Food truck hire: your questions answered

For eating from a food truck today, the most reliable sources are the trucks' own social media pages, where most post their weekly locations, and live maps such as eventifood.com/find, which shows trucks that have checked in at their current pitch. For hiring a food truck for an event, use a directory that lets you search by area and event type.

1. 1To eat today, open a live map or search your town plus "street food" on Instagram or Facebook.
2. 2To hire for an event, search the Eventibites directory by county and event type.
3. 3Follow the trucks you like — their schedules change week to week.

Yes. Eventibites is built for exactly this: event planners and organisers can search UK food trucks, trailers and mobile caterers, then send an enquiry with the date, location and guest numbers to several caterers at once, without making a single phone call. It is free for organisers and takes no commission.

1. 1Search the directory by county and event type.
2. 2Open each caterer's listing to check their cuisine, unit type and photographs.
3. 3Send an enquiry from the listing — the caterer replies to you directly.
4. 4Confirm the booking, deposit and terms with your chosen caterer in writing.

Ask these before you pay anything:

1. 1What is your food hygiene rating, and which council are you registered with?
2. 2Do you have public liability insurance, and how much cover? (Many venues require £5 million.)
3. 3What exactly is included in the price — food, staff, travel, napkins, VAT?
4. 4How many people can you serve per hour, and how long will you serve for?
5. 5How much space do you need, do you need power or water, and are you self-sufficient?
6. 6How do you handle allergies and dietary requirements?
7. 7What is your deposit, cancellation and bad-weather policy?

As a rough guide, most UK food trucks charge either a price per head or a minimum spend. Street food mains usually land between £8 and £18 per head, and private hire minimum spends commonly start somewhere between £500 and £1,500 depending on the day, the distance and the cuisine. Saturdays in summer cost the most; weekdays and winter dates cost the least.

1. 1Fix your guest numbers and date first — every quote depends on them.
2. 2Decide whether you are paying for guests (a set price per head) or guests are paying for themselves (a pitch fee or a guaranteed minimum).
3. 3Search the directory for caterers who cover your county and send two or three of them the same enquiry.
4. 4Compare quotes like for like: what is served, for how long, travel costs, VAT and the deposit.

For a fully staffed food truck serving your guests, a typical UK range is £600 to £2,500 for a private event, and more for large weddings or long days. A per-head price of £8 to £25 covers most of the market, with pizza, burgers and tacos at the lower end and seafood, steak or multi-course menus at the upper end. Travel beyond about 30 miles is often charged separately.

Usually, yes — often noticeably so for informal events. A food truck brings its own kitchen, so there is no venue kitchen to hire, fewer waiting staff and no crockery or table service to pay for. A traditional caterer can still be better value for a formal plated meal where table service is the point.

The price is mostly driven by demand for your date, so flexibility is the biggest saving.

1. 1Pick a weekday, a Sunday or an off-season date if you can — the same truck is often cheaper outside summer Saturdays.
2. 2Choose a caterer based close to you to avoid travel charges.
3. 3Give an accurate headcount; paying for 150 when 100 turn up is the most common overspend.
4. 4Ask for a short menu of three or four dishes — it is quicker to serve and cheaper to cook.
5. 5Book early, and ask whether there is a price for paying the balance in advance.

Many do. Common packages are a set price per head for a fixed menu, a "late-night snack" package for evening wedding guests, and multi-day rates for festivals or corporate weeks. Larger headcounts often bring the per-head price down, so it is always worth asking for a price at two different guest numbers.

Most caterers ask for a deposit of 20% to 50% to hold the date, with the balance due a week or two before the event. Get it in writing, including what happens to the deposit if you cancel or if the caterer does. If guests are paying for their own food instead, the caterer may ask for a guaranteed minimum spend and invoice you for any shortfall.

Search by where your event is, not where you live — caterers list the counties they travel to.

