Design Your Own Food Truck
FOOD TRUCK PROJECT
Synopsis:
The gourmet food truck craze has hit many cities in North America. Food trucks
have become so popular that there is even shows called EAT ST. and The Great
Food Truck Race. Some cities even have street food parks where gourmet food
carts can congregate and sell their delicious food. Many of these food trucks
aren’t selling your typical hot dogs and fries; they are coming up with interesting
foods for people to eat on the go. These chefs and entrepreneurs are also using
the power of social media (i.e. tweeting their location for their followers) to build
“buzz” surrounding their food truck.
HOWEVER, the foundation of their success is great tasting, inventive food that is
handmade using local, seasonal ingredients...and a lot of passion!
Assignment:
SO, you have been selected to create a new food truck venue in the Highlands.
The winning TOP 3 Food Truck designs and menus will receive an award
(certificate) for the best design, and a food treat of their choice!!
What food truck design will you create?
NOW go Design your own food truck, complete with logo, menu, business cards,
and advertisement to show Highlands that this food phenomenon isn’t just a
trend, but something that adds character, can bring media attention to the city
and fill a need for great tasting, interesting and diverse food.
The food has to be able to be prepared in a food truck and be able to be eaten
with your hands or one utensil (i.e. a spoon or a fork). The concept has to be your
own; do not copy something off the show or another actual business.
Steps:
 Select the type of food truck you are interested in
 Select a name for the food truck
 Design a marketing slogan
 IF YOU CHOOSE TO construct a Food Truck, try using recycled items (see
supplies below)
 Be creative and use only materials available without purchasing any other
supplies Recycled supplies:
Construction paper, or empty cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, oatmeal
boxes, shoeboxes or soda bottles.
Note: Empty cereal boxes may be used by pulling apart the glued edges and
reversing the box to the unprinted side. Cover the box with butcher or
construction paper. Wheels may be made with empty water bottles and
straws or large plastic lids.
Required Elements:
1. Menu Items:
You will need to come up with 10 dishes, 5 drinks, 3 desserts for your
food truck that compliment each other. What you cannot do is a
standard French fry cart or simple hot dog stand. Be creative and put
some creativity and passion in what you want to serve to your
customers. You will need recipes for the food items you create.
2. Name of your Food Truck:
The name of your food truck should be creative and catchy and possibly
give customers a hint of what’s in store for them if they stop at your
establishment.
3. Truck Design:
The outside of the truck should be eye-catching and make people want
to stop...since they haven’t tried your amazing food yet. Once you get
them to the window, it’s up to you to wow them with your food! You
must design the inside of the truck as well. You have to think about
safety and sanitation (fridges, hand washing sink, compartment sink for
washing dishes). You have to design the inside based around the menu
items you are serving. You should think about where equipment will be
placed, how the flow will work, etc...
4. Food Presentation:
Brainstorm about how you will serve the food. You must have the menu
decided before you will decide on the container in which you will serve
your food items. Type of container, impact on the environment and ease
of eating your food from the container is very important.
5. Food Prices:
Determine how much to charge: pricing is very important in the food
industry... charge too much and people may not buy, charge too little
and you won’t be in business for very long. Customers need to feel like
they are getting value for their money. One of the advantages of
gourmet food trucks is that they are an affordable way to be exposed to
really good food that is of restaurant quality.
6. Equipment:
You will determine what equipment is required to prep, cook, serve and
clean your dishes out of your food truck.
7. Rationale: why The Highlands should have food trucks.
The following is a list of items that should be included in your project in order to
help you be successful.
• Title Page (name, period, date)
• Food Truck Theme
• Food Truck Name
• Food Truck Design & Logo (outside) 3D Model (template included)
• Food Truck Equipment Layout Sketch (inside)
• Food Truck Equipment List (to prep, cook, serve and clean)
• Menu Items with Cost Sheet
• Rationale (why The Highlands should have food trucks)
FOOD TRUCK EXAMPLES
Here are some amazing examples of Food Trucks designs. Look and see if these
inspire you when creating your Food Truck!
Playball!
Food:
Popular food from MLB ballparks
(Garlic Fries from AT&T; Dodger Dogs from Dodger Stadium; Churro Dogs from Chase
Field; etc.)
Inspiration:
Baseball season
Possible Collaborations:
Major League Baseball
Rocko’s Modern Pies
Food:
Australian Meat Pies
Inspiration:
Rocko’s Modern Life
Possible Collaborations:
Hugh Jackman because he’s super Australian, Mate!
Barn Burner
Food:
Smoked Pork Butt, Smoked Ribs, Smoked Chicken, Smoked
Brisket
Baked Beans, Bacon Baked Beans, Red Cabbage Slaw, Corn on
the Cob
Cornbread and Hawaiian Rolls
Inspiration:
Love for BBQ, especially smoked meat
Possible Collaboration:
Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
International Goodies
Food:
Food that 10 different countries are known for
Inspiration:
Diversity in the USA
Bringing countries and people together through food
Possible Collaborations:
10 different restaurants to learn about the different cuisines
Rolling Garden
Food:
Smoothies, yogurt, fruit salads
FRUIT ALL THE TIME FOREVER
Inspiration:
I loooove fruit and it’s often hard to get fresh fruit sometimes when
you’re out and about, so a food truck would be AWESOME!
Possible Collaborations:
Local farmers and maybe a homeless outreach program, because
everyone deserves a chance to make a living and eat fresh, tasty,
and healthy fruit. It would also be cool to collaboration with Jamba
Juice or another froyo store.
Sweet Dreamz
Food:
Dessert, donuts, ice cream, cookies, cupcakes, etc.
Inspiration:
Everyone loves dessert.
Dessert people rule the world.
Possible Collaborations:
Local bakers that make unique desserts like Saffron + Rose Ice
Cream Shop
Mamma Mia
Food:
Italian drinks and coffees – Expresso, Coffee specialties, Aperol
Spritz, wine, Italian beers
Snacks – mini pizzas, olives, burrata, mini meatballs, small
portions of pasta, etc.
Inspiration:
Italian Aperitinvo hour – In Italy, (and in Spain) you go in a bar or
cafe in the afternoon and you buy one drink and there is a buffet
of snacks that comes with it for free. In this instance, you would
buy a drink and get a snack.
Possible Collaborations:
International Coffee, local wineries, Aperol Liquer
Sugar + Spice
Food:
Waffles (with a specialty apple pie flavor)
Cinnamon and nutmeg mixed into the batter
Inspiration:
Looking at dessert trucks always makes me hungry
Possible Collaboration:
Sorted Food because those guys are pretty rad
I Scream for Ice Cream
Food:
Ice cream sundaes!
Monthly rotation of new ice cream flavors
Toppings: fudge, caramel sauce, cookie crumbles, pecan honey
praline, seasonal fruits, caramelized bananas, and Maraschino
cherries
Inspiration:
My deep and undying love for ice cream.
Possible Collaborations:
Ben and Jerry’s or Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams!
Her crazy good ice cream flavors (sweet corn + blackberry, Bangkok peanut, coconut