Instead of customers going through their drive-thru, many popular fast-food chains have decided to bring the drive-thru to you. Restaurant franchises are expanding their territory with custom food trucks. Even for large companies, there are many benefits of operating food trucks. With advantages like market expansion, menu testing, lower cost of entry for new franchisees, and having portable billboards, it makes sense why fast food is going mobile.
Here is a look at four popular restaurant franchises that went mobile with food trucks:
1. Jack in the Box
When Jack-in-the-Box wanted to expand their market, Legion Food Trucks built them a custom food truck that is restaurant-quality on wheels. This food truck captures their recognizable branding while still allowing new customers to see what Jack-in-the-Box has to offer. Food trucks can go where stores are not, so their reach quickly expanded. Customers in new markets get the true Jack-in-the-Box experience with the same quality of food as the brick-and-mortar restaurants because the kitchen is fully equipped with everything the chefs need. Jack-in-the-Box now has an eye-catching mobile advertisement that establishes brand recognition everywhere they go.
2. Taco Bell
Taco Bell knows how to run viral campaigns that keep people talking. From hosting weddings to letting Twitter users request food truck stops, Taco Bell is using social media to its advantage. One of their successful marketing strategies was running food trucks that gave away food at special events. The senior manager of PR for Taco Bell, Will Bortz, described the food truck as an opportunity for “rewarding people.” For this fast-food chain, the food truck was about goodwill, positivity, and sparking conversation.
Between events, Taco Bell used social media to ask followers where they should make stops. A great lesson to learn from Taco Bell’s food truck success is that social media is a great tool for promoting where your food truck will be and for interacting with interested followers.
3. Jamba
In 2019, Jamba Juice rebranded as “Jamba” to show that their wellness brand offers more than juice. Jamba has continued to explore many avenues of change including nontraditional venues like food trucks. By introducing food trucks, Jamba is now lowering the cost of entry for new franchisees. In QSR, Jamba’s brand president explained that as customer buying behaviors continue to shift, their food trucks support customers’ desire to have food become more convenient and delivered. Food trucks can go where brick-and-mortar stores cannot, making grab-and-go food even more convenient. People can now grab a smoothie in the morning, and then a bowl for lunch, both times from Jamba food trucks on people’s daily routes.
4. The Habit Burger
The Habit Burger has branched out to now offer catering services through a fleet of food trucks. Just like many other restaurant franchises, Habit wanted to give customers the option to order a whole “private restaurant,” instead of just one burger. Their self-sufficient food trucks cater birthdays, graduations, conferences, corporate events, family parties, and even weddings. By going mobile, Habit can deliver the same delicious food to large groups of people all at once. They show that restaurants do not have to compromise on flavor when joining the food truck revolution.
Get Started With Your Custom Food Truck
Whether you are part of a large franchise or are someone with a bright idea, running a food truck comes with exciting business opportunities. At Legion Food Trucks, we can help you turn your idea into a custom food truck. Contact us to get your food truck build started.
