The availability and selection of mobile kitchens have helped advance what hopeful entrepreneurs can do with food trucks and trailers.

The industry has also demanded more creative, out-the-box options- and budding business owners were quick to jump on board.

We’ve seen hundreds of food trucks and trailers in our time, but these five beauties take the cake for us in terms of creativity and inventiveness.

(We’ve seen a whole lot of super cool food trucks though, trust us.)

Five Mobile Food Trucks That Are Seriously Inventive

The Pancake Selfie Express

The creative director for The Holiday Inn Express brand conjured up this insane (but effective!) way of combining yummy food on the go and our love for the selfie all in one.

Sounds a little out to lunch, right?

Well, we love it- and so does everyone else, it seem. The mobile kitchens travels around serving up delicious pancakes with your selfie on top.

These personalized dishes brings food truck and trailer dining to a whole other level, with the engagement element driving long lines outside The Pancake Selfie Express. Customers snap a quick selfie using software built into the truck, which is then sent to a printing device.

Viola- your face on a pancake. Eat up!

The Fair Food Co.

If they’re run properly, food trucks can be quite environmentally friendly.

The Fair Food Co, however, decided to create an even more environmentally friendly option for food on the go. Owners of THB Disturbance and The Hardy Boys created the three wheeled food “tuk tuk” that guzzles quite a bit less gas than traditional counterparts.

The edamame shack aims to provide a much healthier alternative for people who really only do what a snack to tide them over.

They sustainably source the edamame, as well as ensuring their takeout boxes are made of recycled bean pods.

By exploring different alternatives for transportation and waste management, the food mobile industry can become even more environmentally friendly.

Kitchen Of The Unwanted Animals

There’s two cool things about this mobile kitchen.

Their commitment to reducing food waste is nothing short of impressive, with the entire menu built on using the meat from animals that aren’t typically used.

This venture has been the centre of much debate, particularly from animal rights activists- but the truck maintains that safe and healthy consumption of these meats (such as pigeon, horse, goose etc.) plays a notable part in reducing food waste.
Secondly, though- Kitchen Of The Unwanted Animals is built within a Jeep. A Jeep!
Huffington Post called this mobile food truck- “maybe the craziest food truck yet.”

The Seattle Barkery

A food truck for dogs- finally! Don’t worry though, everything made and sold in this gem is good for both humans and canines.

Fancy a peanut butter and banana cookie?

If your dog does too, you’re in luck.

These clever owners used the truck for mostly product inventory to be sold, but the “barkery” also houses a small kitchen in the back to conjure up fresh little treats and snacks.

We can’t get over the use of space, though- the food truck operates as a small kitchen, but has really been transformed to house and sell product like a mall kiosk.

Genius.

The FoodShare Truck

Another beauty that used a food truck to effectively transport and sell product, this socially green initiative aims to deliver fresh fruits and veggies to Toronto’s food deserts.

The aim of this truck is to connect areas that are unable to get fresh produce with their 5 servings a day. Typically, the path of transportation for fresh produce runs dry to many Northern communities, as well as areas a little off the map.

The result? Many communities pay insanely inflated prices, or some have no option at all- their diet is doomed to lack fresh fruits and veggies.

It’s a complete retrofit of the original point of a food truck, but the versatility of these mobile kitchens provides an alternative path of transportation for goods that communities are lacking.

The FoodShare Truck is part of the Mobile Good Food Market Initiative, which falls under the Toronto Public Health Project.

Happy As Larry

Fresh pizza? From a food truck?

Yep! 100%. “Happy As Larry” sells fresh pizzas and pies from a converted truck – a truck that hauls a revamped storage container that’s a full Italian-style eatery.

The gigantic wood fire oven required some creativity, and the space of a shipping container provided just that. Their Napoli-style pizzas are known across the entire Australian nation, with the interior of this beauty being an attraction by itself.

In addition to the wood fire oven, “Happy As Larry” house a fully stocked commercial kitchen to serve up

The post The Most Creative Food Trailers Around appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

Food trucks/trailers and weddings. They’re not really two things that you would automatically pair together, but these mobile kitchens are becoming a budget friendly and memorable option for catering weddings.

We’ve been to quite a few weddings in our time, but one of all our all time favorites was our dear friends last June- a hot, but beautiful day out in the town of Canmore, Alberta.

The wedding was a small, super laid back celebration designed with an all Canada theme; plaid made many appearances, and the cocktail of the day was of course the classic Caeser.

But really, what’s one of the best parts of wedding for the guests?

(Aside from the open bar, of course.)

The food.

The typical catering options weren’t present at this wedding though. Much to our unbiased delight, our childhood friends opted for a food truck to feed the drunk and hungry.

And absolutely nailed it.

The Canadian themed food truck offered up poutine, bannock, lobster rolls, Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, nanaimo bars and a few other North American classics. Awesome, eh?

Why Hire A Food Trailer For Your Wedding?

Hiring a food truck or trailer is a great alternative to traditional catering options, and when paired with the right theme, can make for an unforgettable wedding.

