Why you should Build an app for your food truck business?

You should create a food truck app.
Food trucks are a trend in USA and people absolutely love it. While there were less than 10,000 food trucks in USA a decade ago, the total number is three times over now.
Moreover, with the growing popularity of the good truck business, there are a lot of people who want to start their own or boost sales of the existing one.
How do you do it?
The answer is a food truck app!
In 2023, mobile apps are driving every business. With the right idea and partner, you can create a food truck app and generate sky rocketing revenue.
In this blog, you will learn all about food truck apps.

The Growing Trend of Food Trucks in USA: Market Insight

Food Trucks are part of US culture. From the north old state to New York the City of dreams and down to Texas, you can find a variety of food trucks.
In fact, today, there are more than 36,324 food truck businesses in the U.S. Yes, they are making a lot of money.
The industry is generating $2.7 billion in revenue.
You think this is amazing? Well, wait till you hear this: The food truck industry’s market size has grown by an average of 4.9% each year from 2018 to 2023.
As of 2023, the industry’s market value is $1.49 billion, up from 2020s $1.1 billion.

This is the reason why so many people want to start their own food trucks. And those who already have a food truck want to build a food truck app.
Well, if you are either one of these, here are some answers to questions you might be having:

Is the food truck industry competitive?

Yes, the food truck industry is competitive.
The reason is that food truck businesses don’t just have to compete with the other trucks, but also traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants.
But don’t lose hope, because you can competitive advantage with the food truck app.

What is the success rate of food trucks?

The success rate of food trucks is 40%. More specifically, roughly 40% of all food trucks are still in business after 3 years.
But it is proven that food truck businesses have boosted their businesses with help of a mobile app.

Are food trucks a good investment?

The answer is a big YES!
One advantage of a food truck business is the lower start-up costs compared to a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant.
A food truck can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of opening a restaurant, and it allows for greater flexibility in terms of location.
Another advantage is the ability to reach a wider audience. A food truck can move around to different locations, catering to different crowds and events.
This can help increase exposure and build a loyal customer base.

So, What’s A Food Truck App Exactly?

Food truck app this, food truck app that, but what the heck is a food truck app?
In simple words, food truck apps are mobile apps that are based around the food truck, the mobile food-related businesses.
What these apps do is, allow the food truck business to reach out to more customers. And also helps people locate the food truck.
As such, the main function of the food truck app depends on its type. Speaking of which, let’s look at some of the popular types of food truck apps.

Types of Food Truck Apps

Some of the popular food truck app types are, as mentioned:

• Food Truck Locator App

As the name suggests, the food truck locator app allows users to find their favorite food truck. This is a good concept considering the fact that food trucks aren’t at the same location most of the time

• Food Truck Ordering Mobile App

There are a lot of food delivery apps like DoorDash in the market. But with help of a food truck ordering mobile app, you can allow your customer to get food delivered to their doorstep an on-demand app.

• Food Truck Booking App

This is yet another top food truck app. You see, food truck booking apps are something that has a good response in the market and is also beneficial for the food truck businesses.

• Food Truck Review App

This type of food truck app allows customers to leave reviews and ratings of food trucks they’ve visited. It helps other customers decide which food trucks to visit and provides feedback to the owners to help them improve their business.

• Food Truck Events App

This app provides information about food truck events and festivals in a specific area. It includes details about the participating food trucks, dates, and locations.

These are some of the popular types of food truck apps. Let’s see why you should invest in app development.

Why Build A Food Truck App?

One of the first questions anyone asks is why should a Food Truck Business Invest in Food Truck App Development.
This is a very good question. Fortunately, there are a lot of reasons behind it.
Moving on, these are, as mentioned below:

• Boost Revenue

Every business, even “food trucks” wants to generate a lot of revenue. And with this food truck app, you can make millions (potentially).
Don’t believe us? Well, the food truck industry has been generating revenue close to 3 billion dollars. And with an app that boosts your business in every aspect, you can capture a big chunk of it.

• Food Truck Apps Are The Trend

It goes without saying that almost everyone has a smartphone. And these smartphones, have at least 10 apps.
Well, today, we use mobile apps for every other thing, whether it is online shopping, talking to people, socializing, or so and so.
Coming to the point, mobile apps are a trend. And with help of mobile app development, you can join in on this trend.

