Raise the fun factor (and possibly trim the catering bill) at your next party by hiring a food truck to feed the crowd.
There are currently about 80 food trucks cruising around Chicagoland and serving up enticing eats like Chorizo and Pepper Jack Mac ‘n Cheese, Pulled Pork Sliders, and Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes—and most of them are available to cater parties.
Alex Levine operates the blog Food Truck Freak. She says hiring a food truck can be a fun alternative to traditional catering.
“I’ve done it myself on several occasions, and it can be a lot more cost-effective for more impressive food or higher-quality food,” Levine says.
Levine’s site has an up-to-date listing of Chicago food trucks, and she says you can find catering and contact information on most trucks’ websites.
Or, you can outsource the legwork. Ross Resnick is the CEO of Roaming Hunger, a free service that connects hosts with food trucks. Ross says Roaming Hunger helps people choose the right truck for their event and also handles logistics like booking and price negotiation.
Levine says a food truck can feed a crowd for $7 to $12 per person. She hired La Adelita for a corporate event and paid less than $12 per person for tacos and Mexican side dishes. Resnick says prices vary depending on the type of cuisine. Roaming Hunger’s website features a handy cost estimator. He says most trucks require a minimum charge for private events and you may pay a fee for trucks to travel more than 50 miles from Chicago.
Ross recommends selecting a limited menu, especially for large groups. If you want food truck fare for a more formal party, Ross says many trucks offer waiter service. But, he says self-service can make for a more interesting gathering.
“Ordering from the window is part of the fun,” Ross says. “It’s a good way to get guests to mingle because you might be standing in line with someone who you wouldn’t sit next to.”
Despite Chicago food trucks’ much-publicized legislative battles, event planner Tracy Fisher says hiring a truck for a party is relatively hassle-free. As with all party vendors, she says to have a written contract with food trucks.
The primary concern is providing parking for the truck, which could be up to 20 feet long. Fisher says food trucks that are making short stops at private events—say to serve late-night snacks at a wedding or cupcakes at a birthday party—don’t typically need permits. But, if the truck will be parked for several hours to serve dinner, she recommends checking your town’s laws to determine if a permit is needed.
