The school approached Dave Zasada, V.P. of education with Intuit’s corporate responsibility team, with this idea, and he was on board right away. Intuit, the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, agreed to sponsor a new food truck for Compton High School. This is where Legion Food Trucks entered the picture, being chosen to build the donated truck.

New Food Truck, New Beginnings

We worked hard to design and build a food truck that would help bring the students’ dreams to life. We made sure to include all of the equipment they needed to practice and hone their culinary skills, including fryers, grills, prep stations, and more. In September of 2023, we delivered the finished food truck to the school. 

“It changed everything,” said Ms. Cortez after seeing the truck for the first time. ”Because now I can get into all the basics. We can do knife skills. We can start on the grill; there’s a flat top deep fryer so we can actually go through all the cooking methods and put everything that we were learning about last year into action.” 

In addition to being able to practice their culinary skills, the new food truck also gives the students an opportunity to learn about the business side of owning and operating a food truck business — something we are equally passionate about here at Legion. 

Download our Guide To Getting Started in the Food Truck Business

As a result of this collaboration, Intuit has announced plans to expand its food truck program to school districts in Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, and Washoe County during the 2023-2024 school year. The program aims to impact roughly 5,000 underserved students, with students studying graphic design, accounting, business, and automotive repair all being able to benefit from the new food trucks.

Create New Opportunities with Legion Food Trucks

Our journey with Compton High School has been a testament to what can be achieved when organizations come together to make a difference. We’re excited to see the culinary careers that will bloom from this new partnership and are proud to have played a part in it. Together, we’re creating a brighter future for these talented students, one delicious meal at a time.

If you’d like to bring your culinary dreams to life with a new food truck, Legion Food Trucks is here to help. Use our truck builder tool to get started or get in touch with us to learn more!

The post Legion & Intuit Team Up to Donate New Food Truck to Compton High School appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

Embrace that perception through donations, volunteerism, event organizing, local sourcing, sponsorships, or other efforts. But don’t just think of it as a marketing strategy. Genuinely give back to help others, and you may be surprised by what happens next.

During the pandemic, some food truck businesses have been compelled to help out. Q’s Taco Truck recently made national news by partnering with the Pechanga Tribe to provide free meals to hundreds of frontline hospital staffers in Riverside County, California. Remix Kitchen in New York crowdsourced donations to feed frontline workers at Coney Island Hospital, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and Sloan Kettering Hospital. And multiple food trucks, all part of the Richmond Food Truck Association, served the homeless on Christmas Day, in Richmond, Virginia. These owners wanted to give back in part to show their appreciation for the support they received from the Richmond community during the pandemic.

Donating free meals is a fairly obvious way to give back. If you’ve been struggling, though, to keep your own head above water, you can follow the example of Remix Kitchen and crowdsource donations. Or you may be able to find a business or wealthy individual willing to partner with you to provide your meals to those in need. However, that’s not your only option.

Volunteerism

You and your staff can volunteer at local nonprofits that support causes you care about. You can also lend the name of your food truck business to those causes. For example, if you support a nonprofit that provides senior services, you can not only volunteer your time to help the seniors under their care. As a small business owner, you can also help them advocate for funding, legislation, and other resources they may need by adding your business name to a sign-on letter or calling a local lawmaker on their behalf.

Event Organizing

You can also organize events (incorporating your food truck, of course) for causes you care about or promotions you’re launching. You might roll out a new Christmas-themed menu by providing free Christmas cookies with every purchase and having a Santa near your truck with whom kids can take pictures. Or you might partner with a local food truck trade association for a press conference at your truck on the effects of the pandemic on the mobile food industry. The possibilities are limited only by your available time and imagination.

Local Sourcing

Buying from local producers is another way to strengthen your community ties. When you buy local, you have the opportunity to build new relationships in your community, who may return the favor by patronizing your truck, referring customers to you, or helping you locate other needed supplies at a discount. With small business food suppliers facing stiff competition from corporate giants like Sysco and Wal-Mart, local producers will likely be happy for your business, which can set the stage for a long, mutually beneficial relationship.

