Study: Food trucks may be cleaner than restaurants

Some customers may avoid the food trucks because they seem less sanitary than brick-and-mortar establishments. However, according to one study, this may be a misconception. Your business can educate your audience about this research through the use of a food truck wrap

The study in question was conducted by the Institute of Justice under the name of "Street Eats, Safe Eats." It looked at the amount of health violations that food trucks, food carts, hotels and other establishments accumulated over the course of several years. 

Across all seven of the cities included in the study, food trucks were found to have significantly fewer violations, especially in comparison to restaurants, who were the peak offenders in every location. The city with the highest amount of food truck penalties was Seattle, but that region also had more than 16 average violations per traditional restaurant, outpacing all the other cities on the list.

Each city seems to be reacting to the study: The Boston Globe reported on that city's ranking, and quoted the author of the study, Angela Erickson, on the way that misconceptions are shaping the public's opinion of food trucks.

"We keep hearing they're not safe, they're not clean," she said. "Politicians use that argument to limit where they can operate, or when. Trucks and carts are just as safe as restaurants — in Boston, they're safer."

Referencing cleanliness directly in the truck decals your business uses might not be wise. But by opting for colors and images that create a welcoming atmosphere, the truck you operate might help to win over new business.