• Food trucks are typically more flexible in terms of booking them and the space and resources required.
• If you’re on a budget, mobile kitchens are much more cost effective when it comes to feeding your guests.
• The menus offered by food trucks and trailers can be more unique and tailored to your
  weddings theme and dietary needs
• Little to no clean up for you or your guests post ceremony celebration- yahoo!
• Mobile kitchens leave way more time for socializing since guests aren’t being served food at set times, and at set tables.
• Working with a food truck or trailer can be a lot less stress than designing a catering menu from scratch.
• The food is fresher, since food trailer vendors are literally bringing the kitchen to the wedding-
  compared to food that is prepared off site, then brought over
• If you and your guests love to eat (or need a lot of food to control the open bar) then food trucks and trailers give you way more bang for your back, and the entire wedding can eat all night- not just once.

There’s A Few Drawbacks To Hiring A Food Truck For Your Wedding

Of course, a food truck or food trailer may not work for everyone’s wedding- and that’s ok! Mobile kitchens have their limitations, which may present a problem for some weddings.

• Typically, food trailers can only effectively serve 75 people or less at a time. By effectively, we mean little wait time for your guests and constant replenishment of grub.
• Mobile kitchens are weather dependant, creating one factor that’s entirely out of your control. Rain or shine? Not so much for food trailers.
• Food trailers don’t really do fine dining, and for some, it’s just simply what they want their menu to be at their wedding.
• Just like the struggles of licensing and permits (especially these food trailer owners, who found out the hard way) – certain cities impose stipulations on mobile kitchens that make it really difficult to use a food trailer at a wedding venue.

Just like any alternative really, what may work for some may not work for others- again, totally ok.

How People Started Hiring Food Trailers For Weddings

From an industry standpoint, it’s a new trend to choose a food trailer for your wedding. The idea has only been around a few years, and actually had a slow start.

Of course there is a perception about what mobile kitchens are, and where they should be. A wedding didn’t use to fit in that category, with caterers and venue kitchens being the choice for ceremonies.

Until some food trucks really nailed it; then the idea went somewhat viral.

Captured by younger couples mostly, mobile kitchens at a wedding started a social media buzz that paired well with more casual and alternative wedding styles.

The days of wedding tradition are dwindling down as people redefine how they plan and execute their wedding. Less emphasis on tradition = less emphasis on traditional food.

The post Food Trucks & Weddings appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

No really, they are.

Food truck and trailer blogs are even better.

Blogs quickly became a key part of great content strategies, with over 31 million blogs in the US alone. Preferred by most readers for their transparency and specificity, blogs quickly surpassed sponsored and generic website content for valuable information sources online.

Not to mention, the personal touch behind each post keeps people coming back- readers are drawn to the persona behind the blog, and more intimate relationships are formed.

The thing about blogs is that their recent, genuine and honest. Following blogs can keep you in the loop more effectively than searching content.

Which is why you should be following these food trailer blogs like, yesterday.

You Need To Be Following These Ten Food Trailer Blogs

We picked ten blogs that as food trailers owners, you should be following. Info right at your fingertips about the exact topics you want to know about?

Great, right?

Just how we shared what apps you should be using, we share the winning blogs!

The Best Food Trailer Blogs On The Internet

#1- Food Truck Operator

This blog is a little bit of everything, for everyone. These guys are awesome at keeping up to date with relevant news, events and announcements- but they also share success stories, design ideas and helpful business tips.

#2- Food Truck Empire

These guys post frequently, which makes them an awesome blog to follow for consistent and new information. They love to cover unique food trucks and new additions to the scene, as well as market trends and very, very helpful business tips.

The star of this blog is their knowledge of the industry, and the content they produce about it. You never miss a beat.

#3- Roaming Hunger

This blog is totally outside the box. They cover everything from experimental marketing to content about the wedding industry. It may seem strange, but they cleverly relate everything to continued success of food trucks. It offers you some insight about how to really get your food truck out there and thriving.

The best thing about Roaming Hunger is that they produce pieces of content that are literally made for social sharing, fetching high engagement and conversion rates- all for you.

#4- Food Truckr

Food Truckr is probably the most inspirational food truck and trailer blog out there. It’s geared at writing posts to excel your food trailer business, written by veterans in the field that really know what they’re doing.

As expected, they write tonnes of valuable content as well as news items for the mobile food industry.

#5- National Food Trucks

Now, we’re just going to note that these guys don’t update as frequently as the rest.

But man oh man- the quality and quantity of information available on this blog makes it an insanely valuable resource for food trailer owners looking for concrete stats and information. And if you’re looking for event and geographic information regarding your food trucks, this is the blog to visit.

#6- Good Fynd

Specifically geared towards marketing for food trucks, Good Fynd is the best blog to go to for marketing tips and tricks for your food trailer.

#7- Food Truck Empire

Kind of like Roaming Hunger, this blog is a little wacky as well- it’s more industry based, so content can really vary.

These posts are easy reads, and refreshing content too – trust us, you haven’t read anything like even half the stuff in this blog.

#8- Mobile Cuisine

This is the blog for all things mobile food. Just like our favorite blogs, there’s everything for food trailer owners here- design, marketing, events, industry news and business tips.

They also hold wicked contests every quarter, which can be really fun for their readers.

#9- Boston Food Truck

Full of industry news, marketing strategies and business tips, Boston Food Truck also offers seriously robust social media strategies for food trailer owners.

