Every business owner wants to make his space attractive and eye-catching. This is relatively easy with food trailers since you have limited space in comparison to a conventional restaurant or store. We have seen many amazing ideas in food trailers that were made without breaking the bank and in this article we are going to give the inspiration you need to make your food trailer look stunning.
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Make a unique food trailer design
The appearance does matter and even though you might have flavorful food, people will still be attracted by how your food trailer layout looks and not the taste of your products. Food trailers and food trucks have a big advantage: they are exposed to the public space.
People are naturally walking by your location and it is inevitable to pass by you without looking. Make sure you use this opportunity and make a design that stands out. You can play with the shape of your food cart trailer, the texture and the materials.
The importance of food trailer shape
There are trailers that look more retro and have a rounded shape or trailers with a more strict structure and minimalistic edgy style. You choose! The shape is something you should consider and talk about with your food trailer manufacturer. He will inform you about the different options and will propose you shapes that match the image of your brand and your visual identity.
Textures and Materials in your concession food trailer
There are so many different materials that can be used in your food trailer. In the beginning, you might think that there is only the option of metal and stainless steel but this is not the truth. Indeed materials like steel are widely used because of their resistance and weight but almost any material you like can be incorporated. For example, wood is a great idea for your service window and counter, it gives a unique texture and a warm, old school feeling to your trailer.
Select best colour for your food trailer and food business
One of the first things humans notice before even recognizing shape and design is colour. We live in a world of colours and research has proven that they are vital for our psychology, mood, actions and reactions.
Colour is a powerful form of communication and considering that, you have to pick a colour aligned with your message, style and philosophy. Before selecting your colour it is important to keep in mind your location and the colours around you. Make sure that you pick a colour that stands out so that you don’t blend in with your surroundings. Colour indeed can affect our emotions so do your research and choose wisely before painting your whole food trailer.
Unique concession trailer wrap and stickers
Food trailer wrap and stickers can totally change the look of your food trailer. For only a few hundred dollars you can make the most plane food trailer pop. There are specially customized stickers that are exclusively designed for vehicles, their colours will not fade and they will last for a very long time. If you are willing to spend that extra coin you could even cover your whole food trailer in a wrap that will be more resistant and even more impressive and eye-catching for the passengers that walk by.
The best part about stickers and food trailer wraps is that they are 100% custom made. You can have a graphic designer create one for you including your logo, colours, shapes and images that represent your brand. You could even print your menu on them or interesting messages that attract more clients.
Attractive mobile food trailer signs and banners
You don’t have to somehow attach every piece of decoration to your food trailer. Banners and Signs can be outside of your trailer and still bring you a lot of clients. Depending on your location you might want to choose a banner or a food trailer sign that can be seen from far away and attract potential customers.
Banners are usually made out of vinyl fabric, they are very resistant and quite inexpensive. You can print anything you want on them, they are easy to set and quite recognizable in busy events. On the other side, food trailer signs can be so versatile. There are made out of various different materials like wood, metal or plastic and you can choose a sign according to your budget.
Foot cart exterior and interior decoration
There are so many things you can do with the decoration of your food trailer. If you are creative, the sky is the limit. If you are serving a specific cuisine you can get inspired by the typical decoration elements of this cuisine. For example, if you run a taco restaurant you can use signature elements of the Mexican culture such as colourful flags, flowers, typical Mexican hats and little guitars. You can attach them outside of the food trailer or at your service window.
You can also make theme decorations for special occasions like Halloween and Christmas. There are many affordable stores that you can find pieces that will make a difference and your clients will absolutely love.
If you work in events like weddings, graduations or birthday parties you can invest in the magical decoration for those occasions. It is an extra detail that shows to your customers that you take care of your image and you are putting effort to offer them a personalized experience.
Outdoor Furniture besides your catering trailer
Many food trailers have a couple of tables with plastic chairs so that their customers have a place to eat or wait for their order. Even though this is extra comfort for the clients of your business it doesn’t make you stand out. The food trailers that really catch the attention of their customers have outdoor furniture that matches the style and express the identity of the business.
If you are already having wooden details at your serving window you could also bring a wooden bench with a bamboo table. On the other hand, if you run a traditional ice cream trailer you could buy two classic rounded metal tables and a few metal chairs that will make your trailer look like Italian movie scenery.
Not all outdoor furniture always serve a practical purpose. You possibly cannot bring enough chairs and tables to sit all of your clients. However, even one outdoor sofa could add up to the image of your food trailer and attract passengers that come by.
Wear Staff Uniform to build strong food trailer brand
Your staff is an important part of your business and the way they are dressed while serving your clients affects your visual identity. Even though food trailers are not as formal as restaurants on many occasions the staff wear their regular clothes. Having a uniform could help you improve your image. After all, it makes it easier for the clients to identify the working staff and it is another way to promote your brand.
Nowadays, there are endless choices for restaurant staff apparel. Nevertheless, before making an option you should consider the materials, the colour, the comfort, the practicality and the message of your staffs’ uniform. Working inside a food trailer has basically the same difficulties as working outside since there is a big service window and your employees are exposed to the cold or the heat.
Their uniform should be practical considering the service and cooking process and resistant, so that you don’t have to replace it with a new one every couple of months. You can put your logo on, choose the colours of your business or make tags with your staffs’ names to create a more personal relationship with your clients.
Another important factor is comfort. Make sure your staff feels good wearing the uniform, they are going to wear it for a lot of hours so you don’t want to give them apparel that makes them feel uncomfortable. Remember that their most beautiful accessory is the big smile on their face!
Spread your message around the trailer
Your food might bring a face of joy to all of your clients but your goal should be to make them smile before even ordering. Short messages and funny quotes written on your food trailer, on your food trailer menu board or on your banner can attract many clients to your business. If you make them laugh by a smart phrase that they see on your trailer that means that you manage to provoke an emotion. With something so simple as a little message you can trigger their attention and make them want to try your delicious food.
I don’t want to look back and think:
“I could have eaten that”
Stand out among your food business competitors
This tip mostly goes to food trailer owners that participate in big events like flea markets, concerts, street food festivals and food truck events. Observe your competitors and make a difference. If everybody else has led panels with white light use outdoor bulb lights to be noticed, if all the others have plastic chairs you can put a couple of wooden benches.
There are little details that make you different from everybody else and help you get those more demanding clients that are looking for a unique place to eat.
Beautiful trailers that serve tasty food
The appearance is one part of your business and it is equally important to the other part that is good service and great food. Decoration and visual identity is the way to attract potential clients to your trailer so it definitely worths your time and effort.
Don’t be afraid to try various ideas and change the elements of your food trailer. Ask your customers for their feedback, let them give you their ideas of what would they like to see at your food trailer.
Decorating your food trailer and making it appealing can be a fun and creative process that doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money but will make a big difference for your business.
