If hospitality is your life, you are undoubtedly going through a difficult time. Nor can anyone now be promised that the situation will be a happy one, as there has been no satisfactory improvement. Covid v. economic crisis, added to the legal environment, spiced with a serious labour shortage. This is what it takes to get by, to make a profit. Why have a food truck? Because if Mohammed doesn't go to the mountain, the mountain goes to Mohammed.
Guest demand is changing
The extent to which people take advantage of the services and experiences offered by their hospitality varies enormously. Recent years of difficulties have further demonstrated that the only way forward for hospitality is to meet demand. But these have changed dramatically. There is no doubt that expectations have shifted towards quality, but there is also no doubt that tighter budgets have greatly reduced the number of people who use the gastronomic services. It should be segmented in this light. The market is tending towards two strong expectations. The first is the class of people for whom such expenditure is essentially irrelevant, and the second is the opposite, those who are cheap, but quality are looking for solutions. Increasingly, those who actually choose the intermediate solution are falling out of the guest circles.
Photo by Envatoelements
It's all about place, time and travel
The demands of a fast-paced world make us carefully consider how much time we devote to a gastronomic experience. The location of the restaurant in relation to our living space therefore matters a great deal. If it is too far away, serious consideration will be given to whether or not to use the service. In general, everyone is looking for quick, nearby solutions that are convenient for them, which is why „roll-up” buffets are increasingly relevant these days, mobile restaurants, food trucks. In many cases, people eat out because the time spent eating is much less than in restaurants. So there is a clear trend towards a shift in consumption patterns towards street food, whether we look at the overall picture of catering or at the habits of the guests. „If the guest doesn't go to you, you have to go to the guest.” This saying is very relevant today.
Photo by Envatoelements
Spending and quality
In the current economic climate, restaurateurs and guests alike are looking for more cost-effective solutions. These are being replaced by a trend towards quality services and food. In recent years more people have discovered the opportunity in food trucks. Many operate food trucks as a complementary business during the „season”, exploiting the potential of events and festivals. There is no doubt that, on the whole, spring to autumn events have not lost popularity, as regardless of the economic situation, these are places where people are more willing to spend money on food and drink.
Photo by Envatoelements
Food truck - versus operation
Whoever gets into this genre should expect costs to rise in this area too. Raw material and energy prices have also had a serious impact on this sector, leading to price increases. Although the number of portions that can be sold from trolleys has increased, irrespective of the trends listed so far, the margins that can be realised have decreased. What has become very clear is that there is an increased demand for quality street food on wheels. Mobile restaurants can offer a wide range of unique dishes at the same time and in the same place. Typically, they offer a narrower range than restaurants, with high quality items. food truck for unique gastronomic experiences can offer people.
This genre is becoming increasingly popular in our country. This is also shown by the fact that many well-known chefs have already started their own rolling kitchen. Ten years ago, the Hungarian food truck community consisted of only 30 to 40 trucks, but now there are more than 150. The growing number of trucks every year is undoubtedly a sign that there is a huge demand for this form of catering. There is already a Food Truck Association, which is happy to offer a helping hand to anyone who wants to get involved.
street sale, eating and people concept - happy chef or seller cooking at food truck
Food Truck - not just in season
Obviously, events and fairs are the main trap for the „bar trolleys”, but there are other options. In Budapest, there are already several fixed „parking lots” where they can be found and generate traffic in the off-season. Catering, i.e. corporate events, has also gained momentum in this area. Food trucks are very suitable for corporate or even private events. A huge advantage is that they are not confined to a fixed location, they can even cater in completely extreme conditions. The trolleys can easily cater for parties and outings. If you start this form of catering, a wide range of possibilities will open up. However, it is important that it should be done in a well thought-out, prepared and quality-oriented way, so that it can be successful.