These guys are also equipped with a food truck finder and food truck reviews (so you can have a little spy on your competition!)

#10- Behind The Food Carts

This isn’t a blog for hard hitting news or business tips.

Behind The Food Carts is a photo centered, story telling blog that just gives you a really good and easy read.

Mobile kitchen entrepreneurs share their stories, and the blog pays tribute to the beautiful food out there.

The blog won Saveur Magazine’s “Best Culinary Travel Blog” in 2013 and has over 200,000 followers on Tumblr alone.

The post 10 Mobile Food Blogs You Need To Be Reading appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

When we think of the mobile food industry, our minds generally jump straight to food trucks. With over 25,000 operating food trucks in the US alone, the food truck industry is nothing short of booming.

But the trend isn’t new.

Food trucks have been around foreeeever; (seriously, since as early as the mid 1700’s) – but people rarely know that the history of food trailers actually has a much longer time span.

The two are totally similar, but the more prominent nimbleness of food trailers actually made for a better option during periods of long travel and less urbanization.

With that being said, the history of food trailers is actually really, really cool- and paves the way for a solid understanding of how food trailers have evolved to meet different stages of demand.

The First Food Trailers Started in NYC

1691. Yep- 1691 marked the first year that food trailers made an appearance on the streets of New York. Granted, they looked a whole lot different back then- somewhat mirroring push carts- and definitely no fancy trimmings and deep fryers.

Fun fact: Back in these days, NYC was actually called “New Amsterdam.”

The models were inherently basic, but they did the job of feeding the “working class” of these times. Very few had any means of actually cooking food on the spot; rather, they sold fruits, clams, oysters and other ethnic fares that were prepared at a home base and brought to the streets.

Chuck Wagons Stepped Up the Mobile Food Game

Chuck wagons are the perfect example of the early evolution of the food trailer Invented by Charles Goodnight, chuck wagons were designed to feed the cattlemen and wagon trains travelling within the Old West.

The much larger capacity of these chuck wagons, compared to food trailers/push carts available back then, allowed for both food prep and service in one go.

In the space of the “chuck box” was a fitted cooking space, which folded up and down to be used as a surface to cook and prepare food on. The same area of the wagon was also fit with shelving and drawers for storage of food and utensils.

Since they were being used to feed cattlemen during long cattle drives, these chuckwagons also sported water barrels attached to the wagon bed. They were really designed to support it’s purpose of being a completely mobile kitchen. The demand was completely derived from the need for food on the go during these crucial trips.

Still, the sophistication of these chuck wagons was as to be expected during the early 1800’s, so the menu whipped up from these kitchens remained simple- salted meats, bean dishes, potatoes, biscuits, coffee etc.

Moving On To The Freight Wagon

The year of 1872 marked the first full diner built on the back of a freight wagon. The first notable freight diner grew in Boston in 1873 was built by Walter Scott, who first designed the diner to meet the need for food on the go for journalists working late.

In fact, Scott began his mobile food business in a much more humble way years prior, serving sandwiches and baked goods out of his basket (on foot) in Rhode Island for many years.

After upgrading to a pushcart, he started “Night Lunch Wagons”- serving sandwiches, pies and coffee at all hours of the night. Originally planning to feed late night journalists, Scott found quickly that night shift workers, health care professionals etc. all benefited from food on the go.

Restaurants typically closed at 8, leaving dozens of customers visiting Night Lunch Wagons on a daily basis for fast grub.

Roach Coaches?

We know- the name is a little off putting.

Roach coaches are mini restaurants hoisted onto a truck chassis. Typical models have sides that open for easy access, and full kitchens within the space.

Started in the 1960’s, roach coaches were typically found on construction sites (the target market of the first roach coach operator), but were found pretty much everywhere within the next decade.

Roach coaches are pretty much the perfect blend between a food truck and food trailer, and really paved the way for some wicked modifications entrepreneurs could make to get into the mobile food industry.

The Ice Cream Truck Actually Began The Food Truck Movement

Ice cream has been around forever, but never became mobile until milk became pasteurized in the late 1890’s. Before this, ice cream was unfairly linked to scarlet fever, diphtheria and bovine tuberculosis.

By 1904, the hysteria of ice cream had lifted and several trends were born- including the famous ice cream cone. Technological advances during the same period saw fast paced advances in refrigeration options and the birth of portable electric coolers.

Couple this with the beginning of Prohibition of the 1920’s (where people sought decadent treats to replace banned spirits) and you can only imagine the soaring growth of ice cream trucks.

Fun fact: The first ice cream truck was started by Harry Burt of Ohio, who also first discovered chocolate covered ice cream bars. Thank you, Mr. Burt!

Now, it’s important to note that ice cream trucks were the starting point for “food out of a truck.” Following the invention of the ice cream truck, creative individuals saw mega potential- the first taco truck hit the streets of East LA in 1974, the first burger truck made it’s way outside colleges in the early 1980’s….. you get the point.

The post The History of Food Trailers appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

If the title of this blog looks familiar, it is.

Last week, we wrote about five awesome apps that help connect food trailers and trucks to customers via Twitter and live maps.

