should. You can download free posters and materials to help remind your staff of the importance of safe food handling.

The weekly ten minute training activities are a great way to reinforce food safety education. The activities are great to incorporate into your establishment’s training program and since they are designed to be completed quickly they are also ideal for refreshers during staff meetings.

This week’s exercise deals with the proper way to handle a visit from the health inspector. Be sure to download your free activity sheet today!

Stay Safe with Products from Serv-U

In honor of National Food Service Education Month, I thought it would be good to highlight a few of our more popular food safety-related products.

Saf-T-Ice® Tote
With a new and improved design, this durable polycarbonate container is intended for the sanitary transporting of ice while controlling cross contamination.

Saf-T-Scoop™ System
This ice scoop features a germ guard to prevent contact between hands and food.

Food Rotation and Storage Labels
Never guess on the age of something in your refrigerator or storage room. When used properly food storage labels will let you know when an ingredient or product is no longer safe to use or serve.

Color Coded Cutting Boards
Reduce the risk of cross-contamination by taking the guesswork out of using the right board during food preparation.

Kleen Pails™
Color-coded pails allow you to distinguish between pails for soap and cleaning solutions and sanitizing solutions.

Lessons Learned from the Health Inspection

September is National Food Safety Education Month, and this year’s theme is “Lessons Learned from the Health Inspection”. The National Restaurant Association is kicking off a month-long initiative to encourage restaurant and foodservice operators to renew their commitment to food safety by raising awareness of the importance of education and training.

National Food Safety Education Month was created in 1994 to heighten awareness about the importance of food safety education. Each year a new theme and free training activities and posters are created for the restaurant and foodservice industry to help reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures. Visit the NFSEM website for more information on how you can implement this year’s activities and materials in your foodservice establishment.

Food Trucks Proving They Are Not Just a Fad

Food trucks continue to become an increasingly popular trend for both chain and independent restaurants. Industry experts note that many businesses are to the point of launching their third or fourth vehicle, suggesting that the food truck industry is way past the idea of being a fad.

Some of the notable advantages to operating a food truck include their appeal to social-network-savvy consumers, they can serve as a test outlet for brick-and-mortar restaurants and they serve as a moving billboard for the brand.

If you are interested in venturing in to the industry of food trucks, experts state that most food trucks can be purchased for around $100,000, or leased from between $3,000 to $4,000 per month. The average cost for wrapping a truck in a brand image alone can run from $24,000 to $75,000. However choosing to purchase a remodeled used truck can be a money saver.

Points to Consider before tapping into the Food Truck Market

Mobile food trucks seem to the latest buzz in the restaurant industry, and this segment of the restaurant industry is growing in popularity across the country. However, before you choose to take your operation mobile, you may want to consider a few challenges that the mobile food truck industry presents.

Successful mobile food truck operators will tell you that the up-and-coming mobile food truck business has its fair share of stressors. Permit issues, long hours, heavy traffic, parking concerns and resistance from brick and motor restaurants are just a few of the daily headaches that mobile food truck operators face.

However, despite the inconveniences special to the mobile-kitchen business, there is no denying it has taken off in part because of its advantages. While not cheap, revving up a food truck is more affordable than opening a restaurant. Social media sites are also an ideal marketing tool for mobile food trucks. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter allow mobile food truck followers to keep track of their favorite food trucks’ locations.

Find out more about what successful food truck operators are saying about this trendy new segment of the restaurant industry by visiting QSR’s website.

Franchising Comes to Food Trucks

One fast food company is franchising their food trucks and using the mobile units as an entrance into new markets.

Georgia-based Pool’s Restaurant Group is the parent company of Gandolfo’s New York Delicatessen. Pool’s Restaurant Group began working on a food truck franchising program in early 2010. The program allows individuals to buy into and operate food trucks without having to own or operate a fixed brick and mortar location.

One recent franchisee of a Gandolfo’s food truck, Randy Wolken, was excited by the possibilities of only owning a food truck. “From the owner-operator standpoint, you’re talking about higher net revenues, lower upfront costs, and the ability to react quickly to locations (with a mobile unit).”

Learn about other food service operators that are considering entering into the mobile restaurant game by reading the full article online at QSR’s website.