Skift Take
Food and drinks on the go can suit a variety of event formats so here’s how you can keep mobile catering sophisticated and classy.
From festivals to weddings and corporate events to parties, mobile catering can be used to avoid the set up and installation of a bar, cooking or catering area and can solve plenty of event planning problems for you. Vehicles and driveable options can create a self sufficient and efficient preparation and serving solution. Plus, with signage, graphics or logo placement they can be a walking marketing campaign for brands or your event.
Neon Food Truck
This Vietnamese food truck looks sleek and stylish while catering this private event but the lighting effects help to create a new atmosphere, reminiscent of travelling and sitting in an evening marketplace in Vietnam! The neon colours and effects also help to highlight the van features while the seating and patio heaters create a welcoming outdoor environment for attendees to eat at.
Credit: Mandolinegrill
Travelling Bar
You don’t always have to man your mobile bar, particularly if you have a free or open drink option and this is a cool idea to adapt. This cute, mini caravan acts as a house for the glasses and the backup bottles while the ice buckets and decanters are readily available for guests to serve themselves. An interesting take on a drinks station.
Credit: To the Aisle, My Little Peony, Mr Goaty
Jet Ski Bar
Technically a jet ski is not very mobile while on land but since it is a mode of transport (and a fantastically quirky idea) we thought it should be included. Perfect for a beach or water themed party the seat has been converted into a handy beer and drink stash, proudly displayed for another open bar idea.
Jet à bras / jet à boire ! Jet à Pierre @pierremaixent jet à bière ! #jetski #beer #beertime #jetabras #assinie #assiniemafia #ivorycoat #cotedivoire #africa #africanmood #africanstyle #weddingday #weddingdrinks #boom #onelove #onepeace #onelife #love #peace #life #ilovemylife
Credit: Pelliet Yannick
Branded Mobile Food Truck
It’s important to incorporate branding and signage into your mobile catering, particularly because they often provide photo and marketing opportunities. This would be a unique sponsorship idea to include as part of a package for your event sponsors to be mutually beneficial for large events. The matte black colour scheme of this mobile bar also makes a huge impact and creates an interesting tone at this event.
Credit: Vintro Bar
Vintage Car Mobile Catering
Turn any car into a mobile catering option for quick and low-cost ideas such as this small vintage car with fold-out table. It would suit food and drinks for a small get together or informal party or you could upscale it for a bigger gathering. This table also has extra functional shelves to help store plates, cutlery or glasses to make serving attendees easier.
Credit: Chez Gaston
Monster Truck Grill
Sometimes you can only go big or go home and this massive truck can serve a lot of attendees with its larger grilling capabilities and open top window which would be an ideal option for big events or festivals. It also serves craft beers and attends pop-up events in Cape Town!
Credit: Herman Lintvelt
Tapped Vintage Bus
This pretty cool conversion is the bar itself and it is created from a vintage bus that is tapped and kegged from inside to allow for drink changes so that your menu can reflect your event. The blackboard is an excellent signage idea that could be utilized with the event hashtag or social media as well as the selection available and you can serve a variety of attendees at once using this option.
Credit: Kombi Keg South Coast, Wayward Brewing
Mini Truck
If you want something quick and manoeuvrable for your event, this mini truck can be small and nippy. With vans and trucks of this size it is a better idea to specialize what you are serving, for example prosecco, wine or champagne so that you have plenty available and can appease your attendees so opt for niche rather than options. An interesting new way to hand out drinks at a corporate event.
Credit: Bottle & Carriage Ltd
Colorful Food Truck
Making sure your mobile catering stands out so that attendees know where to go is important and although you could include signage, this is another interesting idea. This food truck is decorated in bold, vibrant colours with outdoor seating to match so you definitely won’t be missing this one.
Credit: The Heveningham Collection
Mobile Margaritas
Cocktails are always a party or event favourite but they can require a lot of preparation and ingredients to offer to attendees. This mobile bar caters for this by specializing but having a larger space to work with and could be a way to create a workshop for attendees to mix their own drink as a participatory event activity idea.
Credit: Your Event By Erin, Rasta Rita Margarita Truck, Taylor Abeel,
Rustic Food Trailer
For rustic or outdoor themed events, this converted horse box looks vintage but classy and definitely at home in a field. It’s large enough to stock a wide variety of drinks, thanks to its height, but still remains quite compact so it won’t take up too much of your event space. Plus it can be hauled in and parked anywhere.
Credit: Lumo Photography
Simple Branding Food Truck
Simple ideas can often be just as effective and this food truck with simple branding and colors still manages to work. The whole side has been converted to serve food and drinks with platforms to place condiments, cutlery and plates so that attendees can help serve themselves to keep the queues down. Plus the open side acts as a mini roof to shelter guests in case of bad weather.
Credit: CHOCOBear
Vintage Drinks Bus
For something more sophisticated that caters on a large scale, this converted bus has the décor and set-up of a vintage café from the era of the truck itself. The platform helps guests order and also ensures that there isn’t crowding around the main window so orders can be dealt with calmly and effectively.
Credit: Miss Angie
Open Top Mobile Bar
Bringing several elements together this colourful converted camper is also a cocktail bar. The roof opens up to allow easy serving and access by staff. The front panel opens downwards to fit a larger quantity of drinks while the boot space can keep plenty of stock which means this vehicle is being used to its fullest. You definitely won’t miss this parked up at your next event with its neon colors, no extra signage needed.
Credit: Cuckoo Couples, Cuckoo Wedding Photography, Beetle Juice Events Limited
Beer Trike
Nothing like relying on the power of the humans as this mini beer trike is niche and quirky to ride around your event and bring the beer to your guests. It could also be adapted to suit any type of beverages with ideas to convert it to a coffee trike in the future so it would suit day or night time events.
Credit: Pedal and Post
BBQ Trailer
A big BBQ set up on the back of a trailer means that the Indian Ocean Festival 2017 was well catered for with the Frankensmoker creating Vietnamese food, ribs and traditional grill cuisine. This quirky character is guaranteed to give attendees something to talk about as well as cater to plenty as it is the same as a full-size patio grill with a larger barrel for cooking. This setup involved the grill and ramp being manned by the cooks and then a separated covered table buffet area where the food was transported to once cooked.
Credit: Quisineco Co., MeliciousGourmet
Chevy Bar
This conversion of a Chevy truck is bold and functional with little nooks for cups and equipment and a custom-built bar tap and drinks system in the back making it easy for guests to tend to themselves. It’s fairly easy to maneuver but still large enough for a bigger capacity and the signage is clean but makes an impact. An all-round cool drink catering choice.
Credit: The Chevy Bar
Taco Truck
This massive taco truck at the Harvest Festival also accommodates drinks and cocktails too so has a wide-ranging menu that could be a complete solution for your next event. Its sheer size shows it can handle large amounts of food and the social media sharing and signage makes it a giant driving billboard for event marketing.
Credit: Rebeca Steele, International Truck of Tacos
In Conclusion
Go mobile with temporary catering options whether it’s an open bar, BBQ, social occasion or you simply want to serve traditional street food. Mobile catering shouldn’t mean greasy burger vans, these options prove the mobile catering units can be sophisticated and classy. Just make sure you have considered the venue and space specifics so that you have a place (and permits) to park up and serve.
