Some mobile food vendors have implemented a strict food truck staff training policy for their new staff members, others not so much.

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind when training:  does the person you’re training have food truck experience…or not? The more experience they have, the less you’ll be teaching about basics and the more you’ll be teaching about the working system of your food truck.

Food truck staff training tips on how to train new staff members:

Get organized

There are so many things that need to be taught that some of us don’t even know where to begin.  What’s the first thing you want to show them?  What are the most important things that the trainee should memorize?  What do they need to learn first in order to learn the way the restaurant is run?

Here’s an example of a list of priorities, starting with the first day of training:

  • Menu knowledge.
  • Tour of the truck and commercial kitchen.
  • How to clock in and clock out.
  • Cleaning tasks and side work.
  • How to greet customers.
  • How to take orders.
  • Presenting the check.
  • Closing duties.
  • Closing cleaning tasks and restocking.
  • Sales report at the end of the shift.
  • How to ring up the orders (POS System).
  • Rules of the food truck.
  • How to handle recooks, complaints, etc.

Make sure you follow a certain schedule so that the food truck staff training makes sense.  You don’t want to start showing them how to take orders if they haven’t even begun to memorize the menu.

Shadowing

This is a very important step in food truck staff training.  Have your trainee “shadow” your every move. Before they even take an order, have them watch every step you take.  Tell them to note how you speak with the customers.

Every little thing is important and if your food truck has a way of presenting specials, up-selling promotions, or even describing the catch of the day make sure that your trainee knows the proper way to do these things.  Consistency is very important in your food truck business.

Answer questions

No matter how naive the question may seem, just answer it politely.    It may seem like common sense, but remember that every food truck is different and they just want to know how things run in yours.  The more questions they ask the better.

If they are asking the same questions over and over; be warned.  They are there to learn, but if they can’t retain any of the things you are teaching them, it may be a red flag.

Ask questions

This is the best way for trainees to learn, especially when it comes to learning the menu.  Ask them to describe certain dishes for you.  If they stumble, show them the correct way of describing the food truck’s dishes and tell them to practice.

Asking questions before customers get a chance to ask them is the best way for them to prepared when it comes time for them to take orders.  Be sure to ask questions out of the blue and don’t be afraid to put them on the spot.

Role play

Pretend you are a customer and go through a dry run of taking their order.  This is the best way for you to get an idea of how they will be once faced with real customers.   A dry run will help you to correct any bad habits, mistakes, and allow you to make suggestions.

RELATED: The Complete Human Resources Guide For Food Trucks

The Bottom Line

Now you’re all set for the basics of training a new service window attendant.  Of course, there are so many other little details, but this will help give you an overview of what to do and tricks on how to get the best out of them.

Do you have any suggestions for food truck staff training? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section, our food truck forum or social media. Twitter | Facebook