If a pizzeria is experiencing success, it is a natural business progression to want to expand the brand by opening a new location. However, committing the time, money, and energy into an entirely new restaurant can be a daunting task. Instead of having a pizzeria’s first expansion be a huge investment, there is another route one could take.
Food trucks are a simpler alternative to opening another physical location, with added benefits that could take a pizzeria to the next level.
Opening a new establishment is a difficult endeavor, requiring extensive investment and logistical planning, such as how to find a location, hire a contractor and decorate the new pizzeria. Food trucks help to alleviate some of the risk while providing new opportunities and profit. The following are a few of the advantages of a food truck vs. a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant:
- Location, Location, Location: Food trucks bring the inherent benefit of mobility to the table. Food trucks can visit different locations in order to cater to a larger network of customers, such as catering to the late-night crowd near nightlife areas. In some cities, they ban together, congregating in set-aside locations such as San Francisco’s South of Market Street Food Park.
- Funky Foods: Investing in a food truck to supplement the pizzeria brings an added benefit of testing out new food creations. Setting up shop in multiple locations around a city allows chefs the freedom to play with menu options. It is an excellent platform to test new dishes and determine which items soar in popularity – the winners can then be incorporated into the menu at their restaurant location.
- Cost is Crucial: According to Mobile-Cuisine.com, opening up a food truck for business can cost as little as $50,000. In comparison, it can cost up to $500,000 to establish a new restaurant. There are also fewer employees working on a food truck, with typically only two, sometimes three people handling all the orders. Also, menus are often limited on food trucks, so there are few ingredients to keep food costs down.
- Build a Brilliant Brand: Popular food trucks are often the talk of the town. They generate a cult-like following from die-hard foodies who will flock to the next hottest thing. Promoting a food truck through social media helps to let customers know when and where it will be. It is also beneficial to boost the brand of the pizzeria by utilizing the truck as a giant advertisement driving around town. Not only is it great for stirring up buzz around the food truck, but it can also help boost the current restaurant’s sales and recognition.
Food trucks bring the restaurant straight to the customer’s doorstep. They provide a space for the business owner to get to know their customers on a more personal level and bring a new element to an already successful establishment. It can provide a much more affordable alternative than opening a new restaurant in a fixed location.