Food Truck Logistics

Mikalabrynn

My husband-to-be really wants to do a food truck as the main course.  Our wedding will be around 50-60 people, and I'm going to call it classy-casual.  My fear with a food truck is the logistics.  Do we excuse guests by table to order food?  When do you do speeches and first dances if guests are waiting in line. 

I like the idea of having a food truck, but I fear it will be a logistical nightmare! 

Jen4948

Mikalabrynn said:

My husband-to-be really wants to do a food truck as the main course.  Our wedding will be around 50-60 people, and I'm going to call it classy-casual.  My fear with a food truck is the logistics.  Do we excuse guests by table to order food?  When do you do speeches and first dances if guests are waiting in line. 

I like the idea of having a food truck, but I fear it will be a logistical nightmare! 

These are things I've always wondered about too whenever I read about how food trucks are great options for wedding receptions.  The guests have to get up, go get online outside a food truck, stand on line, accept their food through a tiny window, and take it back to the main area.

But if the food truck people were willing to take their food and equipment out of the trucks into the venue to prepare and serve their offerings, then it might be enjoyable.

jessicabessica

I would treat it like stations.  Have 3-4, and don't dismiss guests by table, just have the trucks there and serving food so people can go and get from each one as they wish.  

I looked into food truck catering for an event (an office picnic), and one of the ones I spoke with said that they would set up table outside their truck and have a preset list of what would be available.  

I could see it working for a less formal wedding--I don't know what "classy casual" means.  I wouldn't do it unless you were having an outside reception.  I wouldn't want to have to go outside to get food to take back inside, and I feel like having food trucks set up inside the venue on tables defeats the purpose of having them.  If the food trucks had tables outside their trucks, you could have menus so people could easily tell what was available at each truck and sides/condiments buffet style, so you still get the food truck experience but reduce the line.  

Good luck!

hyechica81

is your wedding at a tradional venue that has full catering or is it a a hall style place where you hire your own cater? if its the traditonal they might not let outside food be brought it but if its not could you talk to a bunch of food truck people to see if they could set up stations inside your venue have then bring the trucks and if anyone wants to go outside and look at them they can get a variety of foods so there is plenty of options for everyone 

doeydo

I don't like the idea of standing in line or waiting at my table, hungry, waiting and watching other tables get called up to get their food.  Why does he want the food truck?  Because he really likes the food from that particular truck or because he thinks it would be "fun"?  If it is because they have good food, try to see if the food truck can make the same food but a lot of it so that everyone gets fed at about the same time.  Perhaps they can use a larger kitchen at the venue you have.  

kmmssg

Yeah, I keep hearing people talk about using food trucks at their receptions, but having to stand in line like that would make me really unhappy.  If they can cook a sufficient quantity to cater it, then great, but I can promise you that your guests aren't chomping at the bit to stand in line for a food truck.

cowgirl8238

I hate waiting in line for food.  I really do!  A food truck sounds like fun, but speaking from experience waiting to be called up by table/waiting in line sucks.  I also feel the same way about buffets but that is probably because I was at an improperly hosted wedding where our table was called last and half the food was gone and/or cold...plus no chance for seconds as they closed off the door right after we got our plates.

kelsey8486

We're doing a food truck as well for 100+ people. Our food truck (Porchetta) said they can serve roughly 100 people/hour. Each of our guests can choose from 5 main course items and get two sides. We will have heavy appetizers during our cocktail hour, as well as popcorn at the entrance to our ceremony (movie themed wedding). Each of our tables will have two song names, when those songs are played that table will get up to go get their food. This is our timeline for events.

Cocktail Hour & Family Photo Time

Reception Begins - Introductions

Grand Entrance & First Dance

Dinner Served

Parent Dances

Cake Cutting

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Dancing Time

Final Dance(s) 

Glow Stick Exit!

Teardown/Clean Up (Out by 11:30PM)

kelsey8486

We will also have a photo booth set up by our food truck for people to take photos while they wait.

Jen4948

Does everyone have to stand in line outside the food truck, place their order at the window, and wait for it to be served?  Logistically, that's what would make a food truck not work-especially if it's cold outside or the weather is bad.

If the people in the food truck can come inside the venue to cook and serve the food, then it works better.

JoanE2012

kelsey8486 said:

We're doing a food truck as well for 100+ people. Our food truck (Porchetta) said they can serve roughly 100 people/hour. Each of our guests can choose from 5 main course items and get two sides. We will have heavy appetizers during our cocktail hour, as well as popcorn at the entrance to our ceremony (movie themed wedding). Each of our tables will have two song names, when those songs are played that table will get up to go get their food. This is our timeline for events.

Cocktail Hour & Family Photo Time

Reception Begins - Introductions

Grand Entrance & First Dance

Dinner Served

Parent Dances

Cake Cutting

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Dancing Time

Final Dance(s) 

Glow Stick Exit!

