Vinyl Wraps for Food Trucks: Tricks and Tips for Design and Application

The food truck craze has taken cities everywhere by storm, and there's no sign of it slowing down. The ease, convenience, and sheer fun of food trucks have made them a great way for new food start-ups or for established brick-and-mortar restaurants to take to the streets.

But no matter where you are or what kind of food you serve, there's one thing every food truck needs: good graphic design. You need to catch the eyes -- and the appetites -- of passersby with the aesthetics of your truck. Here are a few tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you make sure that your design will capture the hearts and stomachs of every eater out there.

Go with vinyl. Vinyl vehicle applications are much more versatile and professional-looking than paint jobs. You can create a clean, digital design with practically no limits to the imagination. Plus, a vinyl wrap doesn't wear or fade as quickly as paint does. You can also replace the vinyl design whenever you need a new look or brand update, with no damage to the original vehicle itself.

Think full body. It might be more affordable to only apply graphics to the sides or front of your food truck, but to really stand out from the crowd you'll want the full body treatment: sides, back, hood, and top. Consider all of the angles from which your truck will be seen. Think about the hungry workers in office high-rises who can look down into the streets and easily spot your truck during their breaks or lunches.

Get a professional application. Applying a vinyl vehicle wrap is not like throwing a slipcover over a couch. You need every crevice and angle to be perfectly aligned, without any wrinkles or air bubbles. Hire a professional team who will be able to carefully seal the wrap on and work around mirrors, fenders, and doors with a wrap cut tape that is a tape specifically designed for cutting vinyl, other coatings and films. Unlike standard pickup models like the Ford F-150, which has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. since 1982, food trucks come in all kinds of unique shapes and sizes. Using a wrap cut tape will be much more precise than cutting the vinyl by hand. The wrap cut tape also eliminates the need for a knife, minimizing the chances of damaging your vehicle with a blade.  

Perhaps the most important part of food truck graphics is to let your brand show through your design. All of the details will fall into place once you have a clear vision of what you want your truck to tell (and feed) the world.