6 Tips To Winterize Your Food Trailer

1. Winterize your food trailer

Icy conditions and low temperatures affect more than just your clientele, and you need to make sure that your food trailer is prepared for the chilly winter months. One essential piece every food trailer needs in winter are good snow tires. Food trailers are heavy and prone to slipping and sliding when driving in inclement weather, but snow tires provide more traction to make driving safer. You will also want to make sure the sidewalks and pathways to your truck are clear of snow and safe for customers to walk on. It may be a good idea to install heaters inside your food truck as well, so your employees stay warm and comfortable during the winter season.

2. Offer catering services

One way that you can offer your food and also build up your food trailer's brand is to cater weddings, parties and other types of events. Catering events will bring in much needed income in the slow season, and it also gives you a chance to reach people that may have never eaten at your food trailer before and potentially convert them into new customers.

3. Sign up for local events

While events in the winter months aren't as plentiful as they are in the summer and spring, that doesn't mean they should be overlooked. Local gatherings like winter carnivals, tree lightings and holiday showcases can be valuable business opportunities as they generally draw in hungry and thirsty crowds that are looking for something to eat on-site. You should also find out if neighboring towns and cities host monthly events like "First" or "Fourth Fridays," since this will also bring in large groups of people despite the cold temperatures.

4. Create partnerships with local businesses

One of the best ways that you can keep your food trailer profitable in the winter is to make partnerships with other local businesses. For example, you can work with a bar that doesn't offer food to provide hungry customers with delicious treats. Another option would be to reach out to local corporations and large office buildings and see if they'd be willing to do a catered lunch or allow you to park outside their building. You can also offer incentives such as free drinks or discounts to employees to help bring more people out to visit your trailer.

5. Offer seasonal options

The slow winter season is an excellent time to try out new dishes, but, when you're designing new recipes, you want to offer things that are seasonally appropriate. For example, you could debut a new Mexican hot chocolate or a hearty turkey chili. But you will want to stay away from frozen foods or anything that is going to cool your customers down.

6. Find a regular stop

When the weather is nice, people are more likely to go out for lunch and walk around, so it's best that your food trailer finds a spot with consistent foot traffic. In the winter people are less likely to travel long distances for food, so it's imperative that you find a central location that is visible from office buildings. Once you've found your spot for the day, you can also post on your food trailer's social media accounts so your fans know where you're located.