Corporate Catering Can Add Revenue With Minimal Cost Expenditure

If you are searching for ways to increase revenues for your mobile food business, industry trends show that corporate catering is where to start focusing your attention. Not only will it create a new revenue stream, it can be done with minimal expenses.

Today we will share some useful tips for those vendors interested in adding or building their existing corporate catering operations.

8 Tips For Food Trucks Offering Corporate Catering

Menu and Pricing

Create a separate corporate catering menu. Build off your existing food truck menu, focusing primarily on food that will transport well. Feature you signature dishes to help differentiate you from competitors. If you are developing a corporate catering menu for the first time, start small. As your food truck business grows, so can your menu.
Catering pricing needs to be higher than standard truck pricing. The pricing structure for your catering menu should be higher than your daily food truck menu. Corporate clients expect to pay more for the convenience and efficiency of delivery. Catering prices are customarily listed on a per-person basis. An easy way to get an idea on ideal pricing, research your competitors’ price structure and consider how you want to position your food truck’s.

Policies and Systems

Develop catering policies. Vendors must establish policies for delivery area, hours of operation, minimum orders, same-day orders, special diet requests, cancellations and payment terms. Regardless of efforts to have orders placed a day in advance, you will ultimately get calls for same day catering. Use these policies as a guideline, but be as flexible as you can.
Deliver on time. Whether it’s by vehicle, or through a third-party delivery service, efficiently delivering catering orders on time is as important as the food itself. In the inevitable event that something is missing from an order, all delivery vehicles need to have backup paper products and serving utensils.
Keep consistent. Consistency means giving your customers what they want every time they order. If you plan to have high sales goals for your catering work, the most important components are consistency of food, service and the customer’s experience.
Create corporate catering systems. Systems and processes are the building blocks of a successful food truck business. Every facet of your food truck operation should be part of a system that can be managed and improved. This approach eliminates employee changes and replaces it with detailed procedures, standards and accountability, as well as a method for measuring results.

Additional Tips

Stay educated. Be sure to educate yourself about the food truck industry. There is a wealth of information available to stay informed on current trends and food truck news. Read trade magazines, research information on the Internet, sign-up for webinars, take classes, and stay connected with your network.
Marketing catering service is required. Successful marketing for your corporate catering service can include direct, social, in-truck, paid and word-of-mouth methods. A well-planned and executed marketing program will keep your food truck’s catering service fresh in the minds of your corporate customers.

The Bottom Line

Corporate catering can bring your food truck company a new revenue stream will minimal add-on costs. You can provide drop-off breakfasts, lunches and snacks to company offices.

Style and the quality of your food and service are just as important in corporate catering as in daily food truck operations, but there may be more opportunity for creative marketing when dealing with corporate clients.

Do you have any additional tips on corporate catering? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section or on social media. Facebook | Twitter