If you’re considering starting a food truck business or expanding your pop-up restaurant with new vehicles, you have one very important decision to make: food truck or food trailer. These two options may sound similar, but when it comes to logistics, they couldn’t be more different. This blog will dive into the pros, cons, and comparisons of using a food truck or trailer for your mobile restaurant business.
The Difference Between a Food Truck vs. Food Trailer
Simply put, a food truck is a mobile restaurant that’s also a drivable vehicle. A food trailer is when your restaurant is on a moveable trailer that must be towed. The primary difference between food trucks and food trailers is mobility. A food truck has an internal driver’s cabin and shares the same structure as its engine. A food trailer can have all the same space and equipment, but it’s towed by another vehicle. Food trailers also typically have a wider range in sizes, from being much larger than your average food truck to much smaller.
Food Truck: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Extra mobility
- No hitching and unhitching
- Takes up less space when parked
- Easy to relax in the driver’s cabin with comfy chairs
With a food truck, you can get going without stopping to hitch or unhitch, and you can transition smoothly from the driver’s cabin to the restaurant and service area. This means you can more easily relax in the cabin, or get started as soon as you park. There’s also the added benefit of extra mobility.
Cons
- When the truck breaks down, so does your business
- You can’t split up to get supplies
If your food truck breaks down, your restaurant is stuck, too. You can’t pick up supplies or change spots to account for changes in customer volume. Another downside is that if you run out of supplies during a rush, you might have to leave the area to get more, missing out on sales.
Food Trailer Pros and Cons
Pros
- Can separate the truck and trailer
- Can swap out towing trucks
- Greater selection of sizes and designs
- Can make supply runs while the trailer stays
A food trailer keeps your business safe and unaffected in the event of a breakdown. You can swap out the towing vehicles any time, and call a friend or service team if your normal truck has an issue. You can also park the trailer for your lunch rush and operate the truck separately. If you run low on supplies, one person can make a supply run with the truck while the other keeps selling in the trailer.
Cons
- Slower to hitch and unhitch
- May take up more space, or two vehicles of curbside length
- Can’t relax in the driver’s chairs
With a food trailer, it takes more setup and teardown. You need to hitch and unhitch every time you use your truck, which can slow down operations and potentially take away from sales. You also need to maintain a separate vehicle capable of towing your trailer, and you may be limited to parking spaces that can accommodate both the truck and the trailer.
Build Your Food Truck or Trailer
Both food trucks and trailers have unique benefits. Whichever one you choose, Legion Food Trucks can help bring it to life. We offer custom designs and builds so you can get started living your dream as a mobile restaurant owner. From initial planning to truck/trailer construction and marketing, we’ll walk you through the entire process of building a successful mobile food business from scratch. Contact us to get started!
