Food Trucks - Keep it Clean!

During the 20 years that I owned a limousine company there were numerous times customers commented on how clean and like new our vehicles were. Some commented that even in the middle of a snowy winter’s day the car pulled up sparkly clean. Others commented on how upon entering the vehicle it always felt like they were entering a brand new car. Most often comments referenced both the interior and exterior cleanliness. 

Over the past year I have been very fortunate to have visited over 250 food trucks and have eaten at most of them. Often I have been invited inside to take a tour of the compact kitchen, cooking, and storage area. Time and time again I have been impressed by how clean and organized they have been kept. Food truck owners care deeply about their truck. Not only the quality of the food and menu, but also the food truck name, logo, color, and vehicle wrap are carefully considered and proudly put on display every day.  

When considering colors there is a clear consensus from those I have talked that own limousines or food trucks that black and darker colors are the toughest to keep clean and that white and grey vehicles appear cleaner than they may actually be. On more than one occasion we have visited Stephen and Mandy on wintery days in Denver and have found The Crock Spot looking spotless. 

The exterior cleanliness of a food truck does have a significant impact that a food truck makes. 

Here are some tips for keeping the exterior of your food truck clean:

Start with the tires. Shiny tires can be mesmerizing and keep other blemishing from being noticed.  There are numerous inexpensive ways to keep your tires shiny. Using vegetable oil is an easy way to keep tires shiny while using a product that may already be on board the truck. 

Move to the windows, and not just the serving window.  A dusty haze, splattered bugs, and fingerprints on any of your food truck windows can leave a bad first impression.  A simple solution made up equally of distilled vinegar and water will do the trick.  Simply use this solution in a spray bottle with paper towels or newspaper and dry them quickly.  The result is a super easy way for sparkling streak free windows. 

Clean it without washing it. There is nothing like giving your truck a full bath and wash, but there is probably not time to do it as often as desired. There are numerous waterless car wash solutions or petrochemical sprays that used with a microfiber rag will keep the visible areas of your food truck clean in between full washes.