How should you design your food truck menu board?

In some way, your menu board needs to be just as appetizing to your customer as it is when the customer sees the actual meals your food trailer prepares. No, this doesn’t mean you should have images of your food on your menu board, per se. Instead, your menu should be visually appealing. Close your eyes and imagine the menu of your favorite restaurant, or even fast food, in this case. Is the menu simple, bold or brilliant? How is the text formatted? Chances are, the menu at your favorite place is aesthetically pleasing in one way or another.

So what does having a good menu have to do with your catering truck? All. Your menu lends credibility to your food, especially when a new customer stops by your mobile food stand. If your menu board is confusing, boring, or just plain ugly, you’ll lose visitors before you have a chance to convert them into customers.

Remember, your menu board is a message from you to your customers. Their job is to sell their meals. To use this tool effectively, the board must communicate the right messages and guide guests to the most beneficial items.

So how should you design the menu board for your food truck?

First of all, consider the theme and concept of your truck. Is there a specific font and color scheme that you use to decorate your food trailer? If so, you may want to use them on your menu board. However, if the fonts are difficult to read in smaller type, consider using more legible font types such as “Times New Roman” or “Arial.” The same principle applies to color; make sure the color is easily readable in the background color of the menu board.

When designing your board, you should also carefully plan your menu design. Side dishes, entrees, and desserts should be grouped into titled sections, just as they are found on restaurant menus. The description of each article must not occupy more than two lines below each title. The description area is an opportunity to describe and sell the product to the customer. It must be simple and attractive. No one wants to read a novel when they’re ordering a meal, especially at a mobile food stand.

In addition to your menu board, you may want to create print materials to hand out to your customers when they visit the booth. These types of materials also serve as advertising promotions, since the client can show the menu to their friends or hang it at work. You can also offer a catering menu, if you want to open up this opportunity for your mobile food stall. You’ll be surprised how many customers come up to you to ask if you’re on duty.

Here’s my take: Ask a professional graphic designer for help with your menu. It may seem like a simple task that you want to complete on your own, and I get it. But this is a graph that all of your clients are going to see every day. And, if you create accompanying print materials, this menu will get even more exposure. It’s critical that your food truck brand is always represented in a positive light, especially when your delicious foods aren’t there to back you up.