Common Mistakes When Starting a Food Trailer (& How to Avoid Them)

Starting your own food truck business is an exciting time for entrepreneurs looking to get on the road
with a profitable (and fun!) business.

As with any business venture, planning and execution is everything- and whether it’s your first time
getting behind the wheel or you are a seasoned vet, there are plenty of mistakes that can be made.

Hindsight can just be….one of those things, but there’s some pretty common mistakes we see food
trailer hopefuls fall to.

Not Creating a Business Plan

You can come up with the best ideas in the world, but without proper planning- they end up lost in
space.

Creating a business plan is a standard common practice for business start ups, but is often overlooked when starting up with a food truck or trailer.

But why?

Justin, CMK sales rep shares: I think people may be under the impression that because food trailers seem relatively small and simple, and because there’s such high demand for them, that it’s easy to pull off, you know?…….. Build a menu, show up and let the food talk. But there’s more to it than that.

You need to treat your food trailer business the same as you would a brick and mortar joint. Business
plans help you determine a clear and measurable plan of action for everything from permits and licenses
to social media strategies.
(Don’t worry, we’ve built a guide to creating a business plan specific to your next food trailer.)

Lacking Social Media

We all know the power of social media, but many businesses are too slow to get their name out there.

There’s very few businesses that don’t really benefit from social media, and trust us- food trucks and trailers are not one of them.

Your target market is hyped on convenience, innovation and visual stimulation. Social media fits right in there, bringing awareness to your brand on a platform that almost everybody uses.

Engaging in a sound social media strategy will have your business spreading like wildfire, and you likely don’t need paid ads to do it. Exciting content, well done photos, contests etc. will grow your business organically.

Brand awareness aside, social media is a perfect way to communicate with your customers. It lets them know where you are, what you’re doing- and that you’re still here.

Your Food Trailer Doesn’t Fit Your Needs

You should really have a concrete vision before you select your food trailer.

Your vision dictates what you need out of your trailer, and without having a solid idea of how you need your food truck to support you, you’ll likely select the wrong one.

Food trailers aren’t all the same, and they don’t have the same capabilities.

Which is totally cool.

Different businesses have different needs, and in the case of food trailers, it will be the design and appliances inside.

It can get especially challenging when buying used food trailers, since you have very little say in the customization of them. The debate between buying a new trailer or opting for used is prominent in the industry. The flexibility of building a new trailer could save you a lot of time and money by designing it
for your needs from the get-go.

When selecting a trailer- whether its new or used- make sure you actively consult your vision and
business requirements.

Too Complex of a Menu

You can do some awesome things with food trailers, and get some crazy menus out there.

But you still have to understand the limitations of a food trailer.

Size being an important one, but also he functionalities- at the end of the day, a food trailer is not a brick and mortar location, and likely cant support sous-vide eggs.

(If you don’t know what they are, read up and rush out for them- like now.)

You can create fresh, exciting and plentiful menus- don’t get us wrong, but trying to get too fancy and too extensive will overload your food trailer (and staff).

Plus, fancy fancy food isn’t what your target market is looking for at that point in time. They sure aren’t looking for a hot dog in a stale bun, but fresh quick food on-the-go?

Yep!

Neglecting The Outside of Your Trailer

People are drawn to visual elements.

You could have the best burger on the block, but if the outside of your food trailer doesn’t appeal to customers-

Well, you won’t have a line up.

The design and branding of both the inside and outside of your food trailer is crucial.

It communicates to visitors what you’re all about, and the quality of your food. It encourages visitors to share and promote the beautiful design of your food trailer. It keeps people enticed.

First impression is key- and as much as we hate to admit it, looks are everyone’s first go-to.

Plus, have some fun with it! Designing the outside of your food can be fun and exciting.