Oct 3 2024
8 min read
Sep
Last Updated: September 05, 2024
12 min read
Owning a food truck is a dream of many! We all have nostalgic feelings associated with it, and it’s also a lovely experience to serve people. From a business perspective, it has flexibility, mobility, low-cost start-up, and an opportunity to earn a lot.
But if you are struggling to figure out what to include in your food truck menu board, then we have plenty of it. Whether you’re looking for sweet or savory dishes, innovative drinks with a twist, or classic comfort foods, we have 20 top food truck menu ideas just for you. Jump right into the blog, and the list is all yours!
If you’re looking for unique and fresh ideas for your food truck menu, you’ve come to the right place. I’m confident you’ll find more than one idea that you’ll absolutely love.
Running a candy truck is a classic and nostalgic concept. It offers a wide range of treats, making it an exciting idea for a food truck. From ice cream and candy to waffles and donuts, the possibilities are endless. Let’s explore how this can come to life.
1. Candy truck
A candy truck is a favorite for everyone—not just kids, but adults too, who find it nostalgic. The menu on the digital board should be displayed in bright, cheerful colors, with the option to add vintage-style graphics.
You can add a variety of candy options, like popsicles, bars, jellies, cotton candy, chocolate, etc, to the menu. The candy truck can target seasonal special moments like Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Children’s Day. The digital menu board must also display important allergen information, such as nut-free, gluten-free, or vegan.
2. Ice cream truck
Ice Cream Truck needs the least promotion. To stand out as a truck, you need vibrant colors, varieties of ice cream, and surely a menu board that offers unique flavor combinations. The menu should offer customers the ability to customize their ice cream yet list all the classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Add dietary icons along with menu items to show which are dairy-free, gluten-free, or nuts-free.
3. Waffle dessert truck
Freshly baked waffles topped with syrup, fruits, and ice cream will draw the attention of your customers from miles away. Your digital menu board should display menu items, mouth-watering delicious waffle images, videos, or fun animation.
If you are selling side items that people love to have with waffles, like fruit salad, juices, or dry fruits, you can include them in your menu with offers and promotional deals.
4. Donut truck
Your digital menu board should clearly display everything you offer—daily specials with unique flavors, mini-donuts, donut holes, and ideal pairing items like coffee or milkshakes.
With digital signage software like Pickcel, you can easily customize your digital menu, creating separate sections for the base, filling, and toppings.
Most of the food trucks offer sweets and savories that are often unhealthy. A health-conscious food truck can offer a variety of options, considering taste. The menu also includes salads, soups, protein-rich foods, and everything that will attract gym-goers, fitness enthusiasts, and health-conscious individuals.
5. Salad bowl truck
Salad is the most promising option when we consider healthy food options. It’s important to source fresh vegetables and fruits. Add nutritional information to the menu, and list any programs your food truck offers, such as subscription plans, repeat purchase discounts, and bulk order options.
You can use Pickcel signage software to split your digital menu board, allowing you to display different information simultaneously. For example, you can showcase your menu items in one section while using another zone to play a video that highlights the salad-making process, showing the fresh vegetables and premium toppings like nuts, olives, and feta cheese that you’re adding.
6. Smoothie bowl truck
The idea of a truck specializing in smoothie bowls topped with fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, and granola, catering to health-conscious customers, is unique. Along with menu items, your digital menu can also display information about the nutrition your smoothie provides and how they are beneficial (e.g., high in Antioxidants, rich in Omega-3). Use contrasting font colors and clearly visible fonts to make your menu accessible.
7. Wrap and roll truck
If your food truck offers wraps that are healthy, then people will prefer to have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So, can create three different menus for your digital menu board. It’s easy to schedule the menu according to the time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Your menu can also show the calorie counts and nutrition details for each wrap. Alongside calorie count, you can display information on the sourcing of fresh ingredients to emphasize the quality of your food.
