Even in Southern California, business tends to slow down for food trucks during the winter months. To offset the drop in foot traffic, you’ll have to exercise your creativity and find new ways to generate business.
If you wonder how running a food truck in winter can maximize your sales, here are five tips to keep your business from taking a loss during the off-season.
Offer Delivery
Outdoor events may be few and far between during the colder months. Your normal hotspots will probably see less foot traffic, as well. But that doesn’t mean people aren’t craving your food.
Online delivery is all the rage right now so use that to your advantage. Consider hiring a delivery person to make deliveries to your customers’ offices and homes. You can even consider using some of the more popular online delivery platforms if you don’t want to manage deliveries yourself.
Promote Your Business
Ensuring that your customers have access to their favorite food even during winter should be your priority. Consider giving special offers, as this will provide customers with every reason to dine at your place.
You can also get creative and offer something unique besides what every other food truck offers. For instance, you can subsidize food prices for every customer who brings a friend to dine at your place. Subsidization will go a long way in boosting your sales during the off-season.
Partner with Other Businesses
Collaborating with other business owners can be mutually beneficial for both parties. Consider talking with commercial property managers to see if you can set up in their parking lot during lunch hours.
Local bars and breweries are also great spots for food trucks to set up. You will benefit from having access to customers who get the munchies while the brewery benefits by keeping their customers onsite longer.
Grow Your Online Presence
People might not be out and about as much as they were in the summer, but they are definitely still looking at their phones. Consider using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to share pictures and videos of your menu items.
You may also consider contacting food bloggers to write something about your food truck business that will inform people about the existence of your business. As you do so, new customers are likely to find you and even make orders that will keep your business running.
Offer “Limited Time” Seasonal Menu Items
Running a food truck in winter may be a challenge, with many food trucks known to perform best during warmer weather. With limited outdoor activities, maintaining sales during winter can be hectic.
According to the Entrepreneur, changing your menu to suit the weather may be the trick. As such, consider offering seasonal menu items that suit people’s moods and the weather. For example, warm beverages, hot foods, and holiday spices are going to pique your customer’s interest more so than an iced lemonade or cold sandwich.
Winter is Coming!
Winter can be bleak, but it isn’t hopeless! Following the tips above will help you make the most out of your off-season and keep your balance sheet looking healthy.
Of course, you might want to take some time off and make some improvements to your kitchen before things pick up again. If you decide to upgrade your truck and/or kitchen equipment, contact us today and let us know how we can help!
