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2018: business management, regulatory challenges and menu innovation led reader interest

As the impetus to start a food truck is more from the desire to prepare and serve high quality food, the business side of the business is an area where many of these entrepreneurs oftentimes need help. The 10 best read stories of 2018 focused on improving the business.

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December 31, 2018 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

They may be leading the excitement and menu innovation in today's foodservice industry, but food truck owners are hungry for information about how to run a business. That much was obvious from a review of the best-read Food Truck Operator stories of 2018.

The modern food truck owner is an entrepreneur with a passion for sharing his or her cooking. And since the impetus to start a food truck is more from the desire to prepare and serve high quality food, entrepreneurs oftentimes need help with the business side of the equation.

Regulatory issues are also top of mind, as local and state governments struggle to develop regulations to allow food trucks to serve customers in a way that protects public safety and at the same time provides a fair playing field for food trucks and their brick-and-mortar competitors.

Given the entrepreneurial nature of many food truck owners, the 10 best read stories of 2018 also reveals that readers like to learn about challenges other truck owners have faced and how they have overcome them. Following are the best read stories in Food Truck Operator for 2018.

1.  11 menu trends going mainstream in 2018

The best-read story of 2018 reflected readers' interest in keeping up with menu trends: "11 menu trends going mainstream in 2018" in January 2018 by Richard Keys of Food & Drink Resources. Keys noted trends such as brilliant color, "upscale" soft serve ice cream, pizza, fungi, nostalgia, wellness, flours and sweeteners, local foods, new salads and oats.

2. Check it out: 10 funniest food truck name

One of the most fun aspects of attending a food truck event is seeing the names entrepreneurs come up with for their businesses. Which is why the second best read story of 2018 was "Check it out: 10 funniest food truck names" in February of 2018. Uproxx, a news and culture digital platform, made a list of what it called the 10 funniest food truck names: I Dream of Weenie, Nacho Bizness, Truck Norris, Serial Grillers, Bun Intended Food Truck, Fried Egg I'm In Love, Deli Llammma, Planet of the Crepes, Be More Pacific and Naansense.

3. Booking services help more clients find food truck

Getting down to business, the third best read article addressed food truck booking services that match clients with food trucks, "Booking services help more clients find food trucks" in March of 2018. The booking services help clients find food trucks for providing regular meals as well as special catering events, and they typically charge the food truck a fee or a percentage of the sales.

The article, the first in a three-part series, reported that food truck owners have mixed views about booking services. Some find the booking services helpful, while others claim they have become a middleman between the truck and its customer, bringing an additional cost and creating another layer of management for truck owners to deal with.

The article also explored booking services from the clients' perspective. A location can offer a large variety of high-quality food by having different food trucks visit their premises on a rotating basis. A booking service can manage this task, freeing the client from having to make arrangements with different trucks.

4. Pizza truck pioneers self-order kiosk in South Florida

Technology continues to be a hot topic among food truck owners. Hence, the article, "Pizza truck pioneers self-order kiosk in South Florida" in May of 2018 was the fourth best read article, exploring how a pizza industry veteran, Bob Stephens, became interested in having a self-order kiosk on his truck after seeing such kiosks at a local McDonald's restaurant.

While kiosk technology is expensive, Stephens was able to find a local technology entrepreneur who developed the software at an affordable cost. The technology provider worked with Stephens' food truck builder to mount the touchscreen on the truck. Once the touchscreen was operational, Stephens claimed it was well received by customers and allows them to be served faster.

5. Washington State food trucks fight for exemption from commissary requirement

Regulatory issues are also top of mind for many operators. In Washington State, the story of how the state food truck association fought against a commissary requirement was the fifth best read story. The operators claimed the law was oftentimes impractical, highly expensive, and according to some, not in the best interest of food safety.

The food truck owners decided to seek legislative relief after learning that a regulatory change could take as long as three years.