1. 1Open the Eventibites directory and filter by your county and your type of event.
2. 2Shortlist the caterers whose photographs and menu suit your guests.
3. 3Send an enquiry through the form on each listing with your date, location, guest numbers and budget.
4. 4Compare the replies and ask the questions below before you pay a deposit.

Searching and enquiring on Eventibites is free for organisers, and we take no commission on bookings.

A birthday is one of the easiest bookings there is — the numbers are known and the day is short.

1. 1Confirm the date, start time and roughly how many guests (adults and children separately helps).
2. 2Check there is a flat, firm space big enough for the van or trailer, ideally close to where guests will be.
3. 3Search for caterers who cover your area and do private parties, and send an enquiry.
4. 4Agree the menu, serving window and price, then pay the deposit to hold the date.
5. 5A week before, confirm arrival time, parking and the final headcount.

For a summer Saturday or a wedding, book six to twelve months ahead — the popular vans go first. For a weekday party or corporate lunch, four to eight weeks is usually enough. Short-notice bookings do happen, especially outside the summer, so it is still worth asking if your date is close.

Yes. If you have found the truck you want, contact them directly through their listing and ask them to hold the date. A date is normally only guaranteed once the deposit is paid and you have a written confirmation — before then, the truck may accept another booking.

A simple written agreement protects both sides. Make sure yours covers:

1. 1The date, address, arrival time and serving times.
2. 2The menu, guest numbers and price — per head or total — and whether VAT is included.
3. 3The deposit, when the balance is due and how it is paid.
4. 4Cancellation terms for both you and the caterer, including bad weather.
5. 5Space, power and access the caterer needs, and who provides them.
6. 6Confirmation of the caterer's insurance and food hygiene registration.

Yes, and for anything over about 150 guests it is often the better choice — two or three trucks shorten the queues and give guests a real choice. Pick cuisines that complement each other rather than compete (say, one savoury main, one vegetarian option and one dessert or coffee van), and tell each caterer who else is booked.

Food trucks travel to you rather than delivering. Every listing on Eventibites shows the counties the caterer covers, so filter by the county your event is in. A caterer within about an hour is usually cheapest; many will travel further for a larger booking.

Weekdays are much easier. Summer weekends are when caterers trade at festivals and weddings, so the best vans are booked early and cost more. A Friday, Sunday or midweek date often gives you a wider choice and a better price.

Look for evidence in more than one place.

1. 1Check the caterer's food hygiene rating on the Food Standards Agency website (food.gov.uk/ratings).
2. 2Read their Google and social media reviews, and look at how recent they are.
3. 3Look for real photographs of their food and their van at events like yours.
4. 4Ask for a reference from a recent booking of a similar size.

The best wedding truck is one that can serve all your guests quickly and looks right in your photographs. Wood-fired pizza, gourmet burgers, hog roast, tacos and BBQ are the most popular main meals; dessert, crêpe, ice cream and coffee vans are popular as a second truck. Choose a caterer with wedding experience — they will know how to work to a timetable.

Plan the food around the day's timetable rather than the other way round.

1. 1Set your budget per guest and your headcount.
2. 2Check the venue allows outside caterers and ask where the trucks can park.
3. 3Choose one truck for the main meal and, optionally, a second for dessert or late-night snacks.
4. 4Agree serving times with each caterer so food arrives when guests are hungry — straight after the ceremony and again late in the evening.
5. 5Collect dietary requirements with your RSVPs and send them to the caterers.
6. 6Set up tables, seating and bins near the trucks, and confirm everything a week before.

Yes. A single truck can typically serve 80 to 150 guests within an hour with a short menu; for 150 guests or more, book two or three trucks or ask for a pre-plated or buffet-style service. Tell the caterer how quickly you need everyone fed — it changes how they staff and prepare.

Fifty guests is a comfortable size for one truck. Expect a menu of three to five dishes, a serving window of one to two hours, and a price that is often set by the caterer's minimum spend rather than the per-head rate — so it can cost roughly the same as 70 or 80 guests. Most trucks will serve 50 people in well under an hour.