• More Customer, Loyal Customer

Just like discussed in the previous point, everyone has a phone. And with an app for a food truck, you can reach out to way more customers.
Not only this, but the food truck mobile app also inspired overall higher better loyalty among customers. This is one of the reasons to invest in food truck app development.

•  Improved User Experience

User experience, this is thing is the key component of the business success in 2023. So, how do you deliver better UX?
Well, the answer is simple, with a top-notch mobile app for food trucks. Here’s how it works: the mobile app delivers a menu to users’ phones, and they can order food with it, know the status of their order, the location of the food truck, their schedule, and so on.
Another way how it improves user experience is:

• Effortless Payment

Well, we are in the age of fintech and eWallet has completely replaced our traditional wallets. And good thing is, you can integrate the Digit Wallet solution.
This makes payment easier, and faster and boosts revenue as overall more convenient.

• Better Management

All of the points we discussed above were for the user’s benefit. But there’s another big benefit for the truck itself too.
With the food trucker app, the management gets all that much easier. This is a big reason why every food truck over should build its own food truck app.

Moving on, let’s take inspiration from some of the best food truck apps in the market.

Top 9 Food Truck Apps

Want to create a food truck app of your own? Well, it’s a good idea to learn from the best. And that’s why, in this section of the blog, we shall be going through some of the best food truck apps.

• Truckster | iOS – Android

The first one on our list is truckster. One of the best food truck apps in the market, it let its users find food trucks, menus, and other places. In addition, it also doubles as a food truck delivery app.

• StreetFoodFinder | iOS – Android

StreetFoodFinder is a great app for locating food trucks in your area. With a simple and easy-to-use interface, you can quickly find the nearest food trucks and browse their menus. The app also has a rating system, so you can see what other users thought of the food and service.

• US Foods | iOS – Android

US Foods is another great food truck finder app that has a large database of food trucks across the country. The app allows you to search for food trucks by city or food type, and it also has a feature that lets you set up alerts for when your favorite food trucks are nearby.

• Mobile Nom | iOS – Android

Mobile Nom is a food truck app that is focused on providing users with up-to-date information about food truck locations and menus. The app also has a feature that allows you to track your favorite food trucks and receive notifications when they are nearby.

• Best Food Trucks | iOS – Android

Best Food Trucks is an app that is dedicated to finding the best food trucks in your area. With a database of over 6,000 food trucks, you are sure to find something that suits your tastes.

• TruckFindr- Find Food Trucks | iOS – Android

TruckFindr is an app that allows you to find food trucks in your area and also has a feature that lets you track your favorite food trucks. The app also has a rating system, so you can see what other users thought of the food and service.

• FoodPops: Food Truck Finder | iOS – Android

FoodPops is an app that allows you to find food trucks in your area and also has a feature that lets you save your favorite food trucks. The app also has a blog section that features articles about food trucks and the latest food trends.

• WTF Where’sTheFoodtruck | iOS – Android

WTF Where’sTheFoodtruck is a food truck app that allows you to find food trucks in your area and also has a feature that lets you track your favorite food trucks. The app also has a rating system, so you can see what other users thought of the food and service.

• FoodEaze | iOS – Android

FoodEaze is a food truck app that allows you to find food trucks in your area and also has a feature that lets you save your favorite food trucks. The app also has a map view that shows you the locations of all the food trucks in your area.

Moving on, let’s see how you can create your own food truck app in the next section.

Food Truck App Development Process

So, it’s time to create a food truck app for your business.
To create a successful food truck app, one has to follow a planned process. And to save you the trouble, we have mapped it out for you.
Therefore, with this being said, let’s get right into it:

1. Idea For A Food Truck App

The very first step of app development is, coming up with an idea!
Well, depending on who you ask, this can be the most tedious task or the easiest thing in the world.
In any case, once you have an idea or “Ideas” in your hand, it’s time to research the market.

2. Market Research

Now, it’s time to conduct market research.
This is the part where you get to learn more about the market size, revenue generation opportunities, market openings, competitors, and so on.
Data and information collected in this step are invaluable.

3. Hire App Developer

With all said and done, it’s time to hire a mobile app developer.
Here’s how you can hire them:
– Outsource to an app development company
– Hire freelancers
– Or build an in-house
It’s super easy to find an app developer in 2023. But what’s important is choosing the right one. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing developers:

– Technical Skills
– Communication Skills
– Teamwork and Collaboration
– Attitude and Work Ethic
– Cultural Fit

With a developer by your side, it’s time to take a step further toward food truck app development.