Sponsorships

Many of the community events we take for granted, from kids’ athletic leagues to street fairs, are mainly funded by community members. Small businesses are often provided the opportunity to support these kinds of activities through sponsorships. In exchange for a financial or other donation, businesses are provided one or more opportunities to promote their brands at the event. For example, if you sponsor a Little League team, you may be able to have your brand’s signage at your home field and even incorporated into their uniforms.

Getting involved in your community can significantly boost your standing, which can impact your bottom line. By engaging with your customers each day, your food truck business has already become a part of the fabric of your community. But giving back is not only a natural extension of that with positive marketing benefits. It’s good to do on its own merits.

Build Your Own Custom Food Truck

If you’re looking to expand your existing food truck business, or even build a new one, look no further than Legion Food Trucks for high-quality custom trucks for your business. Contact us today or click here to learn more information about your next food truck.

The post How Can a Food Truck Business Help Its Community? appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

School food trucks can add some excitement to your school campus while providing healthy meal alternatives you do it the right way. And with more schools are using food trucks to feed their students and teaching staff, this is the best time to join in.

This blog post will explore the trend of school food trucks and provide some guidance on building your own school food truck.

Why are school food trucks becoming popular?

Food trucks on school campuses represent the growing trend of a healthy diet that benefits your students and faculty. Students get quickly fed up with the same menu in their dining facilities and will stop participating in school lunch programs. Food trucks can cater to students by offering a variety of exciting – and even healthy – food truck menus and easily-accessible facilities on campus. 

School-based food trucks have plenty of room for new ideas. They allow for the exploration of different menus and offer exciting healthy-based menu options for students and faculty. You can extend your dining options for your university campus with a wholesome food truck menu.

5 Uses For a School Food Truck

#1. Football Games

School sports fans are loud, energetic, and often frequented by hungry fans. For decades, the food available has had no significant change, with popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, and sodas being common. Bringing in a food truck for the school stationed at the sports games is a great way to spice up the menu for football fans to cheer on their team and socialize with friends and family. Offering healthy alternatives may be a welcome change at these events and become a popular choice for regular attendees.  

#2. Charity Events

Food trucks are a great way to cater to the large crowds’ hunger at school-based fundraisers and give back to society. Your truck can reap substantial returns by selling healthy food at school charity events and donating a part of the profits to a charity of the consumers’ choice. You can also benefit from a platform to showcase your menu and acquire new customers who care about the cause you are supporting for their school.

#3. School Dances

A homecoming dance is a much-awaited event for most high school students, and you’re most likely to get a hungry crowd. Socializing, dancing, and photoshoots can take their toll on the stomach. A food truck can offer students an exciting menu during and after the school dance and a way to hydrate while dancing. 

#4. Finals Week

Finals are nerve-racking for most students. Students are busy preparing for their tests. A food truck can offer them the convenience of having food within walking distance and an excellent way to wind down with fellow students. Having healthy food options available during a stressful time in a student’s life can be essential to their performance. A great way to foster education and offer a “study oasis” is to proudly display the healthy food your food truck offers and the brain-boosting benefits that it can provide!   

#5 Lunch Trucks

Another idea is a lunch truck that caters to the mid-day students needing a meal. You can make your lunch truck more convenient by allowing students to use their dining hall IDs to pay for their orders. Another benefit of lunch food-based trucks is flexibility, as school food trucks extend the foodservice activities on campus. 

Students working for a diploma in foodservice management represent a wide range of natural truck operational talents on campus. They may benefit from learning the ins and outs of the business for their future careers. 

Entice Students With A School Food Truck

With a school food truck, you don’t need to be stressed about expanding or building a new dining facility to cater to the growing number of students. All you need is to invest in an affordable food truck and offer exciting menus for both students and staff. Contact us to learn more and start building your truck today.

