When was the last time that you tried some street food? I mean gourmet food, from a truck! No, I am not referring to your favourite hot dog vendor outside your office. If you have not noticed, street food has been undergoing quite the makeover, both in terms of quality and popularity. Artisan food is all the rage! If you are a foodie, you have one more avenue to indulge your epicurean curiosities. But, did you know that most food trucks leverage social media to manage the logistics of their business?

Walking around the streets of New York City over the Easter and Passover weekend, it occurred to me that the growing popularity and success of the street food culture has a lot to do with digital marketing and social media!  

There is an ecosystem of news reports, websites, blogs, and social media-based communications that ensure that a customer and the food truck of their choice are always within a tweet’s reach! Unlike restaurants, food trucks are mobile and do not always operate from the same place every day. Real-time communication is required to ensure that customers are made aware of the location of the truck. Facebook, Twitter, and web pages are excellent channels to build up a fan base and inform customers of changes to the menu and locations.

As a marketing guy, I have recently been exploring the concept of paid, owned and earned media. In simple terms, paid refers to anything that a business would pay for to get their message out. A television or a print advertisement is a good example.

Owned media, on the other hand, pertain to assets that a business may have, like websites, blogs, brochures, etc. Facebook likes, positive reviews, and recommendations by customers fall into the earned media category. As you can expect, real customers saying positive things about a product or business can actually outweigh the benefits that can be achieved through paid or owned media.

The street food business revolves around earned media. A simple comparison of customer reviews on Yelp shows that the popular food truck Halal Boys received a whopping 3200 reviews compared to the respected Gramercy Tavern of Flat Iron district, NYC, which received just over a thousand!

As the opportunity to promote street food through digital and social media grows, food trucks bear website addresses, Twitter handles, and Facebook profiles. The culinary delights range from basic breakfast sandwiches to complex food choices that include Mexican, Indian, Korean, and others. 

Niche marketing opportunities cover aspects like halal, kosher, and healthy lifestyles. Many new apps and websites like roaminghunger.com and nyctruckfood.com have also sprung up that specifically promote the street food business.

A quick search on Google will show that the trends in street food and the impact social media has had on it is not unique to New York City.

It is reasonable to assume that with challenges like licensing, parking, and other regulations imposed by the cities it is not all rosy for small businesses that operate these food trucks. Getting the customer on their side through good food and social media would be a step in the right direction.

Is there a food truck in your city that you recommend? Please comment and share using the options below.