Are you ready for the food truck season?

Food trucks seem to be just about everywhere now – and we’re not complaining; each one more different than the other. But the trucks don’t just differ by their menus. Their food truck designs also differ and play a huge role in grabbing the attention of potential customers. So whether you’re considering getting into the food truck game or you’re just interested in learning how food truck designs are done, get comfy because we’re going to teach ya all about it.

What is a Food Truck Wrap?

A food truck wrap is, in more or less words, a giant sticker. The “sticker” is made of vinyl that is then bonded to the surface of the vehicle. The vinyl wrap is made with a large format printer that is then meticulously installed to fit all of the vehicles curves and corners.

What’s the Process for a Food Truck Wrap Application?

First and foremost, you need a design. Maybe you’ve spent years developing the perfect design in your mind. Or maybe you have absolutely no idea what you want the truck to look like. No matter what stage of the design process you’re in, the help you need is at your disposal. Professionals, like the ones here at MightyWraps, have graphic designers on staff that can help you with developing the perfect design and to make sure it incorporates all of the important design aspects of your brand; colors, logos, fonts, and more.

Part of the design process also includes the essential step of taking proper measurements of the food truck in order for the wrap to be flawlessly installed. Your truck’s design is the first impression your business gets from potential customers, so it’s important you take full advantage of this part of the process.

After the design is complete, that large format printer we mentioned earlier prints it out on a larger scale and is then laminated in order to protect the vinyl. Laminating it prevents UV rays and other scratches and cuts from fading and wearing the wrap away over time.

Once the vinyl wrap is printed, it’s time for the installation. Installation on food trucks can be much more complicated compared to other vehicles due to their odd shapes and the many edges, nooks, and crannies. The wraps are printed in different sections that are made to perfectly fit around those odd-shaped parts of the truck.

For a seamless installation, it is best to leave it up to the professionals, who have all of the tools and expertise necessary to get the job done to your standards, and at a fraction of the time.

What Benefits Can a Food Truck Wrap Provide?

Your food truck wrap is a fantastic marketing tool. On average, food trucks can generate anywhere from 30,000 to upwards of 70,000 impressions in a day – that’s a lot of potential customers! A great design has also been found to be more effective than other traditional forms of marketing.

Also unlike traditional forms of marketing, your food truck wrap is unrestricted by who it reaches. People of all different ages, genders, incomes, and ethnicities can be influenced by your truck’s design.

Before the food truck is wrapped…

After the food is wrapped…

You should also use your truck’s wrap to promote your website and/or social media handles for customers to visit so that they can be kept up-to-date on your location, menu options, events and more.
Wraps are also a great way to maximize your return on investment. Compared to other forms of advertising, vinyl wraps are much more reasonably priced and they also protect the original finish of the truck, which further maximizes your ROI.

Other Common Questions about Food Truck Wraps

Q: How long do food truck wraps last?
A: A high-quality vinyl wrap can last up to 7 years.

Q: Can I remove a food truck wrap?
A:Absolutely! A vinyl wrap, if applied correctly, can be removed at any time and with no damage done to the original finish of the truck. It should look just as it did before the wrap was applied. So whether you’ve come up with a

Q: Do food truck wraps ruin the original paint?
A: A wrap, assuming it is installed by a professional, will not ruin the original paint. It’s important to keep in mind that if the truck’s original paint is in poor condition, some paint may come off during the removal process.

Q: How can I help ensure the wrap is installed seamlessly and removed without any damage done?
A: Inspect your truck before the wrap is installed. Make sure it is clean – and we mean very clean. Remove any graphics and decals and clean any residue left behind. Any excess wax or other finish protectants should also be removed and all rust spots should be sanded.

While we’re at it, let’s throw in some tips for your food truck menu!

Tips for an Awesome Food Truck Menu

• Give your best dishes the best placement. Your best dishes should call out to the customer. List these dishes front and center. Customer’s eyes tend to be drawn towards the upper right-hand corner or the center of the menu, so try placing your most popular dishes in those spots.
• Be resourceful. Save some dollars by changing up a few ingredients on one dish, instead of creating an entirely brand new one. For instance, if you have a burger on your menu, come up with different toppings to create what will seem like a completely different dish; without having to spend much more of your hard-earned money.
• Don’t overwhelm. It’s just not feasible for a food truck to offer 20 different dishes. Keep your menu short with about 6 to 8 dishes. This will both save you money and keep the customers from becoming overwhelmed by the menu options.
• Change it up. Try not to serve the exact same menu every day of the year. Create dishes based around seasonal items and adjust your prices accordingly.
• Use visuals. Get professional photos of your food taken to help further entice customers to order from your menu. As always, don’t get too crazy with the visuals. Create designs that draw attention to, not distract from, whatever it is you want the attention on.
• Proofread. We shouldn’t even have to say this, but we will just in case – proofread! It also isn’t a bad idea to get a fresh pair of eyes to look everything over, either.
• Don’t get too descriptive. Highlight the main ingredients of the dish and use adjectives to really entice the customers, but don’t get too wordy. Include only the relevant information that the customers need.
• Color is key. Stay consistent with your branding. Keep your flow of colors consistent. Also, let the type of cuisine being served inspire the colors that will form your brand.
• Watch your lettering. Never, ever use a font that’s difficult to read! Also, make sure it can be easily read from a distance.
• Ask for opinions. Have family, friends, social media followers, or even strangers try your menu and listen to the suggestions they may offer. After all, the customer knows best, right?
• Consider using numbers. If your dishes may be hard to pronounce for your everyday customer, try using numbers next to the dish name so that the customer won’t be as intimidated to order it, just because they can’t pronounce it.
• Label special dishes. If you’re offering vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or any other similar types of dishes, label them!
• Look at your prices. Offer an array of differently priced menu items. That way people with varying types of budgets can find something from the menu. Also, don’t be afraid to adjust your prices to accommodate for demand or even seasonality of ingredients.

As with most things in life, many factors go into the final cost of a food truck wrap. The size, structure, whether you choose to do a full or partial wrap, the finish of the wrap, design fees, and more all have an effect on what it will cost.

On average, food truck wraps can cost anywhere from $2,500.00 to $6,000.00. While that may seem like a hefty chunk of change, let’s not forget the many benefits a great wrap will provide. Not only will a vinyl wrap protect your investment from the day-to-day wear of cruisin’ the streets, but it also provides an incredibly cost-effective means of marketing. The $2,500 – $6,000 is a one-time fee that advertises your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; whether it’s parked or driving down the street. So, if you can afford to splurge on a wrap for your food truck, it would definitely be beneficial for your business in the long-run.

If it seems like this is out of your price range, don’t give up just yet. There are other alternatives at your disposable that are more affordable. Instead of doing a full wrap, you could consider doing a partial wrap. While a full wrap covers the entirety of the vehicle, a partial wrap will cover smaller sections of the truck. An even more affordable option would be spot graphics, in which a single graphic, such as your logo, is applied to a particular area of your choosing.

As always, discuss your budget with the sales representative you are working with and they will be able to work with you to come up with the best options for your price range.

Now that you know the basics of the vinyl wrapping process and the many benefits they can provide, we hope that you can now feel more confident in choosing the right option for your food truck business!

To schedule your free estimate or to get more information on our vinyl wraps, give MightyWraps a call at (316) 264-1321 – where our staff is ready and willing to help!

We also cater to caterer’s! Check out a couple of the catering vehicle wraps…