We got great feedback on the post, with some readers sharing that apps weren’t really their thing. Which is fair- apps can sometimes be a little confusing, or more time consuming for the kitchen owners out there that don’t have a whole lot of it.

And apps aren’t the only technological development that have helped connect mobile kitchens to food trucks and trailers in their area.

Pages of websites are dedicated to bringing customers to food trucks, and many of them facilitate booking trucks in communities and hiring for catering services.

So if apps really aren’t your thing, these websites should be on your radar as a food truck owner. As part of your online marketing strategy (which you can build with our business plan guide), integration into third party websites can bring you a lot of money.

These Websites Help Connect Customers to Catering Bookings

Off The Grid

One of the most extensively developed sites out there for food trucks, Off The Grid connects customers to food trailers in a tonne of ways.

They facilitate private and corporate booking catering services provided by food trucks of their choice. Website visitors can browse a catalogue of over 320 vendors in their given area and choose their next catering provider. They can browse menus, photos, reviews, pricing etc. at a click of a button and make their selection. They’re the one-stop shop point of contact, making it real easy to book.

Their initiative- “Bring The Grid To Work” – aims to help workplaces hire food trucks for employee food programs. Food trucks are flexible, mobile services that are a perfect in-office solution. As they quote:

We’re redefining scalable culinary experiences at work through the innovative use of mobile food infrastructure.

Learn more about becoming a creator with Off The Grid, and the application process to get in the catalogue.

Food Trucks Go

Food Trucks 2 Go is a simple, straightforward directory of food trucks and trailers that are available for private & corporate bookings.

These guys have a crazy big list of vendors, and you can get quite literally any cuisuine on the planet. With 2000+ food trucks and trailers to choose from, visitors can select the perfect food truck for their event.

With a directory that big, you could probably expect to see food trailers as cool as these beauties. We would hope so.

YYC Food Trucks

Calgary loves their food trucks. Canada was a little late onto the scene as far as mobile kitchens go, but the larger cities in the country are moving fast to adopt them.

Calgary is a pretty “foodie” city, so it’s no surprise that Calgarians wanted an online connection to their food truck seen.

YYC Food Trucks acts a useful combo of a food truck event calendar, directory and catering booking service all in one. Connecting to the city of Calgary and surrounding area, the website is somewhat of a local celebrity with partners such as Virgin Radio and East Village.

Narrow it down to the cuisine or area of your choice, and you’ll be connected to a robust list of vendors for your choosing.

The YYC Food Trucks branding truly has landed them a name in the mobile food industry, so hopeful entrepreneurs in Calgary- this would be well worth looking at.

Street Food App

No, no- it’s a website, don’t worry!

Street Food App brings Canadian & US food trucks and trailers under one roof. With listings all across both countries, Street Food App is a platform for bookings anywhere.

A newbie to the scene, their directory is growing everyday as they continue to add to their rotation of over 58 food trucks.

The ease of having a website and app means management of your listing in any style.

Street Food Vancouver

Looking for a food truck or trailer for your next catering event in Vancouver? Street Food Vancouver is the perfect solution, as a networking directory of some of Vancouvers best food truck vendors.

So for food truck owners wanting to take advantage of the busy, and hungry market of Vancouver, consider this site in your online marketing strategy.

With a simple online quote available, and minimal participation required on the booking party, Street Food Vancouver couldn’t have made it any easier to book a food truck in YVR.

Thumb Tack

Thumb Tack is a wicked website for the mobile food industry. It caters to more than just food trucks- like private caterers or select take out providers- but users can narrow the search down to food trucks.

Thumb Tack acts mimics the process of Booking.Com or Expedia, but incorporating a talent pool into the mix like Fiverr- giving the website visitor complete control in their booking from contact to payment.

Unlike the other websites listed here, Thumb Tack takes a very hands off approach and acts merely as an introduction between the two parties. Think of Thumb Tack as an online, automated talent agent.

The post “Book a Food Truck”: 5 Websites to find trucks appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

The mobile food industry had a massive, and rapid takeoff- by being the best answer since the invention of the drive-thru to our demand for food on the go.

Food trucks in particular made a big splash on the scene, since they are able to go to literally everywhere that hungry mouths may be. And with food trucks being independently owned people quickly started seeking out their favorite trucks in every city.

And just like that, food trucks and trailers became a norm for urban and rural areas alike.
Brick and mortar locations still had one advantage though. People know where they are, and if they don’t, they can find out.

This isn’t the case for food trucks. They lacked a physical presence online, which made finding them was more a chance of luck than anything. As these food truck owners share, visibility was one of the biggest initial obstacles they overcame at any stage of the game.

That is until people caught on and screamed from the rooftops- “Connect us with food trucks, NOW!”

Not quite literally, but in the last few years over 200 apps have been developed to connect snack-ish customers with food trucks and trailers in their area.

Whether you’re a newbie to the scene, or have had your oven alight for a while, these are 5 apps and websites that you might want to check out if you love lineups out your kitchen window.

These Apps Connect Customers to Food Trucks Instantly

Apps not really your thing? Check out these simple websites instead.

• Food Truck Fiesta

For less than a buck a month, these app users can instantly view and communicate with food trucks in the LA area. This Iphone & Android app is originally based on a blog, and posts updates about new food trucks and truck events.

