What Should I Include on My Food Truck?
Why Planning Your Food Truck Interior Matters
Intentionally planning and designing your food truck is important when you’re just starting your food truck business. Ensuring you have the right setup can streamline your operation so it runs efficiently and is successful. Whether you're planning to cook with a griddle, fryer, stovetop, or need a commercial refrigerator, each piece of equipment should make the most of your limited square footage. Make a food truck equipment list so you won’t forget anything important when you’re planning. Custom built food trucks can increase your team’s productivity and give your business the competitive advantage it needs when you’re starting out.
Essential Equipment Every Food Truck Needs
A well-equipped truck helps to provide smooth service and prevents breakdowns during peak hours. Having access to the right cooking equipment, refrigeration, storage, and sinks will mean your mobile kitchen set up has what it needs to ensure it can be operated efficiently.
Cooking Equipment
When you’re deciding how to outfit your food truck, select cooking equipment that you will use to match your menu and fit your space. Griddles and fryers are necessary for high-demand menu items like burgers and fries, while ovens and stoves roast and sauté other foods like meats. Don’t forget to include ventilation hoods and fire suppression systems because they’re essential food truck equipment for safety and required to comply with New York health codes.
Refrigeration & Food Storage
Select your food truck equipment based on your menu volume. Energy-efficient refrigerators that fit under your counters can save space and ensure your cooking ingredients are accessible. Prep tables with built-in cooling drawers allow your food prep team to assemble meals quickly. Combine shelving with airtight bins to store food, keeping it available and fresh as needed.
Sinks & Sanitation
Keep your food truck operation hygienic. Customers trust you and return if your food operation is clean and safe. Ensure your truck meets health and safety codes and regulations. All food trucks need a hand-washing sink and a sink with 3 compartments to properly sanitize dishes and kitchen utensils. For a proper sanitary setup, you also need hot water access, proper drainage, and good water pressure.
Optional Upgrades Based on Cuisine
Depending on the different kinds of cuisine you’re going to offer your customers, you may want to consider including specialized appliances in your food truck interior plan, and upgraded prep areas and serving stations to make your workflow more efficient.
Specialized Appliances
Your food truck will stand out if you have unique food and beverage options, so planning for these is a good idea to make your menu memorable and increase business. You can serve café-quality drinks in your food truck window with an espresso machine, or offer artisan pizza on demand if you have a pizza oven. Asian foods like dumplings and steamed vegetables can be made if you have a steamer, and you can slow-roast meats in a rotisserie if you add these specialty appliances. You might need a soft-serve ice cream machine or a blast freezer if you plan to specialize in serving frozen desserts. Refrigerated drawers and a sandwich prep station, or panini press, are good if you want to sell sandwiches. Juicers, blenders, or smoothie makers may be a good investment for a healthy food truck. Specialty equipment for a food truck will help expand your culinary offerings and define your brand.
Prep & Serving Stations
The heartbeat of your food truck kitchen layout is the preparation area. It should allow your staff easy access to the cooking equipment, ingredients, knives, and cutting boards so food assembly stays organized and quick. Your serving station should be near the serving window, and have enough space to manage orders, plates, package food, and engage with your customers to provide speedy service.
Don’t Forget Power & Plumbing
Behind every successful food truck plan is a dependable, functional power and plumbing setup. A reliable generator and propane system for heating water and cooking are two of the most important features you should have. Proper waste disposal and a plumbing layout to support water tanks and sinks will meet local New York health codes. In a compact kitchen environment, climate control can be an issue, so plan to install good ventilation and effective temperature control to ensure working conditions are both comfortable and safe for your food truck staff.
Layout & Workflow Efficiency Tips
To maximize workflow in your food truck’s interior, make sure you design it intentionally, with efficiency and speed in mind. Cooking appliances should be accessible and arranged by task. To ensure the best mobile kitchen setup, prep, cooking, assembly, and serving stations should avoid bottlenecks and require minimal movement.
Storing ingredients and equipment vertically can free up space on the floor. High-traffic areas should be safe and free of clutter with non-slip flooring to prevent accidents. Customer-facing areas should be inviting and accessible. Your serving window should be situated so your team can quickly hand off food to customers. When your service operation runs smoothly, customers are happy and return.
Exterior Design: Branding, Windows & Menu Boards
When you plan your food truck design, think of the food truck exterior as if it's a mobile storefront. An attention-getting branded wrap with an appealing logo will help your business get easily recognized. You’ll want to create a polished, professional look so your truck and your brand will be memorable, because your truck’s exterior is the first impression you make with potential new customers. Using bright colors on your food truck’s exterior can reinforce your brand’s identity, stimulate appetite, and increase its visibility so it gets noticed on busy streets or in crowded spaces. A serving window that has clear and visible signage nearby, and easy access can improve interaction with customers. Easy-to-read, professionally printed menu boards will draw customers' attention to your offerings. Adding strategic lighting will make your truck more visible after dark.
Work With Custom Builders to Get It Right
If you're serious about planning and launching a successful food truck in New York, partnering with Shanghai Mobile Kitchen Solutions is a wise decision. Because of our decades of solid experience and craftsmanship building
custom mobile food trucks for New York’s entrepreneurs in the culinary world, we know how to plan and execute an eye-catching mobile kitchen that will ensure your workflow will be efficient and help market your brand so it's successful.
We’re experts in creating smart layouts, durable finishes, cooking efficiency, and style. Every detail is meticulously planned and created with your vision in mind to exceed your expectations. From concept to delivery, you can trust that our mobile food trucks are built to last. Contact us today so we can be your trusted partner and share our ideas for your custom food truck.
