Every couple wants their wedding to be the party of the year, which means finding new ways to stand out to guests. There are many ways to go about this, and some newlyweds decide that food trucks are the way to go. Food is a social experience, after all, and with food trucks, you can show off a bit of your personality by offering your favorite options. However, this doesn’t come without a few cons. If you need help deciding whether a food truck reception is for you, read this article to weigh the pros and cons.
Pros of Food Trucks at Weddings
Let’s start with why you should have food trucks at your wedding. This catering option has become more popular over the years for a few reasons:
- It’s budget-friendly
- There’s more variety
- Flexible dining schedule
- It’s a form of entertainment
- It’s easy to clean
Your reception is the time to celebrate your new union, and what better way to do that than with some delicious food? Combining these benefits can make your wedding the party guests talk about for years to come.
They Fit the Budget
Hiring vendors isn’t cheap, and most couples have a tight budget to work with as they plan their wedding. Most of the time, food trucks are less expensive than the traditional three-course meal offered at weddings. This is a great way to save money for other areas of the budget or an exciting honeymoon!
Tastier Options
Most of us know that typical wedding food can be sub-par; it tastes okay, but it’s nothing to call home about. When you have a food truck, cooks prepare food in smaller batches, which means a tastier meal for your guests.
In addition to food tasting better, you can also offer guests more variety in what they get to eat. As you investigate how to plan a food truck wedding, most planners recommend having at least two food trucks for every 75 guests. If you have more than one food truck, you can also offer different types of cuisine. So you could have a burger food truck and a noodle-centric one—this also helps meet various dietary restrictions.
Flexibility in Dining Schedule
When you serve a sit-down meal, everyone eats at the same time. The problem with the traditional dining schedule is that all your guests may not be hungry at once. We all prefer to eat at different times, and if we have a routine, our bodies get used to it. Plus, drinking and dancing at the reception is enough to drive up an appetite. Food trucks accommodate both of these instances by allowing people to grab food whenever they feel ready.
Interesting Entertainment
Let’s face it: something about food trucks is entertaining to most of us. It’s a different mealtime experience and one your guests won’t forget anytime soon. Everyone can enjoy something mouthwatering while also getting a fun experience. Your guests can have a blast dancing and run up to the truck whenever they feel hungry, which means energy for more partying.
Cleanup Is Easy
At a sit-down meal, guests have to wait on staff to pick up their plates after each course, leading to boring lulls of downtime. But with food trucks, guests pick up their meals independently and clean up after themselves. In addition, food trucks often utilize disposable plates and utensils, so cleaning up is even easier.
Bridal Tip
Depending on your venue, you may want to hire a few workers to help keep the areas clean. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of celebrating, and guests may forget to dispose of their trash. Hired help can keep the area clean for better photos and videos of your special day.
Cons of Food Trucks at Weddings
Like anything, food truck weddings also have a few cons that you should weigh out before deciding that this is the perfect option for your wedding. Some of these cons include:
- Guests wait longer
- Venues may not allow it
- Challenges with dietary restrictions
- It’s not traditional
Take note of these cons to determine whether you can easily overcome them. Planning the perfect day is important, but you don’t want to create unnecessary stress.
Guests Wait Longer for Food
Eating is about more than enjoying something delicious; it’s also about socializing with those around us. If you have a long guest list and only a handful of food trucks, guests are stuck waiting in line when they could be talking at a table. And you don’t want to risk anyone getting hangry if they get stuck in an extra-long line.
Waiting in line for food can also impact the dining experience, so you’ll have to decide whether you’ll call up tables to get their food or allow everyone to pick up food at their leisure. If you go with the latter option, you may want to do away with assigned seating since everyone at that table may not have their food at the same time.
Bridal Tip
Make sure you have enough food trucks per number of guests, and consider ditching assigned seating so people can choose who to eat with once they get their food. Think up some fun ways to keep guests entertainedso they have something to do rather than wait in a long line.
Not All Venues Allow Them
Food trucks take up a fair amount of space. Some venues may not be ideal for this, while others simply don’t allow them. Food trucks also require outdoor space at the venue, which means relying on good weather for this catering option. If you’ve already picked out a venue, this may mean deciding whether you’d rather have food trucks at your wedding or that dream venue.
Bridal Tip
If food trucks are a must-have, wait to book a venue until talking to the manager. This way, you’ll know whether you can have an amenity at your wedding. You may have to work closely with your wedding planner to find a beautiful location that accommodates food trucks.
Dietary Restrictions Create Challenges
While you can offer various options to combat some dietary restrictions, it can be difficult to accommodate others. While it may be easy to have options for vegetarian or vegan guests, other guests may have allergies to gluten or other ingredients. Finding food trucks with options to accommodate this isn’t always the easiest task.
Bridal Tip
One great way to deal with allergies and dietary restrictions is to talk to your guests and the food truck owners catering the event. You may be able to add a few items to the menu to keep everyone in attendance happy.
It’s Less Traditional
Some couples value the idea of a traditional wedding, and food trucks go against this idea. Not only are you saying no to a sit-down dinner but also the idea of everyone eating at the same time. This means having less control over things, which some people don’t like, especially at their wedding.
Bridal Tip
Sit down with your partner to decide what’s most important. Do you care more about tradition or creating a unique experience for everyone? This is a matter of opinion, so follow your heart on what matters most.
Tips for Deciding on a Food Truck for Your Wedding
Now that you’ve noted the pros and cons of a food truck reception, it’s time to decide on the perfect food truck. Below, we’ve outlined some of the most important tips to keep in mind as you plan on having food trucks at your reception.
Have Enough Food Trucks
We don’t want to be redundant, but this is vital. Guests shouldn’t feel trapped in long lines because you didn’t hire enough help. Remember, there should be a minimum of two food trucks per 75 guests. If you feel worried about booking this catering option and RSVP time, reach out to the food trucks you want to hire. The owners can give you a better idea of scheduling and ideal time frames. If it comes down to you needing to estimate the number of expected guests, it’s always better to shoot higher than too low.
An Example
Let’s say you’ve invited 150 guests to your wedding and need to book the food trucks before sending out the RSVPs. Since most experts advise two food trucks per 75 guests, a minimum of three trucks would be the middle ground.
Have an Open Menu
Offering several food trucks doesn’t mean more of the same option but instead a wider variety of choices. You could intermix typical dinner foods with breakfast options no matter what time of day your wedding is. Likewise, you could have other options such as:
- Street food
- Vegan food
- Comfort food
- Barbecue food
You could also choose a specific type of food to serve, such as pizza, burgers, or tacos. Think of which options you like best and what would give guests the most variety. Your wedding is about reflecting on things you and your partner love, and this should balance with ensuring guests enjoy themselves.
Have Drink and Dessert Trucks
Finally, make sure you have drink and dessert options! There are plenty of food trucks centered around both so that you can stick with your theme.
Drink Food Trucks
You’ve got a long list of options when it comes to beverages and food trucks. Of course, you can have hot beverage stands for a fall or winter wedding to serve guests cocoa or coffee. But you could also have trucks serving different types of alcohol for a fun twist on a beverage bar.
Dessert Trucks
To some, dessert is one of the key parts of a wedding. If you can’t decide whether to have a traditional cake or dessert food truck, offer both! After you and your partner cut the cake, guests can grab a piece or order something tasty from a cupcake, donut, ice cream, or other sweet food truck.
Deciding on the perfect food truck for your reception becomes easier when you can weigh the pros and cons. Does one outweigh the other? By noting these things early on, you can make the right arrangements to ensure your big day is as perfect as you’ve envisioned it to be.