The only drawback? It uses Twitter as a communication platform between food trucks and customers, which means the app user can only locate a food truck by using their Twitter feeds and a live map.

But since most app users are between the age of 18-34, there is a good chance Twitter is already a norm in their daily smartphone use.

• Eat St.

Eat St. is an app developed by the Food Network, aimed at highlighting more gourmet meals on wheels around their area. Like Food Truck Fiesta, Eat St. relies on a live map Twitter feed. The free app works mostly with stationary food carts, but is in development of being able to successfully host those on the go as well.

Eat St. offers a competitive advantage though- the app lets food trucks owners update their own locations, menus and hours etc. improving the accuracy of these listings.

App users can submit their favorite food trucks as well and add them to the map- though hopefully they’d let you know, so you can constantly be updating your feed and drawing people in.

• Roaming Hunger

This free iPhone app mimics most food truck apps, operating on a live map and food truck owners Twitter feeds. The scope of Roaming Hunger is large, so unlike city specific apps, users can locate food trucks in almost every major city across the US.

Roaming Hunger boasts something pretty wicked though. You can not only search for food trucks near you, but you can narrow it down by cuisine, most liked, recently tweeted, new, vegetarian etc.

• Road Stoves GPS

Road Stoves GPS is an LA based food truck app, which does some extra cool things for users.

Free to download for your IPhone & Android, the app not only connects customers to a food trucks location, but also facilitates selling food trucks and booking catering events.

The app uses actual GPS locations to track food trucks, which means customers can pin point exactly where these mobile kitchens are.

The downside though, is that many food trucks aren’t GPS enabled, which makes the map on Road Stoves still pretty far and in between.

No worries though- the forward thinking team of the app are working on solutions to beef that map up for you.

• TruxMax Lite Food Truck Map

Probably the most user friendly app on the list, TruxMax Lite Food Truck Map is an easy, quick way to find food trucks in 21 cities across the US.

Again, it uses Twitter feeds to track and plot the locations of food trucks in the area. A nifty thing about this app though, is that it saves you from having to scroll through a trucks listing to see hours. Listings are lit in green or blue, indicating open or soon-to-be.

Got a food truck or trailer that you want to add to their listings? The free app doesn’t let you directly, but you can request through their website.

Food Truck Apps Really Drive Customers To You

These kinds of apps help facilitate customers finding mobile kitchens as quickly, and as easily as they do physical restaurants.

In a digitally driven world, integrating your food trailer into the online space isn’t anything short of crucial. Your online presence should be an integral part of your business plan.

Need some help with your food trailers business plan? See our business plan outline, with tips and recommendations.

Amongst other online and offline marketing, your presence on apps and third party websites will 100% drive customers to your window.

Get seen, be seen!

1. Website article
2. Create a business plan for food trucks
3. Marketing for food trucks

The post Find Food Trucks Near Me: 5 Apps appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

If the thought of owning a food trailer has now turned into a reality, you’ll likely be pretty ecstatic to

make your most important purchase yet: the trailer.
It’s not a decision to be made hastily though; this initial investment could be the downfall of your entire
business plan, if the right things aren’t considered before buying.
Similar to buying a vehicles, there are mechanical factors to look out for- but there are specific things to
look out for when buying mobile kitchens.
Whether you are buying new or used, consider the following before handing over the cash:

Ask These 10 Questions Before Buying a Food Trailer

Does it satisfy all the federal and municipal requirements and bylaws for food trailers?

You’d be surprised at how much the rules change from location to location.

(These first time food truck owners sure were.)

A trailer may satisfy all legal and municipal bylaws in one city but completely fail in another nearby. Permits, licences, food safety, staffing regulations and dozens more all differ based on where you end up. Prior to purchasing a food truck, you should have a defined location where you will be serving- or a path of multiple locations if that’s your game plan.

And pay really good attention to the bylaws and requirements in each area. Ensure that the food trailer satisfies each, or you could be left with a trailer that you’re not even allowed to use.

Does it come with warranties?

Geared mostly towards new food trailers, warranties are a beyond valuable thing to have- granted you know what they are. Used, but newer trailers, could also have existing warranties worth checking out.

Repairs on food trailers can get costly if paying out of pocket, so if possible- look for trailers with some good warranties attached.

Can it be rewrapped?

You don’t get a whole lot of space to show your brand off, and the visual look of a food truck can make
or break a sale for you.

If a food truck doesn’t look good from the outside- like clean, fresh – I won’t eat
there. Just looks like the food would be how it is on the outside, you know? – self admitted food truck addict

Some older trailers, oddly shaped trailers or those with heavy rust may not be able to be rewrapped- so you either make sure you love the design, or move on.

Will it accommodate your menu?

The ability to accommodate your menu is a factor you should consider in many decisions regarding your food trailer. Just like the decision to build your own food trailer or not, you have to consider whether the core of the trailer is built to support your menu or whether it can be adapted to do so.

If you’re planning to sell a lot of pre packaged food, you’d need to look for a trailer that houses a lot of storage or the ability to integrate additional storage in.

If your menu is intricate and detailed, your trailer would need to support a long prep line and
organization options.

You get the idea.

Will it hook up to mobile technology?

