Foodservice consultants from our group find the new study from the National Restaurant Association on the benefits of food trucks a potential boon to both startups and struggling food and beverage operations alike. Highlights of this research from the NRA suggest several reasons why operators of existing restaurants should consider adding one or more food trucks as an extension of their operations: “Convenience is a major driver in restaurant growth, and food trucks are certainly a convenient option by essentially bringing the restaurant to the consumer,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “Our research shows that in just one year, the number of consumers who say they would be likely to visit a food truck has increased significantly. We also found that food trucks have a more noticeable presence in communities in the West and Northeast than in other parts of the United States.” Owners, operators and foodservice consultants can see a summary of the findings here. “Though food trucks are often equated with chefs and entrepreneurs, they also present opportunities for operators of established restaurants to expand their operations and presence, as a majority of consumers say they would visit a food truck run by their favorite restaurant. Mobile foodservice can be a good way to extend an existing restaurant brand beyond the four walls of the establishment,” Riehle said. Be sure to read a similar article from our restaurant consultancy on the potential profitability of food trucks as well. Are you currently planning to add a food truck to your existing restaurant business? Have you talked with any restaurant consulting firms on the pros and cons of this add-on? What do these foodservice consultants recommend? Kindly post those suggestions for the benefit of our readers if you can.
