The winter season is notoriously slow for the food truck business. The cold weather makes activities like outdoor dining and waiting in line to get served less appetizing to customers.
But it isn’t hopeless! There are still plenty of ways for food trucks to maintain revenue if they are willing to step outside of their box. Here are some ways for food truck owners to reach new customers and maintain steady sales during the winter season:
4 Food Truck Business Ideas for the Winter
You can make slight changes in your food truck business model to ensure that the cold weather does not negatively impact your sales. Some of the clever strategies to attract customers during winter include the following:
1. Make Your Business More Mobile by Offering Delivery
If you are used to parking your food truck in a specific location and waiting for people to swarm, you could consider offering home or office delivery.
During winter, most people gravitate toward takeout or indoor dining at brick-mortar restaurants to avoid the outside cold. If you are able to offer online delivery or the ability to order ahead, you have a better chance of retaining loyal customers and the revenue they generate.
Here are some tips for success with online delivery:
- Relocate to a central region where it will be easy to deliver food quickly to different places.
- Consider hiring a third-party delivery service, especially if the demand is high. But remember that hiring these companies comes with additional fees that cut into a restaurant’s profit.
- Improve the packaging to offer better insulation that can help keep your food warm during delivery.
2. Develop Partnerships with Other Local Businesses
Another wise food truck business idea for the winter is seeking partnerships with other local companies. You can search for larger businesses around that might require catering services. Setting up outside of corporate office parks or catering for company holiday parties can provide reliable revenue streams during the off season.
Other areas that might require food services include events such as conventions and indoor and outdoor sports tournaments. Check your region’s calendar for upcoming events and tournaments.
3. Offer Winter Specials
Offering coupons and other winter specials can attract more clients to your food truck. Some of the winter’s specials that you can provide include a gift with a meal order. For example, you can offer hot chocolate for every new purchase.
Advertising your offers or creating campaigns will help customers learn about your business and select your food truck over other nearby restaurants.
4. Create a Winter Menu
Embrace the winter and create a winter-themed menu with a few extra additions to your typical menu. For example, you can include dishes such as hot chocolates, lattes, etc., to help your customers stay warm. Adding seasonal flavors such as cinnamon, pumpkin, or ginger to your menu can also make your menu more appealing and increase sales.
Build Your Winter Food Truck with Legion
The above ideas can help you survive during the winter and still earn from your food truck business even if the weather is unfavorable. At Legion Food Truck, we will help you customize your food truck to meet all your winter demands. We also recreate your current kitchen line from your existing food truck according to your specifications. Contact us today to learn how we can help customize your food truck online.
