When it comes to buying a vehicle for a mobile catering business, it appears that most buyers believe that bigger is better. True. A large food trailer size commonly comes with sufficient space in the trailer. Large commercial fridges, cooking appliances, disposables, and ingredients. All these can be stowed in the trailer for the daily operation of serving all kinds of dishes to customers. It seems that a mobile food trailer with a large room for cooking and serving more customers is a preferred option for the growth of your mobile catering business. Is that true? How about a small mobile food trailer?
A small mobile food trailer, tiny and cheap, is widely considered the last solution for starters who lack sufficient money for food trucks or vans. The kitchen space it gives is too small for cooking, and its mini body makes the business barely discernible on the street where many long trailers and trucks park. But in fact, that's not so. Despite its size, a small food trailer has the same functions and features as any big food trailer, and a proper interior design helps to increase storage space in it. What's more, its light weight allows it to be transported easily. It has ultimate mobility and convenience so that you can run your business at any time.
Today, let's leave any negative preconceived notions about a small mobile food trailer behind and explore its benefits that improve your mobile catering business. Then, you will understand why it is the preference for many starters.
Major Benefits of a Small Mobile Food Trailer
A Good Opportunity with Lower Investment Risk
The category "small mobile food trailer" includes trailers ranging from 7.2ft to 9.8ft in length. Given their small food trailer size and compact design, they have a much more affordable price. Does it mean a low-cost solution for your mobile catering business? Yes! But it is more than that.
Any business entails some risks. If you are a beginner and lack experience in the operation of the food trailer business, it is inexpedient to invest a large sum in a large mobile unit, even if you have a sufficient budget. Why not spend a little on a small one to test the waters first? Having it can save your budget, and the following expenses for insurance, licenses, and maintenance are low. You won't suffer any huge economic loss or go into bankruptcy when your food trailer business fails unluckily. Reselling the vehicle can largely recoup your investment.
More risk has a chance to bring more economic returns, but making a stable investment option with low risks is preferable for most investors in the long term.
Easy Transportation
A food trailer moves with the help of a towing vehicle. Accordingly, a large towing capacity is required when towing a heavy one. In general, a 16ft food trailer is about 1,500kg, much heavier if equipped with kitchen equipment, and it can be towed by an SUV or truck with a large engine and horsepower. However, small sedans are the vehicle that most people have. How about buying a large tow truck for your trailer? To be honest, it probably costs three or four times more than your food trailer.
Small mobile food trailers are relatively light. The 220WD, a small roundtop food trailer, weighs about 500kg, making it more portable. Any compact car is able to tow it while speeding on the street. In addition, light load uses less fuel. A portable mini food trailer can cut your expenditure on gasoline, lowering your daily operating costs.
Go Anywhere Your Customers Are
Do you prefer more locations in a day rather than a fixed stall? High mobility is one of the impressive advantages a small mobile food trailer has. Its small size fits a wide range of public spaces, such as business streets, parks, and the foot of hills, and allows you to reach the places that large food trailers and trucks can not enter. You can even take your food and drinks to someone's backyard for a private catering service! Let's go further and explore more customers with a mini food trailer!
Make the Game Easy for You at the Beginning
It is undeniable that a small mobile food trailer is limited in its storage space, but it actually is an advantage for starters.
Some food trailer owners tend to diversify their menus because they are confident that more choices for customers will bring more profits. They are right, but a long menu leads to the fact that the difficulty of the business is turned up. A large number of dishes on your menu means hefty storage of supplies and food and a wide range of kitchen equipment in your trailer, driving up operational costs. Most importantly, things tend to get messy during hush hours for starters. It is a cumbersome task to cook a large variety of dishes at the same time. Why not keep everything simple and efficient?
A small mobile food trailer is perfect for serving a certain type of food, such as ice cream, coffee, or crepes, helping define your business concept and brand. No one expects to see Iced Americano or cappuccino on the menu when he comes to a hot dog trailer for a delicious bite. Therefore, focus on providing a few specialties instead of a long menu covering fast food, desserts, and cocktail.
Mobile Catering Business for a Small Mobile Food Trailer
A small food trailer is inexpensive and has many substantial benefits in many ways. Are you ready to have one for your mobile catering business? Wait! In spite of its popularity and wide application in mobile food service, it is not always a preferred choice. Sometimes, large food trailer size matters. You have to admit it. Pizza businesses, for example, require a large mobile food trailer, unless you sell frozen pizza only. The heat given off from the pizza oven will make the environment in a small trailer stuffy and intolerable, even if there are windows. For a better experience, our pizza trailers for sale are in a length of over 10ft. Then, the question is, which catering business can you run with a small mobile food trailer successfully? Here there are, 5 highly-profitable food trailer businesses in vogue:
Coffee: You can make a cup of brew coffee in a small room as long as there is water, electricity for a coffee machine, and worktables. Coffee Beans and disposable items take up a small space only. A 15ft mobile food trailer or large one used for serving coffee seems like a waste, right? Just take a look at the streets. Most coffee trailers crowded with customers have a small size and design, even Starbucks's.