The association held a "Food Truck Lobby Day" at the state capital, Olympia, to acquaint lawmakers with the issue. The food truck owners managed to enlist the support of 12 legislative sponsors for a bill that would exempt food trucks from having a commissary or servicing area if the mobile unit contains all the equipment and utensils needed for complete onboard preparation of an approved menu.

6. US Chamber of Commerce ranks food truck restrictions nationwide, calls for change

The sixth best read story, "US Chamber of Commerce ranks food truck restrictions nationwide, calls for change," posted in April of 2018, summarized the first comprehensive analysis of food truck regulations. The report ranked cities according to the favorability of food truck regulations to food truck owners. The index also offers a set of benchmarks for government officials to use in developing regulations.

The five friendliest food truck cities were Portland, Oregon, Denver, Orlando, Philadelphia and Indianapolis. Portland ranked as the best city for food trucks due to the ease of obtaining permits and licenses, and the clarity of processes. Denver, Indianapolis and Philadelphia provide the easiest and clearest requirements, while Boston, Seattle and Washington, D.C. were the most difficult.

7. Moral support and a willingness to change help Chattanooga food truck overcome a setback

Operators love to share stories about their challenges and successes, which explains why "Moral support and a willingness to change help Chattanooga food truck overcome a setback," posted in July 2018, was the seventh best read story in 2018.

Jacob D'Angelo, owner of "Rolling J's," a food truck, catering and concessions business in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was doing more than $100,000 a year when his food truck's engine blew out on him in 2017.

D'Angelo reassessed his business and put together a different business model. The business recovered once he was back on the road in November. In the process of revamping his business, D'Angelo recognized the importance of establishing a reliable line of credit. He believes this has been a key to his success, and he encourages all food truck owners with hopes for expansion to do the same.

8. Five eco-friendly appliances and disposables for your food truck

"How to" stories have always been among the best-read stories. Given the popularity eco consciousness has among consumers, food truck operators naturally took an interest in "Five eco-friendly appliances and disposables for your food truck" by Richard Traylor of Webstaurant Store, the eighth best read story.

Traylor compiled a list of five easy eco-friendly products that you can use in your food truck without breaking the bank: biodegradable plastic bags; biodegradable takeout containers and disposable dinnerware; biodegradable straws; Energy Star qualified undercounter refrigerators; and Energy Star qualified electric griddles. 

9. How a DJ launched a food truck business

Food truck operators hail from a wide range of career backgrounds. The ninth best read story in 2018 was about "How a DJ launched a food truck business." Keith Hill, co-owner of I Love Bacon in Huntsville, Alabama, became familiar with food trucks when he was working as a nightclub owner. 

Hill has dedicated his time to food truck industry activities to improve the industry. He attended both the Fast Casual Executive Summit and the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit. He has also attended local shows sponsored by his wholesale foodservice distributors, Sysco and Performance Food Group.

Hill and his partner, Josh Patrick, added a brick-and-mortar restaurant and hope to expand to a nationwide franchise chain with 200 to 300 stores over the next 20 years. 

10. Foodservice veterans to share sustainability secrets at Fast Casual Executive Summit

Keith Hill's influence on other food truck owners may have contributed to the strong reader interest in an article about the Fast Casual Executive Summit held in Seattle in October. The article, "Foodservice veterans to share sustainability secrets at Fast Casual Executive Summit," was the tenth best read story in 2018.

Summit seminars addressed winning marketing campaigns, overcoming obstacles to become a more sustainable brand, Chipotle's food safety turnaround, attracting customers in unbranded search, when to incorporate new diets in the menu, how to create a successful omnichannel experience, voice engine optimization, the growing risk of payment fraud and more.

Given the high level of interest food truck owners have exhibited in educating themselves about best practices, government regulations and innovative menus, it's a good bet that the industry, which has flourished largely due to its ability to provide consumers a unique and convenient experience, will continue to grow at rapid pace in 2019. 

About Elliot Maras

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Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.