Where do food truck bookings come from – and how to get more

A good food truck doesn't sell itself. Even with the best food in town, the diary still has to be filled, and that rarely happens through one channel alone. Most food trucks that do well have a mix: a few bigger events in the summer, weddings, corporate events and private parties the rest of the year, and somewhere customers can find them on their own.

Broadly speaking, bookings come in two ways: either you find the customers, or the customers find you. Each has its own economics, and most food trucks need both. This article goes through the two ways first, and then what makes customers choose you.

Here you take the initiative. You apply to festivals, pitch your concept to a street food market, a food festival or a Christmas market, or you agree with a local business that you can trade from their car park on Friday evenings. People buy directly from you, and you earn what you sell.

The economics. It's normal for the organiser to take their cut:

On top of that come requirements that also cost money: a deposit, the organiser's own payment system, rules on packaging, long opening hours, and paperwork such as insurance certificates, risk assessments and gas and electrical safety records.

The risk. Your takings aren't guaranteed. If it rains all day, fewer people turn up than expected, or three other traders are selling the same food, you can end up paying more for the pitch than you earn. So work out the event before you say yes: how many people do you need to sell to before it breaks even? And what happens if only half of them come?

The upside. On the other hand, it's one of the best ways to get known. Lots of people see your truck, taste your food and look you up on Instagram afterwards. Some of them book you later for their own party or their company's summer do.

For many, festivals are the big dream: thousands of hungry people over a few days. But this is also where the preparation is biggest and the terms are tightest.

Get your paperwork ready before applications open, read the organiser's contract carefully, and work out what you need to sell to cover your costs before you apply. Members of the trade association NCASS (the Nationwide Caterers Association) can also search for event opportunities by postcode and type of food.

Beyond the big names, there are plenty of smaller music, food and community festivals across the country. They're often easier to get into and a good place to learn the format.

Street food markets have made street food a fixed part of many British cities. Some are run as collectives that you apply to join, with their own selection process.

Other markets work with fixed stalls or containers that you rent for a season, rather than vans that come and go. Contact the market directly and ask about the terms.

Food festivals, agricultural shows, village fêtes, farmers' markets and Christmas markets are often easier to get into than the big music festivals. The organiser is usually a council, a local business group, a charity or an events company.

A regular pitch – on a high street, at a business park, by the seafront or outside a pub or shop – gives you more predictable everyday takings and makes you known locally. Many of your regulars later book you for their parties.

If you trade on private land, such as a pub car park, you need the landowner's permission. If you want to trade on the street or other public land, you usually need a street trading licence or consent from the council, and the rules, fees and waiting lists vary from council to council. You apply to the council for the area where you want to trade, and trading without a licence can lead to a fine (GOV.UK).

Here the customer comes to you: a company planning its summer party, a couple getting married, or a family celebrating a birthday. The customer books the whole truck for an agreed number of guests, and you get an agreed price. With this kind of booking, you know your takings in advance, because the customer has told you the number of guests and chosen a menu. There's no pitch fee or share of takings to an organiser.

Weddings are a big market for food trucks in the UK, from the evening food to the whole wedding breakfast. Couples often book many months ahead, and summer weekends fill up first. They want to know exactly what's included, how service works on the day, and whether you can cater for dietary requirements. Get it right, and the guests become your next customers.

Summer parties, Christmas parties, staff days, product launches, open days and client events happen all year round. Especially in the winter months, when festivals and markets have finished, companies can be what keeps money coming in. Companies want a clear price, an invoice and confidence that everything will go as agreed. Deliver that, and they often come back year after year.

Birthdays, christenings, garden parties, graduations and street parties. Private customers have rarely booked a food truck before. They want to see what they get, what it costs and whether it will work at their place, especially when it comes to power and space.

The customer or organiser usually compares several food trucks. It's rarely price alone that decides it. It's how confident the customer feels about choosing you.

Photos are the first thing customers see, and they're what most often makes the difference. You need three kinds:

Use bright, sharp photos. A few good photos are better than lots of mediocre ones.

Make it easy to understand what the customer gets. Describe the dishes briefly, and say whether there are vegetarian or vegan options. Be clear about what the price covers: staff, set-up, number of hours, travel. Many food trucks work with a base price plus a price per head. Customers who have to guess the price often move on to someone else.

When a customer has messaged you, they've often messaged others too. Whoever replies first with a clear and friendly answer has a big advantage. Turn on notifications, and reply the same day – even if the reply is "I'll come back to you tomorrow with a price".

Nothing is more frustrating for a customer than finding the perfect food truck and then being told the date is taken. Keep your calendar up to date everywhere you can be booked, so customers only see the dates you can actually do.

Good reviews are the strongest argument you have. Ask your customers for a review shortly after the event, while the experience is fresh. Reply politely to reviews – including the critical ones. It shows new customers that you take it seriously.

The day itself is where you win your next booking – or lose it. One of the most common complaints from customers is lateness: the truck arrives late, or the food isn't ready when the guests are hungry. Agree arrival and serving times precisely, allow enough time to set up, and let the customer know in good time if something is running late. Have a plan for more guests than agreed, too.

Two questions come up almost every time:

If you can answer both clearly before the customer asks, you come across as professional and the customer feels confident.

Nuento is mobile catering with staff on site: food trucks, mobile bars and chefs who cook and serve the food at the customer's event – never delivery of ready-made food. Nuento is live in the UK. Customers rate Nuento 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

For you as a food truck owner, Nuento belongs to the way where customers find you. Customers search by date, area and type of food, see your menu, your photos and your price, and can book you directly through Nuento. You always have the final say: you choose which orders you accept, and you can turn down any order that doesn't suit you at any time.

What you get:

On Nuento, customers always book the food truck with food and staff. You can't hire out the truck without staff.

See how customers find food trucks on Nuento, or become a supplier.

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