Gone are the days of cash, and while some mobile kitchens get away with cash only, a lot of urban cities and towns will demand debit and Wi-Fi options.

Customer service and inventory is greatly improved with a POS system, but you need to make sure that your trailer can support it.

Where did the trailer come from?

Whether you’re buying used or new, buying food trailers from places like Ebay, Craigslist or
Kijiji is never highly recommended.

There can be great trailers for sale in the mix, but with these platforms you really have no guarantee of what you’re getting. Sellers on these platforms can easily mislead buyers about the condition, any hidden problems, it’s history and warranties.

Choosing a reputable dealer- who often sell both new and used food trailers- pays off in the end, as you know exactly what you’re buying and from who.

What size and shape should the food trailer be?

You can do a thousand things with mobile kitchens, as these entrepreneurs show. With so many options as what you can do with a food trailer, you need to define the size and shape of the food trailer you need to suit your needs.

These beauties aren’t just standard size boxes anymore- there are some crazy variations of these mobile kitchens out there!

Has it been involved in any accidents?

Things happen, but you’ll want to know about any accidents the food trailer has been involved in.

You might not see the damage, but it certainly could be in there. And, as with everything in life, the outside appearance doesn’t always tell the full story – the damage could be worse than what it appears to be.

If the trailer has been in an accident, it doesn’t mean you should nix the idea- but you’ll want to check where it was repaired and grab a copy of the accident report to read over.

Sometimes mechanical problems come to the light somewhere down the road, and this you want to
avoid.

The post Food Truck For Sale”: 8 Things to Consider Before Buying appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

Thinking of entering the mobile food industry with a kick-ass food trailer?

Great idea. A food trailers convenience, elevated functionalities and low price point, make them an ideal investment for aspiring culinary entrepreneurs to cook up some profit.

Building your own food trailer?

Not such a great idea.

Even for DIY professionals, building a food trailer- specifically the kitchen- isn’t really recommended. You might not be building a brick and mortar kitchen, but there are many factors you have to consider when it comes to food trailers and their operations. Yes, it can be done- but for a long term investment, outsourcing is likely your best bet.

Even the savviest builders can end up with a malfunctioning food trailer; yes, mobile kitchens operate the same as brick and mortar kitchens. However, the nature of where they are housed and how the components need to operate together differ greatly.

At the end of the day, safety triumphs cutting corners to save some dollars. In our experience in the food trailer industry, safety hazards are harder to avoid in such a small space, and knowledge of how to correctly build a food trailer kitchen is imperative.

Before you grab the tool box and browse online for an empty trailer, give consideration to a few things below before doing so:

Five Things to Consider Before Building Your Food Truck Yourself

1. Will It Actually Save You Money?

Building your own food trailer might save you money in labour costs, but have you factored in the price of buying the tools, supplies and appliances that you’ll need?

Buying them piece by piece yourself may actually be up to 30% more expensive than using a reputable dealer. Companies who focus on building food trailers and trucks have those awesome industry discounts, as well as discounts for ordering in bulk.

The money you save from labor may not make it back into your pocket once you are done sourcing and purchasing every individual item you’ll need.
Do You Know Everything You Need to Get?

There’s the obvious components- grills, deep dryers shelving units, fridges etc. While those are pretty standard, there are components of a well functioning food trailer that even DIY superstars forget.

Do you have the correct ventilation systems? Does your fire system align with the heat driven appliances in your kitchen? Have you looked into compression systems or overhead fans?

Once again, the placement and wiring of each component in a mobile kitchen may be similar to a brick and mortar kitchen, but you can’t forget that these kitchens are on wheels. The back of a trailer, in both set up and size, presents different challenges and requirements than building your home’s kitchen.

You also need to make sure that the functionalities of your mobile kitchen align with the menu and vision you have designed for your future business. You have limited space, and strategic design and placement ensures that your kitchen is set up to churn out the food and beverages you’ve chosen.

This can be hard to determine though. You really do have to be extremely saavy with the space you are given, and poor design and appliance placement can take up your entire kitchen without servicing your brand and menu at all.

2. The Requirements, Regulation and Building Codes of Food Trailers & Trucks

Admittedly, the regulations surrounding food trailers and trucks can be pretty overwhelming. Permits and licenses aside, your mobile kitchen has to be built to a pretty strict code to ensure that it’s safe for both you and the communities you’re serving.

And of course, like every regulated venture out there, the requirements for your food truck will differ from region to region; the hours you spend researching how to build your kitchen up to code might be entirely wasted once you travel to another region.

Experienced companies within the field are fluent in food trailer regulations, and design kitchens that will meet most, if not all requirements for every region. Food trailer builders understand:

• Emissions guidelines
• Proximity restrictions
• Parking permits
• Staffing regulations
• Fire prevention system requirements
• Health and sanitization station requirements
• Food storage regulations
• Sanitation requirements
• Water supply requirements
• Sewage and solid waste disposal
• Toxic & harmful material reduction systems
• Ventilation requirements
• Lighting requirements

And that’s really only some of the rules you’ll have to research and abide by.

3. Do You Have a Set Budget?

With cost being the number one driver of building your food trailer yourself, you’d likely assume that you’ll come in miles behind buying through a reputable builder.