4. Build A MVP

Before we step into full food truck app location development, it’s highly recommended that we create an MVP.
What’s an MVP, you ask? Well, it refers to the bare-bone version of the app which helps you with a great many apps.
Share it with the users on a limited release, share it with stakeholders, and gather feedback. Based on this, you can improve your concept.

5. Create A Plan

It’s time to create a plan. And here’s what we are doing here:
• Choose a Platform: since we are talking about creating an app, you have to choose a platform. The choice goes between Android app development, iOS, or hybrid app development.
• Build A Tech Stack: once you have finalized a platform it’s time to choose a tech stack or build your own.
• Create a Roadmap: sit down with the developer, create a road map and we are ready to go a step forward to creating your own food truck app.
With all said and done, it’s time to create the final version of the app and it starts with designing.

6. Food Truck App Designing

UI/UX Design speaks volumes for the app.
Therefore, when you are creating a food truck app that is entirely based on delivering a better experience, this becomes very important for you.
Thus, pay special attention to it and ensure you are creating a successful food truck app.

7. Food Truck App Development

Moment of truth, it is in this part that on-demand app developers write the source code of the food truck application.
People often ask, how long it takes, and the answer is very long. That’s why we suggest you maintain good communication with the development side.

8. App Testing

Once the app is developed, it’s time to test the thing. That’s what we do in this step.
Mobile app testing ensures the app is up to the market standard and what the customer wanted. Once this is done, it’s time to deploy the app.

9. Launch The Food Truck App

It’s time to deploy the app in the market.
At most, it takes up to 2 weeks depending on the platform. And with this, you can start analyzing the performance.

This is the entire food truck app development process. Moving on, let’s see what some feature you can include.

Feature To Include In Your Food Truck App

So, what are the features that you should include in this on-demand app development project? Here are some suggestions:

User Registration and Login

The app should allow users to create their accounts and log in using their email or social media credentials.

Menu and Ordering

The app should have a menu section that displays all the food items available for purchase. Users should be able to add items to their cart and place their orders.

Social Media Integration

Integrating social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook,  and Twitter will help you reach a wider audience and promote your business. You can also use social media to engage with your customers and build relationships with them.

Real-time Location Tracking

One of the most important features of a food truck app is real-time location tracking. Users should be able to see the current location of the food truck on the map.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are a great way to keep users engaged and informed. You can send notifications about new menu items, special offers, or upcoming events.

Ratings and Reviews

Allowing users to rate and review your food truck will help you improve your service and attract more customers.

Tips To Make Your Food Truck App A Success

Mobile app development is on the rage. And there are thousands of people making new apps everyday.

So, if you don’t want to be another one of the numbers and want to create a successful food truck app, here’s what you should do:

Listen To User’s Demand

What makes an app successful? Appeasing the customers and giving them what they want. And most of the time, users tell you what they want. All you have to do is listen to them and optimize the food truck app accordingly.

Keep It Simple

The best advice anyone can give you about a food truck app project or any mobile app for that matter is, to keep it simple.

Most of the time overly complex apps are the bane of users and as we have seen on the top platforms above, simple apps take the prize.

Market The App

Last but not the least, never underestimate the power of mobile app marketing.

With the right strategies, you can make your app to millions of users, convert them into customers, and generate millions.

Cost To Build A Food Truck App

One big question a lot of people ask when creating a food truck app is, how much is it going to cost?

Well, the cost depends on many things such as complexity, type of app, platform, etc, the cost can highly differ.

The average cost to develop the food truck app ranged from $10,000 to $120,000.

For more accurate cost estimation, it’s highly recommended that you consult a mobile app development company.

Are You Ready To Grow Your Business With A Food Truck App?

If you own a food truck business, you know how important it is to have a strong online presence. With the increasing popularity of food trucks, it’s essential to have a mobile app that allows customers to easily find and order from your truck.

That’s where Nimble AppGenie comes in. As an app development company, we specialize in creating custom mobile apps for businesses of all sizes. Our team of experienced developers can work with you to create a food truck app that meets your specific needs and helps you grow your business.

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Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.