Teardown/Clean Up (Out by 11:30PM)

This just sounds weird.  I don't like the idea of guests sitting around for a half hour (or more!) while other guests have gotten their food and are eating (and could almost be done).  I've been to a wedding like that (we were "excused" to go the buffet and were among the last tables).....it sucked.

jessicabessica

kelsey8486 said:

We're doing a food truck as well for 100+ people. Our food truck (Porchetta) said they can serve roughly 100 people/hour. Each of our guests can choose from 5 main course items and get two sides. We will have heavy appetizers during our cocktail hour, as well as popcorn at the entrance to our ceremony (movie themed wedding). Each of our tables will have two song names, when those songs are played that table will get up to go get their food. This is our timeline for events.

Cocktail Hour & Family Photo Time

Reception Begins - Introductions

Grand Entrance & First Dance

Dinner Served

Parent Dances

Cake Cutting

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Dancing Time

Final Dance(s) 

Glow Stick Exit!

Teardown/Clean Up (Out by 11:30PM)

So it will take 1 hour for all of your guests to get food?  That is way too long.  Talk to the food truck about what they can do to move people through faster.  

Also, why is each table name 2 songs?  So they have to wait to hear both songs played together, not just one of them?  That sounds annoying.  I don't like the idea of using songs at all, because all guests may not know the songs, it forces guests to pay attention to what should be background music during dinner/conversation, and it may be hard to time songs so guests are released to get food efficiently.  If you stay with the song idea, just make it one song. 

@Jen4948, I get that you're trying to suggest an alternative to waiting at the food truck, but I have yet to eat at a food truck that could rival a decent caterer (talking about DC food trucks).  I feel like part of the appeal is the decorated truck and the novelty of it, which I recognize will only really work for a limited number of wedding venues.

Jen4948

jessicabessica said:

kelsey8486 said:

We're doing a food truck as well for 100+ people. Our food truck (Porchetta) said they can serve roughly 100 people/hour. Each of our guests can choose from 5 main course items and get two sides. We will have heavy appetizers during our cocktail hour, as well as popcorn at the entrance to our ceremony (movie themed wedding). Each of our tables will have two song names, when those songs are played that table will get up to go get their food. This is our timeline for events.

Cocktail Hour & Family Photo Time

Reception Begins - Introductions

Grand Entrance & First Dance

Dinner Served

Parent Dances

Cake Cutting

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Dancing Time

Final Dance(s) 

Glow Stick Exit!

Teardown/Clean Up (Out by 11:30PM)

So it will take 1 hour for all of your guests to get food?  That is way too long.  Talk to the food truck about what they can do to move people through faster.  

Also, why is each table name 2 songs?  So they have to wait to hear both songs played together, not just one of them?  That sounds annoying.  I don't like the idea of using songs at all, because all guests may not know the songs, it forces guests to pay attention to what should be background music during dinner/conversation, and it may be hard to time songs so guests are released to get food efficiently.  If you stay with the song idea, just make it one song. 

@Jen4948, I get that you're trying to suggest an alternative to waiting at the food truck, but I have yet to eat at a food truck that could rival a decent caterer (talking about DC food trucks).  I feel like part of the appeal is the decorated truck and the novelty of it, which I recognize will only really work for a limited number of wedding venues.

The food truck servers might be able to do great cooking and show the guests happy faces, but I think that that while it may work great on weekdays in the business areas of town at lunchtime, it just doesn't work for a wedding that's formal and/or has lots of people.  Throw in the possibility of bad weather and it's just something I wouldn't do.   Me, if I'm dressed up to attend a wedding, I don't want to first have to stand outside in a long line and then reach through the window of a food truck to get my food.  The decorations on the truck and the novelty of the idea don't make up for these inconveniences-which for elderly and mobility-issue guests can be very severe.

Viczaesar

kelsey8486 said:

We're doing a food truck as well for 100+ people. Our food truck (Porchetta) said they can serve roughly 100 people/hour. Each of our guests can choose from 5 main course items and get two sides. We will have heavy appetizers during our cocktail hour, as well as popcorn at the entrance to our ceremony (movie themed wedding). Each of our tables will have two song names, when those songs are played that table will get up to go get their food. This is our timeline for events.

Cocktail Hour & Family Photo Time

Reception Begins - Introductions

Grand Entrance & First Dance

Dinner Served

Parent Dances

Cake Cutting

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Dancing Time

Final Dance(s) 

Glow Stick Exit!

Teardown/Clean Up (Out by 11:30PM)

So it's going to take an hour for all of your guests just to get their food?

kmmssg

kelsey8486 said:

We're doing a food truck as well for 100+ people. Our food truck (Porchetta) said they can serve roughly 100 people/hour. Each of our guests can choose from 5 main course items and get two sides. We will have heavy appetizers during our cocktail hour, as well as popcorn at the entrance to our ceremony (movie themed wedding). Each of our tables will have two song names, when those songs are played that table will get up to go get their food. This is our timeline for events.

Cocktail Hour & Family Photo Time

Reception Begins - Introductions

Grand Entrance & First Dance

Dinner Served

Parent Dances

Cake Cutting

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Dancing Time

Final Dance(s) 

Glow Stick Exit!

Teardown/Clean Up (Out by 11:30PM)

So, the first table goes and gets their food, but my table is last and I am being served 50-60 minutes later than the first table?  I am going to feel rushed to wolf the food down because everyone else is done.  This is just not well thought out logistics at all!