Corporate food truck catering is usually a set price per head, invoiced to the company. Staff lunches, summer socials, open days and product launches are the most common bookings.

1. 1Confirm the headcount, date and serving window (lunch hours are short, so speed matters).
2. 2Get site permission for the vehicle and check access, parking and power.
3. 3Ask the caterer for a copy of their public liability insurance and hygiene rating for your records.
4. 4Agree a fixed menu and price per head, and request a VAT invoice.

Summer is peak season, so book early and expect higher prices on Saturdays. Think about shade for guests and a sensible serving time on hot days, and consider an ice cream, drinks or frozen dessert van alongside the main food.

They are one of the best options — a food truck is a complete kitchen that needs no building. All you need is a flat, firm space the vehicle can reach, and ideally some tables, seating and bins nearby.

Food trucks trade in most weather — the kitchen is under cover. What needs a plan is your guests. Put up a gazebo or marquee near the hatch, agree in advance whether the caterer can move closer to shelter, and check the cancellation terms for extreme weather such as high winds, which can make trailers unsafe.

Ask each caterer for their exact needs, but plan for:

1. 1A flat, firm, level pitch — grass is fine when dry, but soft ground can trap a vehicle.
2. 2Enough room for the vehicle plus a metre or two around it, and space for a queue at the hatch.
3. 3Clear access: gate widths, low branches and height barriers all matter.
4. 4Power if they need it (many are self-sufficient with gas or a quiet generator).
5. 5Arrival about an hour to ninety minutes before serving to set up.

Normally the food, the truck, the staff to cook and serve, and disposable plates, cutlery and napkins. Travel within a set distance is usually included. Tables, seating, drinks, crockery and clearing up after guests are usually not — always ask for a list.

Most "food truck hire" is really a catering service: the truck arrives with its own team and cooks for your guests. A full catering service goes further, adding waiting staff, crockery, bar and table service. "Dry hire" — renting just the empty vehicle — is a different thing, aimed at people who will cook and trade themselves under their own food registration.

Most caterers are happy to tailor a menu within what their kitchen can cook.

1. 1Start from the caterer's standard menu — those are the dishes they cook fastest and best.
2. 2Choose three to five items, including at least one vegetarian or vegan option.
3. 3Ask about a signature dish or a themed name for your event.
4. 4Send your dietary requirements early so the caterer can plan ingredients.
5. 5Agree the final menu in writing along with the price.

Yes. Many trucks have vegan and gluten-free dishes, and every UK food business must be able to tell customers which of the 14 major allergens are in its food. A small kitchen does make it harder to guarantee there is no cross-contamination, so for serious allergies, speak to the caterer directly before the booking and again on the day.

Yes. Beyond burgers and pizza you will find trucks serving boba and bubble tea, Korean, Caribbean, Indian, Mexican, Greek, Filipino, vegan, crêpes, churros, coffee and cocktails. Search the directory by cuisine to see what is available in your county — the more specialised the cuisine, the earlier it is worth booking.

A professional caterer should hold public liability insurance — £5 million of cover is common and many venues ask for it — plus employers' liability if they have staff. Ask for a copy of the certificate before the event, especially if your venue requires it, and check the caterer is registered with their local council as a food business.

A few habits make everyone's visit quicker:

1. 1Read the menu while you queue so you are ready to order at the hatch.
2. 2Mention allergies when you order, not after the food is cooked.
3. 3Have a card or phone ready — most trucks take contactless.
4. 4Step aside after ordering and listen for your name or number.
5. 5Use the bins provided, and leave a review if you enjoyed it.

Food trucks are easiest to find at street food markets, festivals, county shows and summer events, mostly from late spring to early autumn and on weekends. Weekday lunchtimes in business parks and town centres are common too. Most trucks post their weekly schedule and locations on social media.