However, your budget can actually get away from you quite quickly if even one little thing goes off the rail.
Unexpected costs are, well, expected. But doing it yourself- you might end spending a whole lot more on mistakes than you originally planned to.
Even with a good idea of construction and the best intentions, you could easily surpass your budget by coming into unexpected mistakes, costs or missing items. Using a knowledgeable company to build your trailer saves you the unknown- we do this daily, and we know which speedbumps are coming and when.

4. How Much Customization Are You Looking For?

If you’re going into this whole heartedly (which you should be), your food trailer should look and operate exactly how you envisioned it. Not only should the internal guts of the trailer be 100% on point, but the outside should reflect you and your business.

That can be really hard to do by yourself.

Not to mention- costly. Singular custom wrapping of vehicles is inherently more expensive than doing so on a bulk discount, not to mention, your options will likely be way more limited.

Building a kitchen that is entirely customized to your needs may seem easy to plan, but again- limited space and a set budget can easily be derailed when the time comes. Hiccups happen more often than not when you branch outside a standard set up, and experience is usually the only thing that can help mitigate these hiccups.

The post Building Your Food Trailer Yourself: Can It Be Done? appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

Search Google for “used food trailers” and you’ll fetch thousands of results.

If you’re anxious to get rolling into the mobile food industry, buying a used food trailer may seem like an attractive option.
Of course, buying used has it’s perks. Lower initial costs are typically the main driver behind purchasing pre-owned vs. new, but the ease of having a trailer that’s already up and running stands to be another big influencer in entrepreneurs considering pre-owned food trailers.

Should I Buy A New or Used Food Trailer?

There may be valid reasons why a used food trailer may serve you better than new, at this point in time.

In our experience, those looking to start quickly making consistent profit benefit more from a new, custom trailer. Buying new provides a peace of mind that used trailers can’t usually live up to, but the decision ultimately comes down to what your business needs at this time.

How much of a budget do you have?

Do you have an intricate, unique design envisioned for your food trailer?

What menu have you created?

Unless you are a seasoned veteran, buying a used food trailer can land you in somewhat of a pool of hot water down the line. This is particularly true of older food trailers; they are infamous for surprises down the line.

If you’re gearing up to head to the auction, we’ve shared some things to consider- and remember, keep your budget and business plan in mind before handing over the cash.

The Low Cost of a Used Food Trailer May Not Stay That Low

The saying goes – “you get what you pay for.”

And that isn’t to say that used food trailers out there on the market are pieces of trash, because quite honestly, you can find some great buys out there.

But a lot of the time, the money you save buying new actually dwindles as time goes on. Unfortunately, you end up throwing back into the trailer.
When you work with a reputable manufacturer and designer, you’re privy to a few things that keep your pockets happy down the line.

The chance of having to foot for costly repairs is much lower, but if problems arise- you’re covered by service and parts warranties. With used trailers, you’re on your own.

And typically, buying used trailers means buying older- and older models, like anything else, are prone to more mechanical issues.
You can very quickly find that what you saved initially is being handed back to a repair shop.

(While these horror stories of used cars are slightly unrelated, they gave us a chuckle anyway.)

Another thing to consider is the money you’ll spend making it yours. It’s quite unlikely that you’re going to find a used trailer that’s built the way you want (and need) from the get-go, so you will need to account for the money you’ll spend on those last few levels of customization.

Consider the money you may have to spend adding components as well- appliances, extra counter space, exterior wrapping for your branding etc.

If the price is too good to be true, there is always a reason why.

Your Food Trailer Needs to Be Built For YOU

In a brick and mortar kitchen, you have the space to reinvent. If areas of the kitchen don’t work for you, you can use additional space to make your kitchen work how you need it to.

That isn’t really the case with food trucks and food trailers, where every square inch counts in the kitchen.

There’s not really a whole lot of square inches to spare, right? That’s why your kitchen design and layout- including appliances- have to align with your vision.

(These ten food trailer owners needed customization from the get-go to achieve these beauties.)

Your vision includes your menu, your branding, your service procedures, your storage needs etc. It’s very unlikely that a used food trailer is going to be built to suit how you envisioned your new business.

When you work with a dealer to build and design your trailer, you’re starting from scratch and can customize it down to the inch just for you.
With no hidden costs. Talk about keeping the wallet happy.

Quality Decreases in Older Food Trailers

Used food trailers are typically older, and depreciation becomes a real thing to consider.

The quality of the trailer- the exterior, interior and mechanical set up- deteriorates overtime. To the untrained eye, it might be hard to see the declines in quality.

Not only can these present unexpected, costly repairs but it will ultimately put your food trailer out of business until they’re dealt with.
Loss of consistent income can hit harder than repair bills, and with depreciating assets, you can never really predict when problems will arise.

One breakdown after another could mean the difference between you rolling into profit or just sitting stationary.

(Yes, we know we’ve used the rolling joke TWICE now, but crafting puns for food trailers is harder than it seems.)

Does The Trailer Meet Regulations & Health Standards?

Sigh, we know. The regulations, licences, permits and codes surrounding food trucks are overwhelming to say the least.

And as these mobile food veterans share, the paperwork and standards your trailer has to meet are tough as is.