8. Juice, detox, and Soup
Health enthusiasts always crave juices, detox drinks, wellness shots, and healthy soups over unhealthy, super, loaded drinks. Use taglines in your digital menu, such as “Fresh squeezed juices, with no added sugar or ice.” It’s essential to mention ingredients. Like for detox drinks–cucumber, lemon, ginger, and mint. Ensure your digital menu displays pricing justifying the quality of drinks (e.g., Fresh orange juice $5/200ml ).
Drinks and beverages are something people consume regularly. According to a report , non-alcoholic beverages have the potential to reach a market volume of $1.191 trillion by 2028. If you are planning to open a food truck related to drinks and beverages, then tryout the options given below:
9. Coffee truck
Coffee is the second most consumed beverage among the people of the U.S. after bottled water. No doubt, it has a great market, but to stand out from the competition, it needs unique elements.
Adding the potential for a larger digital menu board can offer a variety of options. For instance, for those who are lactose intolerant, include alternatives like almond, oat, or soy milk. Make combos and complimentary pairings in the menu with snack items like Biscotti, croissants, or muffins.
Always interact with your customers and make the most of your digital board by displaying banners for happy hour deals or running promotions. Figure out the least selling hour and run deals (like all items at one cost - $7, buy one get one free from 3 PM to 5 PM) during that time.
10. Lemonade
A refreshing truck selling freshly made lemonades with a twist. Add a twist of a wide range of flavors. Some are common, like raspberry, mint, lavender, or ginger, but some are weird yet interesting to try (spicy cardamom and rose flavor, beetroot ginger, coconut water lemonade).
Display reviews on your digital menu board, what people say about your unique flavors, and which one rates the highest. One step further, use your digital board to add a QR to let people scan and drop their ideas regarding what new flavors they want you to come up with.
11. Milkshake truck
Come up with a fun and nostalgic truck offering milkshakes in both classic flavors (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry) and creative combinations (peanut butter-banana, salted caramel brownie, matcha-mango). You can create a special section on your digital menu board for “Most ordered milkshakes” or “bestselling.”
Moreover, a QR code should be added to the display so that people can scan it to pay. If you have an interactive digital menu board, then split the screen in half and display your menu on one side. Use the other half as interactive polls or games.
12. Cocktail truck
Cocktails on the trucks are a fresh concept and less common as compared to ice cream, candy, or burgers. You can start a sophisticated truck offering a menu of non-alcoholic mocktails or cocktail-inspired beverages such as mojitos, margaritas, and sangrias, using fresh ingredients, and syrups to replicate classic cocktails.
Use your digital menu board to attract more customers, change the theme and look of the menus weekly or monthly, and come up with themes (e.g., Tropical Tuesday, Mediterranean Friday) and offers.
Savory Snacks has lots of options, and people love having it and keep recommending it if they find your truck an amazing place. Here are some savory snack ideas for your food truck.
13. Gourmet hotdog
The idea of a gourmet hotdogs truck is a great option. Center the menu board around hotdogs. Each hotdog can represent different cuisines or flavor profiles, such as a Japanese-inspired hotdog with teriyaki sauce, nori, and pickled ginger or a Mediterranean hotdog with tzatziki, feta, and olives.
Play with your ingredients, sell your experience, and display every element on your digital menu board. Add infographics, images, and animation to make the digital menu board attractive to the customers.
14. Burger
Who doesn’t love burgers? Though people don’t like experiments with their burgers, it’s best to sell the classic with a new way of serving. Add a cartoon character as your brand image, similar to McDonald’s clown mascot. Use that character on your truck, digital menu board to create a strong brand identity.
Create an animated video of your cartoon character doing funny things with your brand image and burgers, and display it on one side of the digital menu board. This will keep the audience engaged as if they are watching a show and build strong brand recognition — kids will love it!
15. Taco
A taco truck attracts customers if your menu is promising with unique fillings ( Korean BBQ, Thai chicken, vegan jackfruit, etc.). Keep on making changes to the menu board to target the festive seasons and occasions. Mention the varieties you bring to the table, like types of tortillas used, filling varieties, sauces, and toppings on the menu board.
