Food Truck Wedding Catering
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does food truck wedding catering work?
Food truck wedding catering is similar to traditional wedding catering. It is for private rehearsal dinners, reception dinners, late night snacks, desserts, or day-after brunches and is paid for by the host.
Based on your details, Roaming Hunger will get you available catering options with menus and pricing. All you have to do is pick the caterer that fits your tastes and pay for it.
Just make sure you have a venue that allows outside food and make sure there is enough space for the caterer (especially if it’s a full sized food truck) to park and set up.
And if you need extra help with coordination, our Roaming Hunger Personalized Service can take over the catering logistics and planning.
The best part is that you don’t need to worry about payment the day of the wedding. All you have to do is enjoy delicious food with your guests!
2. Why should I work with Roaming Hunger vs. booking a food truck myself?
We find that these are the things our clients value most:
- The Ultimate Search - We reach out to every local, available food truck that’s a good fit and gather their menus into a proposal for your review. Let us do the legwork so you don’t have to.
- The Largest Network of Food Trucks - With over 18,000 vendors in our network, we can help you find all the options in all major metro areas in the US and Canada. More rural areas may have less options.
- Service Guarantee - We make sure you get fantastic service on your wedding day. And If something does go wrong, we will find a way to make it right. Learn more about our 100% Roaming Hunger Service Guarantee.
- Peace of Mind - Every food truck we work with must serve safely and legally at your wedding. We secure all the necessary paperwork, including contracts, W9s, certificates of insurance, and health and business permits.
- Personalized Service When You Need It - See below for more details.
3. What is Personalized Service?
If you ever need Roaming Hunger to handle all the logistics of finding a wedding caterer, our Personalized Service is the way to go. You’ll be connected to a catering expert who will help you find exactly what you’re looking for. For details and pricing please go to our Personalized Service page.
4. Does my venue need to be booked already?
Yes, you should have a venue booked AND it must be “food truck friendly.” That means it allows outside catering and it has the proper space for a food truck to park and safely prepare food.
5. Can a food truck serve at any wedding venue?
No, you will need answers to the three questions below to determine if food truck catering is possible:
- Can a food truck physically get to the venue?
- Does the venue itself allow food trucks to serve there?
- Is there a legal, flat parking space for the food truck to serve your guests?
If you’re considering an open field or mountain campsite for a venue, you should know that many food trucks aren’t able or willing to drive roads that have a steep hill, are windy, or are unpaved. The risk of an accident or getting stuck is just too high.
Many venues will require you to use their “in-house” or “preferred caterers” only. Make sure to ask the venue if they allow “outside catering” from food trucks.
When the truck arrives, will they have a legal, flat space to park? See the below FAQ “Where can food trucks park?” for more info.
6. Where can food trucks park?
The food truck will expect you to provide a designated parking space.
If the truck is parking on private property, you simply need permission from the property owner. If your venue or private property does not have space for the food truck to park, please investigate nearby parking options convenient to the venue.
If you would like the truck to park on public property like a street, you can, 1) park a car in the space until the truck arrives, or 2) contact the city to have a space reserved (additional fees may apply). Also, some cities have specific restrictions on where food trucks can serve and for how long, so be sure to check with your local government (typically the Department of Public Works).
You may also be able to park it in a nearby pay parking lot for a negotiated rate with the lot owner.
7. What are the dimensions of a food truck?
Truck dimensions vary, but they are typically 16' to 28' long, 10' high and 8' wide. Food carts and trailers are significantly smaller.
8. How far will a food truck travel?
Usually the maximum time a food truck is willing to travel is about two hours each way. If you are requesting a venue outside of their normal service area, expect to pay more to compensate them for the additional time, gas, and any special travel fees like tolls or overnight accommodations.
9. Do all Roaming Hunger vendors have health permits and insurance?
Roaming Hunger requires all the foods trucks we work with for events and catering to have a health permit and insurance. We keep vendor certificates of insurance on file and will be able to provide you with a copy if needed. Roaming Hunger does not provide any additional permits, including special event permits required by some local governments, Please check with the appropriate government agencies to ensure you have acquired all necessary permits.
10. What kind of food is available?
In most major cities, there’s a wide variety of cuisine that food trucks serve. Also, trucks are flexible! Most are able to offer at least one vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or allergy-free option in their customized menu for you. If you have a specific request, be sure to ask.
11. Can a food truck do buffet, stations, or family style?
Besides the classic “order at the window” option, some food trucks are able to do appetizers, buffet, stations, or even family-style dinner services. You can also check out our blog post to learn more about the pros and cons of different service styles.
