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Posted on 02/10/2020 by Tammie Nolte, Big Fat Writer
"The food truck industry has forcefully evolved into a hyper-organized ladder where food trucks reside at the very bottom," says food truck owner Ram Mann. In a new documentary, Mann shares his experience in the Los Angeles food truck industry. FoodTruckBooking looks behind the food truck for similarities and solutions statewide, nationwide and even worldwide.
Ram Mann owns Swami’s Sandwiches and started his food truck 4 years ago "with the hopes and dreams of becoming a chef. Believing that the only thing standing in my way was myself. I couldn’t have been more wrong."
"What I naively thought would be an independent venture, free to carve out my own path, turned out to be a very structured, organized and rigid business where I have very little control," explains Mann and his wife Christy in a day-in-the-life documentary.
The documentary went live on YouTube on February 1, 2020. Ram & Christy told us they are already gathering positive reactions and seek more team spirit among peers.
"We've definitely received lots of support from other food trucks and other cities around the country. We're all fighting the same battle, although Los Angeles might be a little further along than other cities. It's extremely important that food trucks work together to ensure a vibrant future!"
In his early food trucking days, Mann says booking companies charged around 10% of one day’s total sales. But prices have become bloated since he started 5 years ago. “Very often these flat fees end up being 20% or 30% of sales,” Mann says.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mann says he believes some booking companies are using a ‘flat-fee’ system to unfairly squeeze food trucks who already have tight, small or impossible margins,
“Bookers essentially control in-demand parking spots in areas with high visibility and foot traffic. They build promotional services into the fees they charge, such as hosting lunch-hour events outside office buildings,” writes LA Times restaurant critic Patricia Escárcega.
Read Ram Mann’s full story in the LA Times
Some booking companies and event organizers have run food truckers' profits into the ditch. A different business model could relieve the huge fees and percentages. FoodTruckBooking is new to the US, but making efforts to support those working the hardest in the industry: the food truckers.
FoodTruckBooking Co-Founder Onno Van Gent, “Of course, we love food and the trucks. We first toyed with the idea of starting a food truck. We quickly learned that a lot is involved in running a truck. Our professional marketing skills and SEO knowledge were a better fit to help food trucks attract more business. So, we developed a business model similar to AirBnB or Uber for food trucks, but without the service fees.”
The unique business model charges a yearly subscription fee starting at $9.90 a month, but does not charge catering fees per booking to trucks or clients. The FoodTruckBookingmodel has been proven to work in Europe where it's the largest booking agency.
How does it work
“Food truckers talk directly with their own clients. They control their profiles, photos, menus and their prices. We bring clients to the website and we are the matchmakers,” says Van Gent. “We are customer-friendly and food truck-friendly.”
“What’s been working for us are our tested recipes for SEO technology to help drag us to the top of the search engines,” says Gent. "It's not always the fastest way to the top, but it's a sustainable way to do business for all of us."
“Our secret sauce has been to take care of the food trucks and their profits. FoodTruckBooking makes it easier to gain more business, make more bookings and we let the food truckers control their own corner of the market. Now the secret’s out.”
To be part of the solution, FoodTruckBooking is handing out 100 FREE PRO MEMBERSHIPS to food trucks who may be struggling or just want a better deal and more bookings.
Join us today. 1 Year. Free. No strings.
No catering fees. No booking fees for you or your clients.
Build a profile and be in control of your food truck business.
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