A menu’s job is to entice. It’s responsible for drawing in a crowd and securing those orders - so don’t underestimate its importance when setting up your mobile catering site! Understanding what you do and what you sell is of prime importance to both you and the customers you are looking to attract, so make sure that your menu tells the story of your business!
In this guide, we’re going to be detailing how to create a menu for catering that people are dying to try.
Any business owner should be proud of the service they offer, especially when customers are trusting you to provide them with delicious meals. So, with that in mind, you should be passionate about anything that goes on your menu. Always make sure your menu is well branded and tells a story of what you make.
Are you making wholesome food that sends the workforce of Britain on its way for the day ahead? Are you passionate about vegetarian or vegan food? You need to make sure you have a distinct identity and theme so your customers understand, from one look at your menu, what it is you do and what they can expect.
Be sure to outline the meals that you sell in an easy-to-understand format with the main ingredients included. Follow this up with costs to prevent any after-purchase discussions.
As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words, so make the most of your theme with images. Use
a distinctive logo or character that represents the business so customers understand your brand and can easily relay it when recommending your business to friends and family.
Don’t forget to include the best pictures possible of the food you serve. Customers may not always understand the name of a meal or how it looks, especially with daily/weekly specials, but having an image of it will get interest. Images can always help with selling up to a bigger purchase!
The menu isn’t just about what food you serve but about who you are and how they can contact you to place orders. Your mobile number is a must; customers can place orders over the phone, which helps you prepare the food during any quiet time and saves them from needlessly queuing when they arrive.
Social media is very important, so don’t forget to include Facebook/X/Instagram/ TikTok information – this is a great way for satisfied customers to share your business with their friends, family and colleagues. You could even include a small map with ‘we are here’ on printed menus and social media to enable your new customers to find you.
You should even mention your trading times and whether you trade from multiple sites.
If your site is located at a shopping centre or town and city centre, the chances are you’re going to have competition. So, make sure your potential customers understand what makes you so special. Include any other information that builds the story - is there a vegan option, use of local produce, gluten-free dishes or halal choices?
Ensure your menu is on your unit and can be read easily by customers. Include the likes of chalkboards with any specials of the day that are in addition to your main menu.
Include the menu on your social media to help with advertising specials of the day. You could even have printed copies available for customers to pass on to colleagues, friends, and family, and you could encourage factory or office workers to pin copies on the noticeboard at work. By including contact details, they can place ‘shipping orders’ that you can prepare for pickup at a specific time.
Having a good understanding of your target customers is really important. So, work out who they are and make sure that your menu appeals to that demographic. If you are looking to target lorry/van drivers or builders and you are based on a DIY site, it’s unlikely that your customers will have time to wait for gourmet food. All-day breakfasts, hot food in barms, burgers and chips are most likely to be the best sellers to match their busy schedule.
Shoppers in retail parks or shopping centres may be more likely to fancy coffee and a sandwich, but there may be restrictions on cooking hot food so ensure that the menu reflects what the passersby are likely to buy.
If you are going down the route of trading at festivals or specialist food/street food events, the golden rule is to concentrate on a small handful of tasty dishes that share a lot of the same ingredients and make them to the very best of your ability.
Specials are important if you are in a location on a long-term contract. You will be looking to have regular customers who use your unit for lunch on a daily basis.
Having different specials each day can ensure your customers have variety when they visit the unit. This negates their need to experiment with other caterers to introduce variety to their diet, making you their trusty go-to day in, day out. Specials also make for a great way to advertise your business on social media, giving you something new to post about every single day.
Okay, now, let's move on to the meal deals. Meal deals help your customer’s budgets go further and entice them to order with you. Customers will always appreciate caterers who help them save money - whether with a ‘buy one get one half-price’ or simply by offering a free drink with their meal. The Meal Deals can also help you push specific items and allow you to get better pricing on them.
So, you know how to create a menu for catering, but let’s talk about presentation. The old adage of “your first taste is with your eyes” is true - so make your food look attractive!
Consider investing in your own branded wrapping and packaging. Getting your packaging branded adds a touch of quality and provenance. Major brands spend millions getting this right; it is important. If your packaging is recyclable, make sure it is labelled accordingly.
Loyalty Cards are a very good way to keep regular customers returning and are very easy to produce using business card-sized giveaways and a rubber stamp. There are a number of ways they can be used, but the most popular is along the lines of buy 4 get the 5th free. This could be a great way to optimise repeat business!
If you’ve not already found a mobile catering site, Access Point can help you find the perfect location to target your customer base. We understand the importance of a good location in the success of your catering business, so we have plenty of potential spots to help you thrive.
You can learn more about us on our website or contact us for more information by calling 01704 544999 or emailing hello@apuk.net.
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