01/08/2025
Sharing this- not my post but I 💯 agree!
This morning while fishing for business on social media I came across an event that was seeking a food truck and I discovered they wanted $85 as a vendor fee for trucks. As a rule I never pay fees for events unless they have plenty to offer the trucks ie: Known attendance levels, trash, water, electricity, advertisement, etc.
OK $85, Let’s see what we are getting.
🚩page has 17 followers
🚩Site created 2 months ago
🚩Full Non-Refundable payment required up front.
🚩No Trash cans (Bring your own)
🚩No Tables or chairs (Bring your own)
Needless to say this event was a huge NO for my business.
Still many trucks were inquiring, and who knows maybe it will turn out to be an ok event for them.
Today I want to discuss vendor fees.
👉Why they shouldn’t exist
👉Why we as owners should refuse to pay them
As an event coordinator you have to understand the profit margins on food trucks are extremely thin. With a national average around 6% once all cost are figured in it’s easy to see why.
💸Food Cost
💸Labor Cost
💸Fuel
💸Prep Time
💸Paper & Packaging Cost
💸Truck Maintenance
💸Credit Card Processing
💸Commissary Rent
Truth is we want to support your event. In fact nothing brings us more joy than attending the very events that create our community’s culture, or bringing our trucks to your local school and being a small part of the event that brings joy to many students, teachers, and parents.
There are several things need for a successful event and food trucks are an amazing addition but should not be required to pay to attend. It’s too much risk, when sales are lower than expected our employees still must be paid, our food has already been paid for, the fuel has already been burned up.
Now I have to ask, why is it the vendors with low risk are not being asked to pay fees?
💸How much does the DJ pay to be a part of the event?
💸How much does the band pay?
💸How much does the Porta Potty company pay?
💸How much does the jumping castle company pay?
In most cases the above pays nothing, but I guarantee in most cases they are PAID 💰
Keep in mind that 6% profit margin average, and realize that even a 10% donation can completely destroy a small businesses. These small business owners shouldn’t have to pay to enhance your event.
🚚Food Truck Owners:
Know your numbers. Without having a full grasp on your business you could be losing money every time you try and help a school out with a 10 - 20% donation. Its far to easy to just say yes. We are a caring bunch and want to help out when we can but we have to make sure we are taken care of first.
Never be afraid to share these details about your business with event coordinators, most of the time they just don’t know and will agree to waived or reduced fees. Should they be providing services that are assisting your truck? By all means pay those fees as long as they are reasonable and make sense for your business.
An experienced operator can profit up to 20%+ if they are highly efficient at running their business. I encourage you to give back if you find yourself with these kinds of profits. Just know your numbers.
Read this far? Gained something from it? Please feel free to share this post to help others on their journey in the food truck industry.