Ice Cream: Most of our small mobile food trailers are designed for the ice cream business. A gelato display is mounted near the concession window to show the flavor of the ice cream. A room-saving fridge or freezer can be installed under the workbench to provide more refrigeration room. Want a soft-serve ice cream making machine? Just place it on the rear table! A 7.2ft ice cream trailer can have all of them.
Hot Dog: You can serve hot dogs with a food cart, let alone a small mobile food trailer! A commercial grill or griddle is probably the only piece of equipment you need during cooking. How much room does it cover on the countertop?
Bakery Food: Want to serve cupcakes, crepes, cookies, bread, and other sweet treats on the street? A small bakery trailer has sufficient room for refrigerating and showing your desserts. Of course, looking for a large one if you need to bake in the trailer.
Bubble Tea: It is an emerging business idea that has untold economic potential. You barely need to cook, and the bubble tea machines you need are usually small, such as auto-sealing machines and auto shakers. A small bubble tea trailer is perfect for making bubble tea and other drinks, including juices, milkshakes, and smoothies.
Hot Small Mobile Food Trailer Options under $5,000
Now that a small mobile food trailer has overwhelming advantages that will benefit your business in many aspects, you should have one. Where can you buy it for your business? Don't close this page and googled any vehicle for sale. You have us! We are a leading small food trailer manufacturer who is capable of offering a 100% custom small mobile food trailer solution involving the design of trailer styles and mobile kitchen layouts. There are more than 50 models in different sizes, shapes, and features you can choose from. Check out our gallery. To narrow down your choices and help you make a better decision, here are 4 hottest small mobile food trailer models for sale under 5$,000 that you can customize plenty of options on them. We are waiting for close cooperation with you on your project.
7.2ft Roundtop Small Mobile Food Trailer
This is the cheapest small mobile food trailer for sale we provide, starting at $2,470. But its low price is not an indication of poor quality. Built with a high-quality galvanized steel frame and cold-rolled steel plate, it is a classic trailer model featuring a cute round top and strong steel construction. No sign of tarnish, rust, or corrosion will be found after the trailer is used for a long time. Its compact design and small size make it easy to tow it around so that you can operate your business anywhere without difficulties.
As an entry-level mobile unit, this 7.2ft small mobile food trailer is an affordable option for most starters who just start their businesses and are deficient in money for daily operations. Wired and plumped, it is ready to serve your customers after you equip it with certain kitchen equipment.
7.2ft Small mobile food trailer with Retractable Awning
This mini food trailer bears some resemblance to a roundtop food trailer, but it has a stainless steel reinforced frame on top to provide both support and space. Its storage capacity is larger than that a roundtop food trailer of the same size can give you. A large concession window with a sliding screen and a retractable awning is included in the price so you don't need to pay extra for these useful add-ons. It starts at $2,950.
You can mount proper kitchen equipment and cooking appliances in the trailer and start selling coffee, ice cream, hot dogs, BBQ, and crepes on the street. Its cute and attractive look will bring more eaters and profits for you.
8.2ft Small Box Trailer for Mobile Catering
Do you need a functional mobile kitchen rather than a normal trailer for carrying your food? Check out this small box trailer that is designed for mobile catering businesses. Originally built as a mobile kitchen, it features plenty of power sockets, water sinks, worktables, gas lines, and cabinets, giving you a wonderful experience in cooking and improving the quality of your mobile food services, The addition of other add-ons for cooking can provide sufficient room for refrigeration, food preparation, and storage. Box trailer size starts at 8.2ft and up to 26ft, satisfying needs for the mobile catering business of all types. Moreover, it is the only food trailer model that has extra options of a porch for a BBQ or bathroom.
An aluminum checkered plate covering the galvanized steel frame and lower body of the trailer strengthens the joints of exterior walls and prevents slurry and dirt from staining the vehicle easily.
9.8ft Small Vintage Caravan Food Truck Trailer
Customers are keen for something creative and notable, so the look of your mobile food trailer matters as important as its functions. Why invest in a food trailer with an uninspired design you can see on the streets everywhere when you can bring this small caravan food truck trailer home under $5,000? No decoration or painting. This trailer has a special design and looks creating a vintage and simple atmosphere that fits all occasions and places, especially weddings! Trailer color is an available option. Cream, beige, or violet. You have at least a hundred standard RAL colors in paint.
Build a Custom Small Mobile Food Trailer at ETO DEVICE
Finding the ideal food trailer size is not easy. There are many factors you should consider first, such as budget, kitchen equipment, and interior layout, and customization service is needed when these prefabricated vehicles can not meet your requirements.
ETO offers a complete small mobile food trailer design and customization service to ensure a functional unit built for your business. How to optimize the interior layout to add more storage room? Which compact kitchen equipment is necessary for my catering business? Do I need an air conditioner in my trailer? We have professional experts to answer all questions for your mobile food trailer design and guide you throughout the whole process of customizing and production. Contact us now and work with us on your small mobile food trailer project!
