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How To: Choosing a name for your food truck

One of the most dynamic aspects in the food truck world are all the wonderful names in play. Choosing a name is a critical part of the business strategy. Here are some tips for those launching a food truck.

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February 24, 2020 by Richard Traylor — Writer, WebstaurantStore

The name of your food truck is probably the first impression customers will have of your establishment and your brand.

Customers may not judge you on the quality of your kitchen equipment, but they will judge your name. Because of this, it's important that you choose a memorable, catchy food truck name. To help you make this difficult decision, we've compiled a list of nine tips for coming up with a cool food truck name.

1. Incorporate puns

It's been said puns are the lowest form of humor. While this is up for debate, it's clear that punny food truck names are quite popular. Using puns in your food truck name gives potential customers the impression of intelligence and humor. Who doesn't want to be thought of as smart and funny? Puns attract attention and are easy to remember.

2. Use unique spelling or symbols

For modern, trendy bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, using abbreviations and symbols may be a way to set you apart from the competition. Alternative spellings are visually intriguing to potential customers and also help with branding your establishment.

3. Use alliteration and rhymes

Using repetitive sounds or rhymes is a great way to add a fun, lighthearted element to your business. For instance, Red Robin and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are both national chains with repetitive sounds in the names. This makes a food truck name catchier and more fun to say, encouraging people to talk about it.

4. Try a one word food truck Name

While you may want a clever food truck name, you don't want to overdo it. If you make your name too complicated and guests can't remember it, you may lose out on free word-of-mouth advertising. Many food truck operators choose one word food truck names because they come across as very modern, in addition to being easy to remember.

5. Use location-based food truck name

By basing your food truck name on your address, you can make it easy for your customers to remember where you are so they can return or tell their friends to visit. This could be your entire address or just a portion, like your street name, number, or neighborhood.

6. Make your name a reference to a book or movie

By making your food truck name a reference to something, you can start a conversation between you and your customers. A reference to a book, song, TV show, or movie can draw in fans of the original source material as well as people who are curious due to the interesting name.

7. Use a different language

If you're all out of ideas in the English language, why not try a different language? Using another language is an easy way to let your customers know what type of cuisine you offer. For instance, consider a Spanish name if you specialize in tapas or a French name if you serve crepes. Or simply choose a word or phrase that has meaning for you.

Avoid using stereotypical or inappropriate language in your your food truck name. By choosing a name that potential customers may find rude, you are limiting how well and how far you can market yourself. Also consider the length of your food truck name and how it will translate to marketing materials.

If you food truck name is too long, it won't work as the URL of your truck website. While it's not the first thing people think about when starting a business, your marketing strategy should be kept in mind when picking your name.

9. Use an original food truck name

Make sure your food truck name isn't trademarked or already in use before you start printing off menus and hanging signs. The Trademark Electronic Search System is a great place to start checking if your food truck's name, or a similar name, is federally trademarked. You can also check with the state to find out how to search for state trademarks and see if all or part of your food truck's name is already registered.

Coming up with a catchy food truck name can be a daunting task. Your name can draw in passersby or drive away potential customers. You want your food truck name to reflect the tone of your food truck as well as your own personal preferences. Of course, the final decision is up to you, and while customers might be initially intrigued by the name, they'll return for your delicious food and great service.

About Richard Traylor

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Richard Traylor graduated from Temple University in the winter of 2014 with a degree in Strategic Communications. After graduating, he taught English in South Korea for two years, during which he was fortunate enough to travel and see the world. In October 2016, he returned home and started to work in SEO Content at Webstaurant Store. This blog previously ran on Webstaurant Store.

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