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Use street food: Be present where life happens

Street food is no longer a short-lived trend, but has established itself as an independent form of catering. Whether at festivals, company events or weekly markets: Food trucks bring culinary diversity to places where people meet. But what makes street food so attractive? Does it also have potential for professional chefs?

This translation was created from the original text using AI (DeepL).
A good street food dish must not only taste good, but also be practical and economically viable. Sebastian Schmidt, owner of Bordsteinschwalbe
Street food brings enjoyment to the street and new ideas to the catering trade. Tips and trends for anyone who wants to get off to a successful start with mobile concepts.
Utilise street food: Be present where life happens

What´s it all about?

  • Why is street food worthwhile for restaurateurs?
  • Which dishes are particularly popular with the public?
  • What makes a street food dish successful?
  • How do you turn your own food truck into an eye-catcher?
Street food: How food trucks are becoming a culinary highlight
Content:

With a food truck, you are not tied to one location or limited by the number of tables. If demand is right, you can theoretically sell an unlimited amount.

Sebastian Schmidt, owner of Bordsteinschwalbe
The street food scene in Germany is booming, and not without reason: rising operating costs and high rents, especially in major cities, make the concept particularly attractive, as food trucks offer a flexible, cost-effective alternative to traditional restaurant operations. "With a food truck, you are not tied to a specific location or limited by the number of tables. If the demand is right, you can theoretically sell unlimited quantities," says Sebastian Schmidt, owner of Bordsteinschwalbe, a well-known street food provider from Cologne that has specialised in hearty burgers, creative sandwiches and vegetarian alternatives for ten years.

Street food convinces - especially in the south-west

The figures speak for themselves: according to an analysis by SumUp, the number of transactions at food trucks and weekly markets in Germany rose by 62 per cent between 2022 and 2024. Turnover also showed a clearly positive trend - with an increase of 60 per cent. Guests spent an average of 17.68 euros per visit. Particularly striking: in Saarland, transactions increased by 185 per cent, in Baden-Württemberg by 133 per cent.

Why is street food interesting for restaurateurs?

Food trucks are not only comparatively inexpensive, they are also playgrounds for new culinary ideas - quasi mobile Pop-Up Kitchen. Whether at major events, weddings or street food festivals, caterers can test the potential of new dishes quickly and easily. But not every event is equally calculable. "At major events like Rock am Ring, it's difficult to estimate how much will actually be sold in the end," says Sebastian Schmidt. Weddings or corporate events are easier to plan. "It's clear in advance how many people will come and what will be paid - that makes planning much easier."

Which street food trends are currently working well?

According to Sebastian, hearty dishes are particularly popular: "The more cheese, sauce and mess, the better". Classics such as burgers, loaded fries or deep-fried chicken are therefore the favourites at many events. At the same time, international specialities that are easy to serve in handy portions, such as falafel, dumplings, Vietnamese banh mi or Korean rice rolls, known as gimbap, are also popular. Last but not least, tacos in all variations remain an integral part of many food truck offerings. Vegetarian and vegan alternatives still play a minor role, but are becoming increasingly important, according to Sebastian. At Bordsteinschwalbe, for example, the pulled tofu burger with BBQ sauce and coleslaw goes down well with veggie fans. "However, our pastrami burger remains our bestseller and has been for ten years," says Schmidt.
Bowls – eye-catching and trendy food
Pastrami Burger - Speciality of the Bordsteinschwalbe
Ideal for summer: toasts and wraps
Dessert trends as street food
Out of the restaurant, into the street

What makes a street food dish successful?

"A good street food dish doesn't just have to taste good, it also has to be practical and economically viable," says Sebastian. "At a festival with 80,000 guests, every move counts. Three steps per dish are better than six". It is also important to use ingredients that maintain their quality even in hot or cold conditions. "Our food trucks are deliberately kept lean. We focus on burgers and sandwiches because they require little equipment." The format also counts: Dishes such as wraps, bowls or sandwiches are easy to transport and eat on the go.

Sebastian's practical tips: How to make your first food truck a success

"If you want to be successful in the street food business, you should consider other factors in addition to the quality of the food," emphasises Sebastian. Typical mistakes often occur in logistics. Menus that are too extensive overwhelm staff and prolong waiting times. It is better to concentrate on a few, well-calculated dishes. The technical equipment also needs to be carefully planned. In addition to the cooking equipment, this includes refrigeration facilities, an efficient dishwashing station and the right infrastructure for electricity and water. But the preparation effort should also be in a balanced cost-benefit ratio. Sebastian Schmidt remembers: "At the beginning, we got up at five o'clock and cut 20 kilos of onions with our diving goggles on. Today I would say: Save your time and invest in products that have already been prepared".

How does the food truck become an eye-catcher?

It's not just the flavour that counts - even the first impression decides whether guests stay or move on. These tips will help you set the visual scene for your food truck:

  1. Cleanliness and style: Hygiene, tidiness and a harmonious design are mandatory. Colours, logo and look should clearly match the name and concept. This creates recognition.
  2. Visual appeal: an eye-catching food truck, a large smoker, stylish menu boards or small decorative details attract attention. Sebastian Schmidt puts it in a nutshell: "If it looks cool, people will stop. As we all know, you eat with your eyes".
  3. Online presence: A strong presence on social media and an appealing website pay off. QR codes on the stand can lead directly to catering enquiries or positive reviews.
  4. Host mentality: Friendly service, a smile and a clearly communicated menu often make the difference, especially at peak times.
  5. Experience gastronomy: show cooking, music or small hands-on elements transform the food truck into a stage. Those who offer more than just good street food will be remembered.

Between dream and day-to-day business

Even if the idea of a food truck travelling freely and spontaneously sounds like an adventure and complete independence, the business remains one thing above all: planning-intensive. But it is precisely this mixture of improvisation, proximity to the guest and culinary creativity that makes it so appealing to Sebastian Schmidt: "Sure, the idea of simply driving around the country in a truck sounds romantic - but it's not quite that easy. Nevertheless, I love it and it's great fun."

To the website of the kerbside swallow: https://bordsteinschwalbefoodtruck.com/
Borsteinschwalbe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bordsteinschwalbefoodtruck/

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