Being a food truck owner is no cakewalk. After all, you are the one who is taking the risk since you are the one who put the money down, and you are also the one who is running the daily operations. No one said the food truck industry was going to be easy, but it is worth it if you are passionate about food and people.
As a result of this fine industry being tough to grow and thrive in, there are plenty of things mobile kitchen owners have to learn on the job. You know, if they plan on staying in this industry for a long time. While some days might be easier than others (that’s typically the case for any business, and how life works in general), food truck owners should use every day, every moment, as a learning experience.
Going along with that theme, here are four things a food truck owner has to learn on the job.
Things A Food Truck Owner Has To Learn On The Job
- Figuring Out What Your Customers Want
- How To Be A Manager
- How To Work An Endless Amount Of Hours
- Social Media
Figuring Out What Your Customers Want
Figuring out what your customers want is a never-ending battle, which is why food truck owners have to always be changing up their strategies.
Not only do you have to figure out what types of food your customers love/want, although you are the chef, meaning you are the one who creates the foods and menus, but you are also going to have to figure out what works and what doesn’t work on social media. We will get into social media in greater detail later, but just know this: If you have a solid following on networks such as Facebook and Twitter, then your business is likely not doing too shabby either.
The key with this point is to always be pleasing your customers and really listening to their feedback. You can use this valuable feedback to make your food truck business better — and you absolutely should.
How To Be A Manager
You might have entered this industry to be a chef, but you are also going to have to learn how to be a manager. After all, if your mobile kitchen business is thriving, then you are going to have to hire employees to help you out. Not only that, but you might also have to fire employees as well.
You will have to figure out what you are going to pay them. You will have to learn how to create a work schedule for your employees. And you will also have to learn how to give constructive criticism. Plus — and this is very important — you will have to learn how to be a leader.
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Being a manager isn’t for everyone, but if you plan on hiring employees, then you are going to have to learn the ins and outs of this concept if operations are going to run smoothly.
How To Work An Endless Amount Of Hours
Not everyone is wired to work more than eight hours a day. However, if you want to be a mobile kitchen owner, then you are going to have to come face-to-face with the 10-hour day. Heck, 10 hours might be one of your easier/shorter days.
Here’s the thing: If you want to make it as a food truck owner, you are going to have to work extremely long hours, and likely every day. If hard work, determination and persistence aren’t in your vocabulary, then this might be the wrong industry for you. As a food truck owner, you are going to work harder than you have ever worked in your entire life, and you might not make a whole lot of money — well, at least in the beginning, but it really is a case-by-case thing.
The good thing? Not only will you be your own boss (how cool is that?), but you will be following your goals and dreams. In fact, you will be in the process of living out your dream.
Nonetheless, if you think you can work a little amount of hours every day and make a ton of money, then, well, you are horribly mistaken.
Social Media
Most food truck owners enter this industry with one thing in mind, and that is being a chef. A lot of owners don’t make it because they aren’t business savvy enough. If running a business isn’t your strong suit, then that is okay, but you will have to learn a lot on the job if you want to succeed.
In particular, you are going to have to learn how to run social media accounts. If you don’t know anything about Facebook, then you need to do some serious learning in a hurry. Not only is Facebook a great platform to let people know where your truck is going to be next, but it is also a great place to interact with your customers (and to gain more customers).
If you plan on owning and operating your own mobile kitchen, then you also have to plan on owning and operating your own social media accounts when it comes to your lunch truck, and Facebook is a great start.
If you are looking to break into this industry, make sure to request a custom quote!
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