When an eatery takes its business to the streets, it's important that it keeps efficiency in mind. Companies need to adhere to all of the relevant restrictions while still performing adequately and making their presence known.
Such a situation seems to have sprung up in the city of Alexandria, Virginia. According to a local NBC affiliate, food trucks there are getting a test period before the city decides whether or not to adopt them on a regular basis for good.
The trial period is important because it hinges on a set of restrictions that will apply during the 16 months that it is in effect. During this time, the trucks will have special areas where they can set up and operate, can only use official parking spaces and have to operate between 7 am and 8 pm.
Still, there's an incentive for the operators to do well here. One food truck operator named Henok Aligaz told an ABC outlet that success could mean a healthier market compared to the other places they would be forced to go.
"[There's] too much competition in D.C," Aligaz said. "If we will be able to go to Virginia, [that's] more customers for us."
In addition to obeying the law and only operating where they are supposed to, businesses new to this mode of operation should pick a food truck design that falls within the limits of what is allowed and draws in the biggest crowd.
With a food truck wrap that sums up the business, customers might be subtly steered towards eating there. This can include explanatory graphics that help others understand the rules that you are held by and the hours of operation. Or, it can be information about the restaurant that the truck originates from.