Food trailers, food trucks, mobile kitchens. Whatever you call them, they seem to be all the rage right now. And why not? Innovative people have found ways to make quality food quickly in a confined space. And they can do so in a restaurant that goes to where the customers are. That’s brilliant! (Not to mention that the payments for the truck can be a fraction of what some people must pay in leasing space for a restaurant in major cities.)
Food trucks, more than a restaurant, must depend on recyclable, disposable or compostable food containers and packaging to serve their food and drink. It just doesn’t make sense for them to use reusable plates, bowls or utensils. Each food truck has different needs when it comes to containers as well. How much space do we have to store containers? What types of food will go in the containers? Does it need to keep the food at a certain temperature for a while? Should the container have a marketing message on it? How big is the budget for the containers? All these and more go into consideration when a food truck manager is looking to find a vendor for their containers.
A quality vendor can go along way in helping a mobile kitchen get the most from their containers. They will offer ideas on how to serve the food, what shape containers work best for their application, how to store them, how often to order and general guidance on how to get the most out of this part of their business.
The most popular types of containers for food trailers depend greatly on the types of foods served. For those serving sandwiches, our 22500 & SN227 works wonderfully. If subs are on the menu then our 21900 and 26600 foam hinged containers would probably fit the bill. If larger portion meals are being served it is best to jump up to our foam hinged dinner container line. Our most popular sizes are the SN240 medium container and SN200 large hinged container. Both come in either one or three compartments. Another great option for Asian foods is our 20500 or 20600 which can hold most any Asian dish with ease. Also keep in mind if you prefer a compostable option, most of the sizes mentioned here can be obtained from our Harvest Fiber line.
What containers a truck’s food is handed to the customer in very important. They need to keep the food neat (and possible separated from other food) and at the right temperature. They need to hold up to the heat or cold of both the food and environment where the food will be taken (whether it is being placed in a fridge or to a picnic on a 100 degree day). And since many times they are the first thing that a customer sees coming off a truck, they need to portray the appropriate image that the food truck wants to put out there.
But while food containers are very important, it is not something food truck entrepreneurs want to concentrate too much on. After all, they got in the food truck business to cook and serve great tasting food, not to worry about containers.
Tell us about your favorite food truck meal or experience. Was it something you couldn’t get anywhere else, or was it something that they just did better than anyone else?
Hello, do you carry a food wrapper that is not styrofoam? Possibly an aluminum type bag or perhaps waxed paper?
Marty,
Yes we have many other substrates beside foamed polystyrene. We have microwave safe polypropylene, #1 recyclable PET containers, 100% compostable food packaging as well as hybrid ,substrates. Thanks for asking.