Food trucks are everywhere nowadays. And in a major city like Los Angeles, the menu that food trucks offer go way beyond just hotdogs and tacos. Nowadays, a Los Angeles native can find a delicious wealth of food from all different types of cultures on a seemingly endless amount of street corners.

Indian, Mexican, Korean, and fusions of all three, are just some examples of what can be found on urban streets. However, because of the explosive growth of food trucks and their popularity, the landscape for a food truck owner has changed. The competition is fierce, and food trucks have to pull out all the stops to make sure their truck stands out. So here are some things to remember to do to make sure your food truck stands out.

Branding Is King

No matter how delicious your food is, if your truck is forgettable and there is no consistent branding on the truck, customers will have a hard time remembering who you are. With so many food trucks around it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, and that’s why it’s crucial to maintain a strong brand. This means carefully choosing:

Colors

Logos

Secondary Graphics

Vehicle Wraps

Catch phrases

These items are essential, because eventually they are going to be used to adorn your truck, t-shirts, menus, and any other media you may have. By having strong and visually arresting branding, people will easily be able to recognize your truck, and differentiate what you have to offer that’s special from what other brands offer.

Advertise Your Social Media With A Prominent Sign

These days, every business should have a social media presence, even food trucks. Since owning a food truck is such a grassroots enterprise anyways, having a strong connection with the locals and developing a rapport is essential. As opposed to food trucks that don’t have social media, displaying a sign on the truck with all relevant links to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will be another way for your food truck to keep in contact with locals.

People who are waiting in line will often check your social media links on their smartphones, even if it’s just out of boredom. And most likely, some will eventually start following you. Then you can keep them up to date on where your truck is heading next, what specials you’re having, and any new menu items that are being offered. Some popular food trucks have even developed a very loyal social media following who will go out of their way to visit their favorite food truck when the next location is announced on social media.

Innovate Your Services

Whether it’s a specialized food item that can’t be found anywhere else, a lunch deal, or a unique way to serve food that makes it extra portable, always remember to innovate. This is a major way your food truck will stand out from others. In particular, if you can find a way to serve food that is both portable and not messy, this will help you find innovative ways to retain customers.

One of people’s biggest gripes about items purchased from food trucks, is when it’s too messy to eat and carry around comfortably. If people know that when they purchase food from your truck, it will be delicious AND easy to eat, they will remember that going into the future.

There are many more ideas that can be implemented, and it’s up to the owner to constantly think of new ways to innovate the services. Whether it’s coming up with a unique recipe that can’t be found anywhere else, or having lunch specials, finding ways to engage the customers with innovation is important.