How to pick the best events for your food truck (and drop the losers)
A framework for picking the events worth trading, and the courage to drop the ones that aren't paying.
Trading every event you're offered is a beginner mistake — and an expensive one. Here's how to choose deliberately.
Rank last season by profit-per-hour
Not takings. Profit per hour of your time, including travel and pack-down. If an event only clears $30/hour of your time, you're better off doing prep for a bigger one.
Kill the bottom third
Or renegotiate the fee. Or reduce the staff to one person. Something has to change. Trading a loss-making event out of loyalty to the organiser is not a business decision.
Double down on the top third
Book earlier. Ask for the better pitch. Bring a second truck if you can. These events pay your mortgage.
Only add new events if the maths could work
Before saying yes to a new event, do a back-of-envelope profit projection. If it can't clear your minimum profit-per-hour even at best-case takings, don't do it.
Re-check mid-season
Some events surprise you either way. Rank them after every three months and adjust.