Everything You Need to Know About Having a Food Truck Wedding

Calling all the foodie couples—we said yes to the dress, but no to the traditional caterer. With weddings focusing more on guest experience, food and drinks have become the key to a memorable event. Whether it means serving snacks before the ceremony, bringing in an elaborate grazing table to the reception, or offering the yummiest craft beverages imaginable, there are plenty of things you can do to make your special day more unique. And if you ask us, we think you should totally hire a food truck; let us explain ourselves.

Food truck weddings are convenient; you get the best of both worlds—tasty and affordable delights. Even wedding planners are doubling down on calling this a trend that’s here to stay. When it comes to what you can serve or how you can use the truck itself, the sky really is the limit. Get an Instagrammable mobile bar and enjoy coffee, lemonade, and mocktail service all night long. Or, opt for an end-of-night ice cream sandwich, popsicle, or donut truck instead. Whatever you decide to do, we’re on board. Here’s everything you need to know about renting a food truck at your wedding. Taco ‘bout a party! 

The Cost of Hiring a Food Truck for your Wedding 

Booking food trucks for weddings costs anywhere from $10 to $35 per person, depending on what you’re going for. In certain cases, there’s a minimum amount that needs to be reached, but if we were to estimate—you’re looking at around $1,000 to $3,500 for a 100 person wedding. So, to answer the million-dollar question, it is more affordable than a traditional caterer. Keep in mind that the cost of food trucks typically only includes the food, whereas other catering companies have additional services. These include (but aren’t limited to) preparation, cuisine creation, plate and dinnerware rentals, and clean-up crew staffing.

Food truck servings tend to be larger and far more tasty than your typical ballroom fare, meaning you’ll definitely get more bang for your buck. After all, a massive cheeseburger from that local food truck costs much less and satisfies a lot more than the bland steak-and-salad you so often see at weddings.

The Benefits of Having a Food Truck Wedding Reception

Unforgettable Experience 

This is an obvious one. Renting a food truck for your wedding will be one of those experiences your guests won’t soon forget. For foodie couples, it’s also a chance to introduce out-of-towners to one of the best aspects of California cuisine—the food truck culture is really a scene in the Golden State.

All the Options

From gourmet delights and cupcakes to tacos and sliders, food trucks that cater weddings offer you all the options you can think of. If you have trouble choosing one specific cuisine, finding a food truck that serves anything and everything is a possibility too.

Are you a vegetarian? Make the sustainable swap and have a green truck show up. Are you opting to please a more culturally traditional crowd? Have a German-Asian-Greek fusion truck show up and make your special day unforgettable. Do you want pizza and ice cream? Get both!

Not Breaking the Bank

If you don’t want to pay a catering company for a fancy, expensive, sit-down dinner, hiring a taco truck for your party is the quirkiest and most creative way to save money. Most prices for trucks hover near the $10 to $15 per-person range—you end up saving so much for the same (if not tastier) dining options.

Easy Clean-Up 

Let’s be real. Having your wedding party spend the wee hours post-reception sorting out dirty tableware is just cruel. Luckily, catering food trucks for parties leave almost no trace. This means that there won’t be nearly as much cleanup as it would if you were having a traditional five-course, sit-down meal. After your guests are finished with their meal, they can simply throw away their utensils and spare your crew the extra work.

Things to Consider When Renting Food Trucks for your Wedding 

At first glance, a food truck wedding can seem a lot more cost-friendly than a traditional caterer—the latter averages at about $100 per person. With an estimated $15 per person, however, food trucks seem like an obvious choice, until you realize that you’re comparing apples to oranges. 

A traditional catering service will typically include rentals, staffing, beverages, and dessert service. Food trucks, on the other hand, bring their own food and truck—and pretty much nothing else. They’re not helping you set up the tables, they’re not providing china, no one is pouring water for guests. Think about what your guests will enjoy more: munching on delicious food or enjoying a small bite every now and then?

Incredible California Food Trucks that Cater Weddings 

Green Truck

To the delight of vegan spouses-to-be, Green Truck handles all events with sustainability in mind. From its ability to run on vegetable oil to having a solar-powered kitchen and certified organic ingredients, this food truck is the secret green component to your unforgettable day.

With fully customizable seasonal menus, your guests can have their pick between a set of entrees, sides, and salads served buffet-style. Green Truck’s food is a perfect addition to intimate backyard receptions, elaborately themed dinner parties, guided events, and anything else you’d fancy.

Crepes Bonaparte 

Orange County’s pride and joy Crepes Bonaparte crafts gourmet savory, breakfast, and dessert crepes—can your special day be more delicious? Crepes Bonaparte can serve 80 to 100 crepes per hour from the truck. Popular dishes at this glorious food truck include the hearty California sunrise crepe, prepared with avocado, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and roasted tomato. Al Capone is our favorite, served with fresh blackberries, chocolate drizzle, and mascarpone.

Off the Grid 

What was once a simple idea to bring a community together at Fort Mason Center is now one of NorCal’s finest food trucks that can make your dreams come true on your special day. Boasting a large selection of street food vendors and offering all kinds of cuisine, Off the Grid will have your guests munching on everything from veggie delights to Persian kebabs. Off the Grid has over 300 food and beverage vendors to choose from to create a delectable experience on your wedding day. This is your one-stop shop for an easily-planned wedding reception.

Mariscos Jalisco

Mariscos Jalisco is L.A.’s favorite taco truck. Don’t believe us? Ask prominent food critic Jonathan Gold who went as far as to call it a “national treasure”. Angelenos flock to this SoCal gem to try award-winning tacos and cold seafood—and now you can have these delicacies served at your wedding too!

The renowned shrimp tacos are made with a crispy outer shell, savory shrimp inside, and topped with salsa and avocado *chef’s kiss*. We don’t know about the bride and groom, we’re totally saying “I do” to this taco.