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The food truck trend really blew up in 2008. Every year since then, experts have predicted that the fad would slowly die out, yet the food truck industry continues to grow. And for good reasons. Food trucks have a low initial investment, relatively low operational cost, and can change locations quickly. Food trucks also make a great addition to a sports facility to supplement the food and beverage services. This blog post will cover some of the reasons why it could be a good idea to invest in a food truck versus opening a satellite concession stand at your facility.
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Lower Costs
There are several benefits of buying a food truck instead of building a satellite concession stand, but the biggest benefit is the low cost. Buying a food truck can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000. That is by no means cheap, but it pales in comparison to the price of building a satellite concession stand. One of the facilities in the SF Network, Paradise Coast Sports Complex, was considering building a new concession area at their facility but decided to look for other options when they found out that the satellite concession stand would cost them around a million dollars. The goal of the new concession area was to better serve guests while they watch or play a game at fields located on the outer reaches of their property. Buying a food truck and using it as a satellite concession stand saved the facility around $750,000 while still achieving its goal of serving the outskirts of the facility.
Mobility
Even if the two options were closer in price to one another, the mobility of a food truck would still make it a worthwhile investment. Using Paradise Coast as an example, their food truck is normally in the same place that they had planned for their concession stand to go. But when they are hosting a smaller event that only uses part of the facility, they can simply drive the truck over to that area and start serving food. And if they don’t have any events going on and there is a slow day at the facility, they can take their truck off-site and serve food to the surrounding community. This allows them to bring in revenue while advertising the facility to a new audience.
More Flexibility
Aside from the ability to move around the property, a food truck’s menu and branding are also flexible. Being a food truck at a sports facility, you can choose to serve the ballpark food you’d see at your main concession area. However, you also have the option to switch it up from time to time and try out new flavors and themes. Offer guests the option of choosing from a traditional concessions menu or, maybe, a taco truck or grilled cheese truck. If you have ever been to a food truck festival you know that the options are limitless, and you can even rotate the menu based on the season.
Food trucks are great, period. But if you have a large facility and were looking for ways to provide concessions to the outer areas, a food truck is an incredible option. Plus, the variety and convenience it provides guests are typically welcomed with open arms. And if you are hosting a large event that is spread out over your entire facility, consider inviting other food trucks to serve your guests. As long as their menu is different from your concession’s and food truck’s menus, it shouldn’t hurt your revenue, and it will make for a fantastic event. If you are interested in learning more about sports facility design, management, and ideas then check out the rest of our blog posts. And if you are looking for help with the design or management of a facility then contact us, or give us a call at (727) 474-3845.
