How food truck hire works
When you hire a food truck for a private event, the truck comes to you and serves your guests only. You agree a menu, numbers and timings in advance. On the day, the team arrives, sets up, serves for an agreed time, then packs down and leaves. Your guests don’t pay; you pay the caterer, usually on a per-person basis, a flat fee or a combination with a minimum spend.
That’s different from inviting a trader to a public event, where they sell to the public and may pay you a pitch fee. If you’re organising a festival, fair or market, see our guide for festival organisers.
Truck, van or trailer?
Mobile caterers work from trucks, vans and trailers. For you as a client, the difference matters less than you might think. What counts is:
- Whether it can physically get to where you want it, through gates and under trees or arches
- Whether the ground can take its weight
- What power and water it needs, and whether it brings its own
- How quickly it can serve your numbers
A trailer is towed and then unhitched; a truck or van is driven into place. Either way, ask the caterer for the space and access it needs, and check them against your venue.
Why people choose a food truck
- No kitchen needed. The truck is the kitchen, so it suits gardens, fields, barns, car parks and venues without catering facilities.
- Hot food, cooked to order. Food comes from the truck fresh, rather than sitting on a buffet.
- Relaxed and social. Queuing at the truck gets people talking, and street food suits mixed ages.
- Easy for mixed diets. A good menu covers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free guests from the same hatch.
- It looks the part. A food truck in the corner of a field or courtyard becomes part of the event.
What it costs
Prices vary widely depending on guest numbers, menu, service time, staff and travel. Some caterers publish a per-person price, others a flat fee for a set number of hours, and many have a minimum spend. For example, at the time of writing The Taco Box publishes trailer hire from £1,750 for two hours, and Add to Event’s wedding guide gives an average of £10–£15 per head for a wedding food van, with premium options at £15–£20. Prices change and each includes different things. Our guide to Mexican catering costs lists more published prices, with links, and explains what affects them.
What your venue needs to know
Before you book, check with your venue that it allows outside caterers and vehicles, and whether there are any fees or rules. Then share these details with your caterer:
- Where the truck can park, and a photo of the spot
- Access: gate widths, height limits, tight bends, soft ground
- Whether there’s power, and what type and how far away
- Whether there’s water nearby
- Any noise rules or curfews
- Arrival and departure times allowed
Our space and power checklist goes through each of these in detail.
Choosing the menu
Street-food menus work best when they’re focused. For a Mexican food truck, that usually means tacos with two or three fillings, plus a vegan option, salsas, guacamole and toppings, and perhaps burritos, burrito bowls, nachos or quesadillas. Our menus are agreed with each client, with fillings such as slow-cooked pork carnitas, chicken tinga, beef birria, al pastor-style pork, and vegan options like spiced mushrooms or black beans. Keeping choices short keeps the queue moving.
Serving speed and queues
Every food truck has a pace. Ask how many guests the caterer expects to serve in your time window, and how they’ll manage a rush. For larger groups, a build-your-own taco bar beside the truck, or calling tables up in turn, can spread the queue. For weddings, decide whether food is a sit-down meal or a more relaxed service, because it changes the plan. Our guide to having a food truck at a wedding covers this.
Drinks and licensing
Some food trucks also offer a drinks bar. If alcohol is being sold at your event, including when it’s part of a ticket price, the event usually needs a licence. Many venues already have a premises licence; for other sites, a Temporary Event Notice from the local council can cover a smaller event. We’ll check the licensing with you if you’d like our Mexican drinks bar.
A typical day
Every event is different, but the shape of the day is usually similar. The caterer arrives some time before service to park, level the truck and set up. Fillings have been slow-cooked in advance and are finished and kept hot on site, while salsas and guacamole are made fresh and tortillas are warmed to order. Service runs for the agreed time, with guests ordering at the hatch or helping themselves from a taco bar. Afterwards the team clears the serving area and packs down. Agree arrival, service and departure times with your caterer and your venue, so nobody is surprised.
Food trucks for different events
- Weddings: as the wedding breakfast, as evening food, or both. See our Mexican wedding catering guide.
- Birthdays and garden parties: a truck on the drive or at the edge of the garden, with guests eating on the lawn.
- Work events: staff parties, summer socials and team days, often with a set lunch window. See corporate Mexican catering.
- Festivals and fairs: trading to the public, with very different paperwork and pitch arrangements.
Booking tips
- Enquire early for summer Saturdays and December.
- Give your caterer real numbers, not guesses, and update them as RSVPs come in.
- Get the menu, timings, site needs and price in writing.
- Ask what’s included: staff, plates, napkins, cutlery and waste.
- Share the caterer’s contact with your venue so they can sort access directly.
Our truck and trailer service covers London and the South East and usually suits around 50 to 400 guests. Contact us for a quote through our quote form.
Quick answers
How much space does a food truck need?
It varies by vehicle. Ask the caterer for the footprint and access needed, then add space for a queue.
Does a food truck need power?
Many do. Ask what’s needed and whether the caterer brings it, and confirm in writing.
Can a food truck serve in the rain?
Usually, yes. Guests will need somewhere covered to eat, though.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll suggest a menu and send a quote for your event.