Three Things To Keep In Mind When Booking Food Trucks For Your Outdoor Event
No matter what kind of outdoor event you're planning, whether it's a corporate sporting tournament, music festival, or fundraiser, you will most likely have to provide food. One great catering idea that you might not have thought about is hiring a food truck. While food trucks are remarkably convenient to have at certain events, there are some things you'll need to think about. Here are three things to keep in mind when booking food trucks for your outdoor event.
1. Find Out If the Food Truck Has the Proper Permits and Licenses
In order to legally operate, food trucks need to have certain permits and licenses. The required permits and licenses can vary and usually depends on the city, county, or state in which the food truck operates. Food trucks will also need to be inspected by a health department inspector. Before booking a food truck, ensure it has the following:
- Proper food service permit for the area the food truck will be located
- Proof of ownership for the food truck along with a current vehicle license
- Inspection report
- Business license
By providing these documents, you'll know the food truck you hire is abiding by all the rules in your area, which can decrease the chances of any mishaps.
2. Figure Out the Best Place For the Food Truck to Park
Just because it's a vehicle, doesn't mean the food truck you book will be able to drive or park anywhere when catering your outdoor event. For example, most food trucks contain a lot of heavy equipment inside, which means if they don't want to damage their vehicle, they might not be able to climb steep hills. When it comes to being onsite, many food trucks have practical requirements, such as not parking on wet grass. Since you don't want the food truck to be the focus of the event, you may want them to simply park somewhere along the perimeter.
3. Know What Kind of Food the Truck Serves
You will want to plan ahead and figure out what kind of food to provide to your catered outdoor event. Some food trucks have the ability to customize the menu specifically for your event, but others only serve certain cuisines, such as vegan, barbecue, or certain ethnic foods like Korean or Mexican. Other food trucks serve a variety of different kinds of one type of food, such as pizza, hot dogs, or tacos. If you want a variety of eats, you can book more than one food truck.