16. Burrito
Burritos can be a breakfast, snack, or dinner option, so schedule different menus on your food truck digital menu board. You can also display flash deals or combo offers for burrito meals with sides and drinks.
Additionally, food truck owners can integrate social media to their menu board. Customers can tag your brand, participate in the hashtags after posting burritos from your truck, and share for a discount!
With Pickcel digital digital signage software solutions, you can easily integrate your social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).
People love to try a wide variety of dishes, they have a list of comfort foods they never get tired of. Here is a list of the most common comfort foods.
17. Grilled cheese truck
It’s very common- if you are confused about what to eat, have a sandwich! Think beyond the traditional cheese-and-bread combo by including a range of unique fillings like avocado, pulled pork, caramelized onions, or truffle mushrooms. Use vibrant colours for your menu board with mouth-watering images of each grilled cheese variation.
18. Pizza
Pizza is a comfort food, and it can simply be fitted into any mood and occasion. Your menu must speak to the variety and uniqueness you bring to the table. Instead of traditional pies, consider unique variations like dessert pizzas, vegan options, or pizzas with regional twists.
Display a wide range of customizations to the menu, such as individual-sized pizzas and a selection of pizza bases and toppings. Display a QR to book online orders if they want bulk orders for parties.
19. Fried chicken
The trend started with KFC’s legacy and is continued by many! The taste of fried chicken is unmatchable. You can add your touch and be a unique combination on your menu board (Korean-style or spicy Nashville hot chicken).
Aside from your menu, display behind-the-scenes videos of chicken preparation or frying to build trust in your food quality (as fried chicken is often in controversy for its not being fresh).
20. BBQ
The specialty of a BBQ truck is its slow-cooked, smoked meats like brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken. Display seasonal touch along with a change in theme. Add items like smoked turkey or BBQ jackfruit for vegetarians. Incorporate animated smoke effects around the edges of the digital menu to enhance the BBQ theme.
Use mouth-watering descriptions and images for each BBQ item, highlighting the cooking process and flavors.
Creating a food truck menu involves careful planning to appeal to your target audience, streamline operations, and maximize sales. Here’s how to create a food truck menu and set up a digital menu board.
Start with the hardest part: decide a concept out of many food truck menu ideas mentioned above. You can consider a specific cuisine, a unique food item, or a fusion of different styles.
Moving next, identify your target audience, whether it is students or office workers, and tailor your menu as per their preferences and spending habits. (If your truck targets college students, you can create menu items that are pocket-friendly for them.)
Decide a vibrant color in mind what you want your truck and menu board to be. Make the board categories clean and use attractive font, including appetizing images and videos. Don’t forget to add branding elements, like logos, any brand’s face identity, or image. If you find all these tasks challenging and are unable to figure out how to do them, explore Pickcel’s 100s of pre-build templates, which are further customizable.
Additionally, with Pickcel’s digital signage software, it’s easy to manage the menu; they offer scheduling, composition, POS integration, and a lot of other features that are new in the market (pro tip: you can take advantage before your competitor can)
What keeps your audience buying more than they can eat- Deals and offers. Plan your deals and offers, try to come up with new ideas, and put them right on your menu board. The offers need to be distinguishable, brighter, and clear to communicate. Ensure it doesn’t make any miscommunication about what your brand actually wants to offer.
We believe you must have picked one idea for your food truck menu board. You can figure out more about the menu items, do experiments, and come up with some exotic flavors.
However, we have a good inherent culture; we never stop suggesting the best. Here comes our last suggestion- if you are serious about your food truck business and want a really easy-to-manage yet feature-loaded digital menu board, then try Pickcel digital signage software solution. You will never regret it, and thank me later!
Take complete control of what you show on your digital signage & how you show it.
Take complete control of what you show on your digital signage & how you show it.
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