The post How To Bring Food Trucks to Your School This Year appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

The Southern California (SoCal) food truck festivals are a haven for food truck businesses. Statistics show that the average food truck generates about $25,000 in monthly sales. As a food truck owner, it’s crucial to ensure your truck meets required standards so you can take part in the food truck festivals.

With over 24 million people, the Southern California community is diverse, with no particular ethnic group as the majority. The diversity of the population promotes a blending of different cultures and cuisines, which makes the SoCal food truck festivals stand out from the rest.

Food Truck Festivals Coming Up In 2022

According to National Food Trucks, the SoCal food craze is on a different level. To help you prepare your food truck for the next festival craze, here’s a list of the upcoming SoCal food truck festivals in 2022.

Reader Tacotopia: World Of Unlimited Tacos

A local Southern California media company, Reader, presents the annual Tacotopia Festival. The festival’s premise is to celebrate and promote growth in the San Diego neighborhood.

The 2022 Tacotopia Festival hosts a variety of taco food outlets, including:

• Established taco food chains
• Mom and pop food stands
• Food trucks and trucks

The festival includes other activities such as live band performances, Lucha Libre wrestling, art exhibitions, and lawn games.  

• Date – May 7th, 2022 
• Venue – Golden Hill Park
• Address – 2590-2596 Golden Hill Drive, San Diego, CA 9 2102, United States

San Diego Brew Fest

Drink, Eat and Play, an LA-based event production company, presents the San Diego Brew Festival, 2022. The festival features 200 different beers from over 70 breweries and San Diego’s finest food trucks. 

Guests will get a chance to enjoy different craft beers and a myriad of activities, including lawn games and live music from cover bands.

• Date – January 8th, 2022
• Venue – Liberty Station NTC Park
• Address – 2455 Cushing Road, San Diego, CA 92106

North Bay Food Truck Festival

Unlike other festivals with different themes, the North Bay Food Truck Festival is exclusively for food trucks. The festival brings together all the food trucks in the North Bay area for a fun and family-friendly foodie event. 

• Date – February 20th, 2020
• Venue – Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building
• Address – 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, United States. 

Uncorked Wine Festival

For lovers of wine, the Uncorked Wine Festival presents yet another incredible wine-tasting event. The upcoming event will be a celebration of the festival’s 6th anniversary. It will feature over 150 different wines from across the globe and local food trucks.

The festival has an age restriction of 21 years and above. 

• Date – January 29th, 2022
• Venue – Union Station Los Angeles
• Address – 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States

Food Truck Entry Requirements At A Food Truck Festival

To enroll your truck at a food truck festival, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Getting licenses and permits for 24 to 48-hour vending privileges
• Get a temporary insurance policy to cover off-site events

Get Your Food Truck Ready For The Festival

At Legion Food Trucks, we provide quality food truck services from set-up to branding and licensing to ensure the trucks meet legal requirements. Contact us today to get your food truck set up in good time for the SoCal festivals. 

The post Food Truck Festivals Coming Up in 2022 appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

Five Tips to Expand Your Food Truck Business

Dedicate Time to Social Media

Social media platforms play a crucial role in promoting brand recognition, making them a must-have marketing tool for food truck ventures. Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp are some powerful and easy-to-use platforms to help you connect with customers. Besides, you can provide updates detailing the location of your food truck in real-time while responding to customer questions and reading reviews to better your business. This allows you to attract a considerable following and discover areas you need to improve to grow your mobile kitchen.

Change Up Your Menu

Generally, most people buy from you because of the particular foods you make. These are items that have given you a lot of success and sustained your business since you began. But as you grow and expand your fleet, changing your menu – depending on the season – allows you to attract more people and grow your customer base. Food trucks usually perform best during sunnier days. So, during winter, offer warmer foods to keep up with seasonal changes. It is an effective way to come up with creative recipes suited for different seasons, allowing you to operate all year round.