12. What trucks are available for my wedding?
After you give us your event details, we will look for available caterers and give you a proposal with menu and pricing details. With over 18,000 food trucks and caterers in our network, we have trucks all over the US and Canada.
13. What if I want more than one food truck at my event?
Food trucks are typically able to serve 60 - 100 guests per hour. Depending on the number of guests, time, and menu, the optimal number of trucks for an event can vary.
Once you book the truck or if you opt into our Personalized Service, ask for advice about having more than one truck. Each wedding catering is different, so the answer may vary.
14. How can I get started booking a truck for my wedding?
If your event is hosted or you are paying for everyone’s food, click the Get Started button at the top of the page or this link to fill out your information: food truck catering. Check "host" for “Who’s Paying?” and make sure to select “Wedding/Rehearsal Dinner” as your occasion.
15. Do you need a deposit and how much is it?
We only require a deposit if you choose our Personalized Service option. The deposit is refundable if you don’t book. Currently the deposit is $500 (subject to change).
Otherwise, in most cases you will have to authorize your credit card for $25 (amount subject to change) in order for us to send your request to caterers in your area.
16. How soon should I expect food truck menus from Roaming Hunger after I retain its services?
You will get menus and quotes from interested caterers within a few days and we'll let you know every time a caterer applies. Caterers have 48 hours to submit a menu and quote for your event after we send them your event details.
17. What if I don't get any catering options for my wedding?
In the case that no caterer submits for your event, there may be a couple of reasons:
- your venue is located in a more rural area
- you want options more than six months before your wedding
- you have very specific cuisine requirements
- your budget is too low
If you believe our Personalized Service can help, go here to opt-in.
18. How does payment work?
When you book the caterer, you will pay the full amount of the catering to Roaming Hunger. We will disperse most of your payment to the truck after your wedding to guarantee you get fantastic day-of service from them.
19. How much does food truck wedding catering cost?
Pricing varies greatly depending on the number of guests, travel time, length of service, and style of service. Keep in mind that all Roaming Hunger prices already include taxes and fees!
Here are some examples of pricing based on a 100 guest minimum.
- Most of our wedding clients spend between $1500 and $6000 for their wedding reception dinner
- For late night snacks or rehearsal dinner expect to spend $1300 - $4500
- For an espresso drink or dessert truck, budget $1000 - $2000
20. Why won't the cost go any lower, even with fewer people?
Every food truck has a minimum required cost to come out and serve. While each caterer has a different minimum, they are there to pay for travel, staff, and other expenses. If you have a small guest count, try adding dessert, drinks and appetizers or a longer service time to get the most for your money.
21. How long do I have to decide which food truck I would like to book?
With over 18,000 vendors in our network, we're confident that we can take you from “no idea” to booked caterer in a few days! Here’s our process - after you submit and confirm your event details, we will send out a request to vendors in your area and get you a catering proposal within 48 hours. You’ll be able to choose the vendor you want before the proposal expires (24 hours). If you need more time we can be flexible, but we cannot guarantee that trucks will hold your date.
22. What if I have more people show up on the day of the event than I expected?
Food trucks will come prepared to serve the number of guests agreed upon. Roaming Hunger cannot guarantee that the truck will come prepared to serve any additional guests. In most cases, trucks will bring 10% more product to provide any additional servings as needed.
However, we advise speaking with your caterer once you book them. If, at your direction, the caterer does serve extra guests, payment for those additional meals will be due upon completion of the event. The cost of each additional meal will be specified in advance at the time of booking.
23. I have a food truck coming to my event. What do I need to provide?
Food trucks are self-contained mobile kitchens and only need access to a restroom for their staff during the event. If you want to avoid generator noise or are parking a truck inside, provide a power outlet for the truck. Disposable serving wares and a trash can are usually provided by the truck. Extra trash cans are strongly advised. If you would like a place for your guests to sit and eat, you will need to provide tables and chairs. If you would like your tables bussed, this will require additional staffing provided either by you, or the food truck at an additional cost. Otherwise, trucks just show up, serve your guests delicious food, and drive away with all the mess leaving your event location clean and tidy - it’s super convenient!
24. What if I need to cancel or reschedule my event?
If you need to reschedule your food truck catering, we will make our best effort to work with the confirmed food truck to reschedule your event date or time. If we are not able to accommodate your request, you will be subject to the cancellation policy as outlined in the catering agreement.