Food Truck Power

A summer staple is to eat food from a food truck.  Today, the food truck industry is growing more than ever and increasing in popularity from food truck rallies, festivals, and even weddings.  If you are thinking about starting up a food truck, make sure you do the research it takes to power your truck.  The last thing you are going to want is for the power to go down during an event. 

If you are a beginner, you may want to start by reading our post about Watts, Amps, and Volts.  This will help you when you need to determine how much power you will need.  The amount of power you will need in your truck is determined by the wattage of your equipment.  

 First, you need to calculate the required wattage of each appliance you plan to use in your food truck.  The information needed to calculate wattage should be on your appliance somewhere.  Wattage = Voltage x Current.  You can read more on how to calculate wattage here. 

Don't forget things like your mixer, lighting, or air conditioning.  You will need to remember every item you use during food truck season.  Try to remember what you offer on your first menu will probably not stay the same throughout your business.  Trends of what people want will change and so should your menu offerings, if necessary.  Don't be afraid of change, embrace it.  Make sure you overestimate your power needs now, so you will not have a costly upgrade later when you want to expand your menu. 

When it comes to your generator and the adapters needed to power your equipment does the necessary research. Once you have calculated the wattage needed now and in the future of your food truck business, you will get a better picture of the power system equipment required for you.   If you have any questions regarding the power your truck is using from a generator, you might benefit from reading our article about generator uses. 

If any questions you have are not answered, please contact customer service.  We are here to help you.

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit a local food truck company called Marco Pollo.  Their menu is inspired by years of international travel and adventurous eating.  The food is created from secret family recipes and made from scratch with authentic sauces.  

When visiting with them we tried some of their customer and chef favorites, the food was amazing.  We also got to interview the owner and learned some interesting stuff about owning a food truck business. Check out the interview below.

MARCO POLLO INTERVIEW

What challenges have you faced and overcome with your Food Truck business?

We can only use a limited amount of equipment since the power source we own is limited.  We have not overcome this problem, even after the purchase of a 7,000 Watt generator. 

AC Connectors Suggestion:

After looking at their setup we helped teach them they were not using the highest power outlet available on the 7,000 Watt generator.  They were not familiar with the 4-prong 120/240 Volt outlet and did not want to risk any of their equipment based on unknown results from using that outlet. 

We have the knowledge to provide you with the power solution options necessary.  We offered a free consultation to help fix the issues they were having. 

We do have the product to help convert from the 4-prong outlet and provide Marco Pollo’s team with a solution to maximize the power available using their current hook up.  The outlet they are using is only allowing 3,750 Watts and limiting the amount of power available to them.  The generator has a capacity of 7,000 Watts, only if using the 4-prong outlet. 

AC WORKS™ product solution: RVL14301450

What are your plans for the future of your food truck?

We plan to have a second truck to expand our business.

Why did you want to become a food truck owner?

The passion for food.

How do you power your truck for cooking and prepping food?

We use a generator and propane.

How have you handled unexpected instances, such as mechanical breakdowns?

Always have a plan B, our plan B is to have a spare generator just in case. 

Have you ever lost power during an event or shift and how did you restore it?

We have, we had to stop using some equipment that needs more power and/or switch to a different generator.

How do you prepare for an event, so you don't lose power?

Make sure your generator is working and maintained properly.  Ask the event if they can provide electricity.

How do you stay motivated?

Provide good food and customer service, and the feedback we receive will motivate us to keep going.

What is your favorite menu item and why?

Guabao is my favorite and is always the number one popular street food in Taiwan.  Taiwan is where we are from. 

What is your favorite event to attend with your food truck?

Zoo Events

Where can we find more information about your menu and locations?

We do offer free consultations to anyone with a question about their power connections.  Please do not hesitate to contact us and allow us to help provide a solution to maximize your power connections.