Start Catering

Like any other business, food truck ventures face a range of challenges, with the weather being a significant concern. Another major setback is access to occasions such as weddings, festivals, and special events. Catering helps you address these situations and opens up a new window of sales opportunities. Catered foods for events, corporate gatherings, or luncheons enable you to build relationships with local businesses, besides reaching more customers. This accelerates the growth and expansion of your food truck fleets.

Monitor Your Metrics

It isn’t easy to contemplate growth if you don’t keep records of your monthly sales, including your inventory, as well as operational and labor costs. Understanding your inventory helps you determine when to stock, while sales reports allow you to learn about items that sell best. Thus, it is important to start leveraging metrics to save costs and better your sales on a daily basis. Having such knowledge is crucial to building a strategic plan to increase your profit margins and grow your food truck fleets.

Consider Financing Options

Once you have better management of your business, introduced catering, and already have your name out there, seek financing to help you expand more efficiently. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is a better option for adding more food trucks and growing your brand. Banks, credit unions, and online lenders are also great alternatives to seeking financing.

Expand Your Fleet With Legion Food Trucks

Expanding your food truck business begins with learning practical strategies that guarantee growth without stressing your business. With the above tips, you will be able to expand your food truck fleet and reach your potential. At Legion Food Trucks, we can help you bring your food truck ideas to life with our unique builder tools. Contact us to find out more today!

The post Want to Expand Your Food Truck Business? Here are Some Tips! appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

1. New York

Food truck success tends to boom in New York City, where commuters are always searching for a quick meal. Jiannetto’s Pizza got its start as the original “Pizza Truck” in 1998. It remains one of the most popular food trucks in the state, serving classic Sicilian slices and other Italian favorites.

Luke’s Lobster is also a favorite among New Yorkers, famous for its delicious seafood sandwiches. While Luke’s Lobster started in a small shack, it has since branched out with 22 new locations in 11 cities. Two of those locations are roving food trucks in New York City.

2. Pennsylvania

The Keystone State is a welcoming place for food trucks, two of which were even featured on CNBC News. The Cow and Curd primarily serves fried cheese curds, a favorite among foodies in the Midwest. Located in Philly, this food truck is so popular that it frequently caters to business events and festivals.

Also located in Philadelphia, the Mac Mart truck serves up a variety of gourmet mac and cheese bowls. There are 19 dishes to choose from, plus the decadent mac and cheese sandwich served on thick, buttery bread. Like many other food trucks, the Mac Mart’s success eventually led to the opening of a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

3. Florida

The city of Miami is one of the best places for up-and-coming food truck vendors, home to Miami Food Trucks Events. In Haulover Park, guests can choose from several food trucks while enjoying free parking and live DJ music. The company also holds events in Pelican Harbor and Tropical Park.

Miami is also home to El Orgullo Latino Kitchen, famous for its eye-popping truck design and selection of flavorful Mexican dishes. J’s Cone Zone is a fun Orlando destination that specializes in ice cream treats and milkshakes. The Nutritruck in Tampa also proves that a food truck can distribute healthy food and still be popular.

4. Ohio

Columbus is another popular place for food trucks, including the creative Sock Hop Soda Shop. The truck itself serves delicious soda floats and sandwiches, but the presentation really makes it stand out. The servers wear 50s-style soda fountain uniforms and the truck’s exterior is themed to match.

Dessert trucks are quite common in Columbus, like Kooky’s Cookies and Amish Country Donuts. For some more substantial fare, taco and BBQ trucks also seem to be popular with Ohio customers. 

Bringing Your Food Truck Ideas to Life

As you can see, even a food truck located outside of California still has a lot of potential. If you’re ready to take your restaurant business on the road, don’t hesitate to contact us at Legion Food Trucks. We can help you design a unique truck and choose the best locations to operate in your state.

The post 4 States Where Food Trucks Are Popular The Most in the USA appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.