We love the Street Food Revolution that’s sweeping the nation and we’re thrilled to be part of it. OK, we don’t prepare or cook delicious food any more (although we have in the past) we have helped plenty of street food vendors and mobile caterers with our high quality products and lengthy experience in the outdoor events business when setting up their businesses.
We see plenty of online debate about the best set up a street food vendor or mobile caterer can have for their business and plenty of for and against points of view in favour of Folding Tents or customised vehicles. The truth is, one isn’t better over the other – they both offer vastly different benefits. The biggest plus and minus for each is:
Street food vans and mobile catering trailers are easier and quicker to set up and start trading from at the start of a day, but are way more costly and many trading sites don’t allow vehicle access. Ask yourself how many more food servings you’ll need to make in a year to cover the cost difference between a vehicle and a Folding Tent!
Folding Tents and gazebos are less of a financial commitment than a street food van, but you will need to plan your time for set up and break down each day. A good question to answer here is how can you streamline your food and non-food materials, equipment and menu to ensure you minimise your set up time each day.
Our advice is build your business on good foundations where you’ve minimised your risks and maximised your returns. It’s better to have £30k in your bank than tied up in assets. Before making any big financial investment and over stretching your finances, establish your business first. Develop your brand and your food offer; find the street food markets that work best for you to trade from, make sure your set up is designed to stand out from the crowd, develop a menu that delivers top feedback. So you get return on your initial investment, and when your profits grow, because you’ve got the reputation as the best street food vendor in town, then you can invest in another street food stall!
The street food revolution is here to stay, we’re running a marathon, not sprinting a race. Grow your business without taking big risks and you’ll be here for the long haul. And your friends at in your corner will be right here to cheer you on.