Food Truck Industry Trends in 2022 & Beyond

The food truck industry continues to grow, with an estimated annual growth rate of 7.5% from 2015 to 2020. For first-time restaurant owners, food trucks offer the opportunity to experiment, be creative, and potentially see great returns. If you are looking to open a mobile kitchen, upgrade your existing one, or add a food truck to your established restaurant concept, knowing these trends can help you maximize profits. 

Upcoming Trends in the Food Truck Industry

It’s no wonder why so many chefs and restaurateurs are looking to make it big with food trucks. Many industry statistics illustrate the growth and potential success mobile restaurants offer:

• Food trucks have grown to be a $2 billion industry
• Start-up costs can be as low as $50,000
• Average revenue is around $290,000 yearly

With food trucks becoming booming businesses, you want to stand apart from the crowd. Tapping into these trends can help you maximize your presence and future opportunities for growth.

Restaurants with Supplemental Food Trucks

Last year, many restaurants opened up food carts as they closed their dining rooms. This allowed them to bring in some income while waiting for dine-in restrictions to be lifted. As restaurateurs look forward to the return of in-person dining, some owners are still hanging on to their mobile kitchens. Why? By having dine-in and takeaway options, restaurants can offer a variety of ways to reach new and existing customers. While over 50 percent of diners miss eating out, 38 percent of Americans still order takeout at least once a week. Having a food truck allows dedicated takeaway options and the ability to provide mobile meals.

Mobile Meals Direct to Customers

One of the many benefits of mobile kitchens is the ability to quickly shift location to tap into high-demand areas. Food trucks are able to capture customers by offering pre-order options and driving to centralized neighborhoods for clients to pick up. For example, San Francisco’s Wayfare Tavern, reached out to their customers and let them decide the best locations for pick up. More consumers are hungry for great food without a lot of fuss. So, a roving restaurant with customer favorites and easy pick up is appealing and keeps customers returning. Plus, offering pre-order tends to increase sales, which is a win for owners!

New Catering Opportunities

Leveraging food trucks at large-scale events like weddings and other gatherings has increased in popularity. As food truck owners pivoted in the past year, many couples, organizations, and neighborhoods turned to food trucks to supply meals to guests, employees, and neighbors. Entrees are served in disposable containers allowing for easy clean-up, and guests can take their food directly with them. 80 percent of food truck customers choose  to eat at mobile kitchens because they offer a different dining experience. Everything from ice cream to fresh oysters to beverages is up for grabs at food trucks, and can create an opportunity to wow potential new customers.

Opening a mobile kitchen? This handy checklist provides owners with all the details to ensure operations align with food safety and hygiene standards, storage, and more.

Food Truck Inspection Checklist

Bulk Wholesale Food and Beverages for Your Food Truck Business

Cut down on costs without compromising quality when you shop at US Foods CHEF’STORE. We have all your food truck essentials, including eco-friendly to-go products, choice meats and seafood, beverages, and dry goods. Get exceptional items delivered or browse our selections at one of our many locations. We also offer additional perks like customer cards and business tools!