Used food trailers, especially older models, sometimes don’t stack up to meet your zones regulations. It’s crucial that your food truck is built to reach compliance, or at least be built to be adapted to do so.

It seems like a reoccurring theme, but the cost of bringing your used trailer up to standard can far surpass the initial savings of opting for used over new. It takes a while too- you could be looking at a long time without bringing in revenue while you wait.

Dealerships build and design food trucks to not only meet general standards, but they customize food trailers to meet compliance in different geographical areas. The bonus of working with a dealership is also their knowledge of permits and licensing; they can assist you during the process and really streamline this part of initial set up.

It’s like having someone do your homework for you. Awesome.

The post “Used Food Trailer For Sale!”- Why Buying New May Be Better For You appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.

You might think that food trailers- as small and compact as they are- would likely cap out when it comes to design and functionalities.

How many things can you actually do with them?

How many ways can you actually design them before they start to look the same?

And how many cuisines can you serve out of these babies?

Well, as these food trailer owners below show- a whole, whole lot.

These Food Trailers Go Beyond Cool- They’re Genius

Cuppy’s Coffee & Smoothies

Even small, small trailers can be made into something pretty sweet. This little beauty serves – yep, you guessed it- coffee and smoothies. So, the cubicle is entirely too small for a full blown kitchen but this proves even the smallest trailers can be adapted to something successful and profitable.

(We know coffee is profitable by the amount we spend on it per week, here at the office.)
Correct window placement and lighting, shows even the smallest trailer can be made into something eye catching.

The unknown trailer bar

You’re not seeing things- this is a food trailer turned bar.

We want to go as much as you do.

Highly customized, this was likely built by a food truck expert- because that is A LOT of work. But man, does it pay off.

The bar has 10 seats in total, which is actually as many seats as some small brick and mortar bars. The bartender is cleverly placed at the forefront, with a rolling pedway to send drinks and glasses down.

Imagine sitting at this overlooking the Okanagan?

Scout & Sage Gin Bar

It must be Friday, because we are really liking the cocktail inspired food trailers.

Again, depicting that size doesn’t really matter, this gin bar houses a decent size bar and serving area with beautiful branding.

The stop is designed to focus on gin-based cocktails and highballs, with a full bar housing mixers, garnishes and different cocktail glasses.

Did we mention the branding? Minimalist, sleek and subtle.

Tiki Taco

A perfect example of how the simplest trailer can be turned into something just plain adorable.

This small, bare bones trailer was turned into a cute taco trailer, with a kitchen then pumps out fresh, creative tacos, burritos, quesadillas and salads.

A staple at the South Island Beer Festival in NZ, Tiki Taco is known for it’s beef burrito. All of their food is grown locally and organically, making the take off of this food truck super easy with millennial’s

Summer Street Restaurants

Food trailers that have turned into a Bangkok chain- Summer Street restaurants.

Bangkok is FULL of food trailers and food trucks. Mobile kitchens are somewhat of a way of life there, with street food playing a huge role in Thai culture.

With seating around the back and front, the trailers serve up fresh seafood and sides; the trailer is kitted with a full kitchen and storage units, showing the ability for high functionalities in these compact little gems.

Twisting Roots

This trailer park themed food trailer is a hit across the entire US nation. Starting out in Texas, the rustic and unique design & branding of the bar caught many eyes in the mobile food industry before they even tried the food.

Which by the way, is a mix of homemade burgers, tacos, fries, pulled pork sandwiches, seafood, sandwiches and even fried plantains. So yeah, the kitchen in this RV trailer is full, full function.

The plus? You can order with a beer.

The Shallow Bakery

The cute, girly and slightly animated design of this sweet looking food trailer is a definite eye catcher.

The size of this food trailer doesn’t seem to matter, as the trailer houses the space and tools to churn out delicious cupcakes and freshly roasted coffee.

There isn’t too much customization in terms of additions etc. but this shows even a basic trailer can be turned into a clever little pod with the right eye.

The cute cupcake up top helps too, we think.

Yep – that’s a pizza oven!

Another unknown on the list, but we couldn’t not give this one a mention.

A pizza oven built into a food trailer? Apparently. The capabilities of these mobile kitchens are insane- you can turn a food trailer into almost anything for any cuisine.

These pizza ovens mimic those found in wood fire pizza restaurants, some as fast as 90 seconds for a piping hot pizza.

A pizza made to order is possible anywhere. Who would have known?

Lolita Food Caravan

Design, design, design. We cannot get over this design.

Serving up classic Mexican food, from appies to desserts, this food truck has been built to mirror a modern brick and mortar fast-casual restaurant. The bright lights, the risen menu board and overall look of this food trailer is plain rad.

Travelling anywhere and everywhere, you can see this beautiful food trailer at some of the busiest festivals and food related events in the country.

Carpe Donut

Carpe Donut needed a mention because of their unwavering commitment to organic, healthy and local ingredients.

Not typically found within the realm of delicious baked goods, it’s these ingredients that have scored them both a well known food truck and physical store in Charlottesville.

And according to their website, they’re certain that you’ve never tried donuts like this before.

Challenge accepted. Ship them, Carpe Donut!

The post 10 Of The Most Insane Food Trailers appeared first on Custom Mobile Kitchens.