Though food trucks have been around for centuries, they really exploded onto the scene during the Great Recession and ended up cracking a cool $1.16 billion last year. People love how these mini restaurants on wheels bring an exciting experience that elevates fast food without sacrificing on speed. But if you want to join the 35,500-plus food trucks roaming the U.S., you have to know what it takes to succeed in a market growing around 13.7 percent each year. Like any venture, it takes a good bit of money to get a new food truck up and running, so be prepared to fork over up to $100,000 for your upfront and monthly costs.
Food trucks might play in the restaurant space but they come with their own set of challenges and needs. Don’t overlook the importance of investing in a food truck POS system that keeps you profitable, productive and putting piled-high plates in your customers hands—quickly.
Meet Your Customers with Accuracy and Speed
Speed is a big part of why food trucks catapulted to popularity. They’ve popped up in cities big and small promising the office-going lunch crowd tasty, wallet-friendly meals in a matter of minutes. And they’ve become staples on the festival scene, keeping revelers fueled up with a quick fix.
Your time-crunched customers can’t afford to wait around so you’ll want to invest in a food truck POS solution that banishes slow service from the fast-food experience. You’ll find that most people flocking to a food truck expect to see your staff using devices similar to their own go-everywhere, do-everything smartphones. With a mobile POS system based on a phone app, you put the power of ordering, inventory management and more right in the palm of your hand.
Show clients you’re at the top of your game with a system that remembers their orders and lets them reup in seconds. That’s the kind of feature that fosters loyalty and creates sticky customers who’ll happily come running back for more.
And you can continue showing patrons how much you respect their time by using your food truck POS system to send out an alert when their order’s up. A quick text message notification pushed to the customer’s phone means they don’t have to hover by the window scanning for their sack of snacks. Keep your queue orderly by letting customers know the moment their food is ready for pickup. That means they can avoid crowding by hanging out away from your truck and give people waiting to be served the space to step up and get their order in the system.
Ergonomic Solution to Fit Your Space
Let’s face it: space is at a premium in a food truck’s tight quarters. You don’t have the luxury of letting traditional hardware park on your counter so consider a food truck POS that packs a big punch in a small format. Does it double as a digital sign system where customers can view menus that you can edit and optimize on the fly? Does it easily swivel so customers can view the screen? How about payments? Will hungry patrons expecting to settle their order with Apple Pay, Google Pay and other modern contactless options be disappointed or delighted by your food truck customer service? Though selecting a WiFi-connected platform’s a no-brainer, have you considered whether your tech can fire off email receipts and eliminate the hassle of printing out little slips of paper destined for a waste bin?
Ask yourself these critical questions before springing for a POS system that might not cut the mustard.
Know You’re Good by Reporting on the Data
Although the food always comes first, data runs a close second when it comes to operating a successful food truck business. Keeping a close eye on the numbers means you’ll always have a location’s most-requested items available wherever you pull up so you can maximize every sale opportunity. Is one neighborhood voracious for vegan options while another is mad about meat? Running reports on the regular will arm you with the critical insights you need to always have the right menu options in stock and show your fans you’ve got what they want.
Plus, the best POS system for food trucks will warn you before your make-or-break licenses, insurance and certifications expire. This way, you can remain compliant and by staying out of regulators’ crosshairs, you can keep on trucking along and delivering the epicurean eats your clientele demands.
Picking a POS for your food truck isn’t entirely the same experience as choosing a platform for a brick-and-mortar eatery. When you’re shopping around for options, look for a system that makes food truck customer service the No. 1 priority. Your passion is cooking and creating, so find a POS solution that cares for the details and lets you do what you do best.