Food vans are gaining popularity across the UK and it's easy to see why. Food vans offer a convenient, fast and easy way to enjoy fresh, delicious food at events. They can be used to cater many outdoor meal, from snacks at concerts to full-on office team lunches and even elaborate weddings. There's a food van for every craving.
How do food van operators drive steady growth for their small business? Through tasty food and even tastier profit margins. In this list, you'll find out what today's most profitable food van items are, and why eaters can't get enough of them!
Most Profitable Food Van Item #10: Breakfast
Let's kick the countdown off with the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is a great example of the trifecta food trucks need to succeed: low ingredient cost, high profitability, and massive eater demand.
Classic breakfast items like toast, eggs, mushrooms, beans, and tomatoes are easy to prep and delicious to boot. They're also cheap to buy in bulk and are a good option for customers on-the-go who want something fast but filling.
Roll up to a morning event with breakfast food options, and you'll be swimming in sales by lunch.
Most Profitable Food Van Item #9: African Cuisine
African dishes like Jollof rice, fufu, and egusi can be cooked in large batches and served up quick and easy. What's more, these diverse meals offer diners unique flavours they can't find anywhere else!
The simplicity of African meals is a major advantage to food van owners. It keeps costs low and allows for customisation in both cooking and serving.
Most Profitable Food Van Item #8: Grilled Cheese
A great grilled cheese sandwich is unmatched. These sammies are quick to cook, even during a rush, and make the perfect food for eaters of any age, any time of day! The clever mobile cook can whip up all sorts of different handhelds to give them the edge over their competitors.
With just a few cheap ingredients, grilled cheese sandwiches are always a top seller. Savoury, sweet, or something in-between, the perfect grilled cheese will melt your customers hearts.
Most Profitable Food Van Item #7: Indian Cuisine
There are thousands of South Asian restaurants in the United Kingdom, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Indian dishes top the charts when it comes to the most-ordered cuisines.
Classic Indian recipes like curry, roti, and puri can be prepared (and eaten) from a food van conveniently. Through the culture's iconic range of spices, transforming inexpensive ingredients into flavour powerhouses is easy, too!
Most Profitable Food Van Item #6: Chips
It's no secret that chips are the perfect street food. They're fast, always affordable, and demand nothing of eaters beyond their own fingers. If you're a food van operator, you'd love them too! Potatoes are some of the cheapest vegetables in the world, and they're an easy add-on to boost food sales.
Chips also have a sneaky benefit up their sleeve. They can be served on their own or added on to any kind of truck menu. In the world of food vans, only one question stands between you and success: Would you like chips with that?
Most Profitable Item #5: Tacos
As you know, tacos are the ultimate food truck favourite. Chefs adore tacos for their flavours and convenience, and food van owners adore their sizzling ROIs. Tacos are a great way of maximising the value of your ingredients, and consumer demand for variety is always high.
The perfect taco isn't a baked in recipe anywhere in the world, and that's a major add. By crafting tacos suited to your locale, you can win over the hearts of customers and gain a competitive advantage that's muy bueno.
Most Profitable Item #4: Thai Cuisine
From Pad Thai to Poh Pia Tod, the ease of preparing massively popular Thai classics makes them ideal for any mobile eatery!
Thailand's street ingredients may be inexpensive, but they're certainly not lacking in flavour. Take a cue from Bangkok's street food legends and put Thai on your menu today!
Most Profitable Item #3: Pizza
There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked pizza rolling in! The combination of oven and motor is obvious. Food trucks are built for rapid heating, which makes pizza-making a no brainer.
You can offer a wide range toppings to appeal a diverse set of taste buds.
The art of making pizza is also famously inexpensive. Skilled chefs create masterpieces with nothing more than some flour, water, tomatoes, and cheese, keeping profits high.
Most Profitable Item #2: Burgers
Nothing's more emblematic of a great day outdoors than a flame-grilled hamburger. Burger vans are always a hit with diners. They're hot, tasty, and ultra-convenient — no cutlery required!
At an event, the simplicity of putting a burger together makes it easy to serve up one after another. In fact, simplicity is a burgers best asset for food truck entrepreneurs. Creating the perfect hamburger takes only a few staple ingredients, setting the ideal profit margin for financial success. Rev up your food van's grill and start selling your signature burger!
Most Profitable Item #1: Barbecue
The most profitable food truck dishes strike the perfect balance between cost, labour, and sales. Nothing exemplifies that balance more than barbecue.
Not only is it easy to toss some choice meats and veggies on the fire, but it's also quick and cheaper than other options. Also, the delicious aroma of barbecue is like free advertising!
With some simple spices, sauces, and seasonings, you can make any kind of BBQ your own.
Let Otter help your food truck hit the road!
Now that you know what the most profitable food truck items are, it's time to drive the business! If you're ready to optimise your food van's menu, data, and delivery orders, there's no better way than with Otter's digital restaurant services. An Otter subscription empowers every aspect of your van's operations, keeping your tank and your wallet full.
