With food truck season right around the corner, more and more people are heading outdoors for their meals. Because of this, we felt that an article sharing some common ordering mistakes made by individuals who visit these roaming mobile kitchens would be appropriate, not only for these new visitors, but even the experienced foodie.

The food truck industry will be garnering more attention with new events springing up around the country and the continued coverage it receives from the mainstream media. Many of those people who have missed this growing trend over the last couple of years will hear more about it which may spark their interest enough to get them to visit a local food truck.

5 Common Ordering Mistakes Made At Food Trucks

1. I Prefer the …

Do not take this the wrong way, your server at a food truck is very likely also your chef. They can be a valuable resource into finding out what this truck’s followers favorites are, or what is new on their menu. Taking your servers advice when ordering can turn into a problem because in many cases, the server will give you advice based on their favorite menu items.

This can be useful for those who are not familiar with a particular cuisine. However, it may not be exactly what you are in the mood for at this particular time. Stick with your instincts, if you are craving something light, find a truck which serves wraps or salads.

When you are in the mood for some tasty comfort food look for a truck specializing in grilled cheese sandwiches or mac n cheese. If you are craving a steak taco and the service window attendant explains how much they love the fish taco, kindly nod but still order the steak taco. If this is a good food truck, their steak tacos should be as good as their fish tacos.

2. What in the World?

The most important role your server does play in your food truck experience is in explaining words on the menu that you may not understand. You should feel absolutely no shame in asking “what is quinoa? And am I pronouncing it right?” Clarify what a dish is before you order it or you may be ordering something that you didn’t really want to eat.

3. Keeping Your Mouth Shut

Although it may seem rude to tell your server that the carne asada taco was over-salted. Or that the bison burger was undercooked, it is far more galling for a food truck owner to read an anonymous review on Twitter, Yelp or Food Truck Reviews that complains about these things without a chance for them to correct what went wrong.

Speaking up! Alert the food truck to issues that need to be addressed. This is actually helping them improve their product. As an added bonus, if they’re generous, they’ll make up for things by re-making your dish, so you can truly enjoy it. They may even throw in another menu item to show their appreciation in your suggestion.

4. Salt of the Earth

If you have found a truly gourmet food truck, the seasoning, like everything else, is carefully scrutinized by the chef before it reaches your mouth. Trust that the food is seasoned correctly when you first take a bite. If, after a few bites it still isn’t working for you, by all means, ask for salt.

5. No Tomatoes, Please.

It is completely understandable that some people are allergic to mushrooms or zucchini. That’s fair. However if there’s a dish on the menu that has a component, which is something that you don’t like or that you’re allergic to, you are much better off choosing a different dish than asking them to remove that component. That component is there for a reason. It was meant to balance out the other elements in the dish and if you throw that balance off. Don’t make a superb dish and turn it into one that is mediocre!

RELATED: How To Stop Order Errors At Your Food Truck

The Bottom Line

If any of these ordering mistakes appear to be something you have fallen into in the past, feel free to use this advice to better your enjoyment of the food truck industry. Learn how to maximize your time at a food truck. This will help keep the industry growing as quickly as it has.

If you have any additional ordering mistakes or additional suggestions, feel free to leave them on social media. Facebook | Twitter