Why Corporate Contracts Are a Game-Changer for Your Food Truck
Street selling is exciting — but it's also unpredictable. Weather, footfall, competition: variables you can't control. Corporate catering contracts, on the other hand, offer something rare in this industry: revenue visibility.
A single contract with a 50-employee SME can guarantee you 25 to 40 covers per visit, at a pre-negotiated rate. Multiply that by 2 or 3 visits per week, and you've just secured a stable revenue base that compensates for slow days.
The French Market: An Underexploited Opportunity
In France, fewer than 30% of food truckers actively pursue B2B prospecting. Yet the market is enormous: there are more than 3 million businesses across the country, the vast majority of which have no access to a company canteen or cafeteria.
Business parks on the outskirts of major cities, industrial zones, corporate campuses — these are territories your competitors avoid, where you can position yourself as the go-to lunch partner.
Identifying the Right Prospects
The Ideal Corporate Client Profile
Not every company makes a good client. Prioritise:
- 20 to 200 employees — large enough for volume, small enough for fast decisions
- No company canteen or current provider (or an unsatisfied one)
- Regular office hours (9am–6pm) with a real lunch break
- Within 15–30 km of your usual operating area
Where to Find Them
- Google Maps: search "business park [your city]" and list the visible companies
- LinkedIn: search for HR decision-makers or office managers in your geographic area
- Chambers of Commerce (CCI): they publish company directories by zone
- Local portals: some metropolitan areas have freely accessible business directories
- Word of mouth: a satisfied client can recommend you to their neighbours in the park
Building Your Corporate Offer
What the Company Expects from You
A manager or HR professional who agrees to meet you has one main question: can this food truck be relied upon? You must reassure them on:
- Punctuality: arrive on time, always, without exception
- Menu variety: not the same dish two weeks in a row
- Consistent quality: what the director eats must be identical to what the employee gets
- Simple invoicing: a monthly grouped invoice, not a receipt per visit
Structuring Your Offer in 3 Tiers
Always present 3 formulas to give choice and increase your average spend:
- Standard Formula — dish of the day + drink: €11–13
- Full Formula — starter + main + dessert + drink: €14–17
- Premium Formula — customised menu, optional table service: from €18
The Minimum Guarantee Question
Always ask for a minimum guaranteed cover count (typically 15–20 for a first contract). This lets you calculate your break-even and avoid travelling for 8 meals. In exchange, you can offer a slightly preferential rate.
With FoodTracks, you can precisely calculate your cost per meal and your break-even per service, so you know exactly how many covers make the trip worthwhile.
Prospecting: How to Approach Companies
The Outreach Email: Short, Concrete, Personalised
Forget long introduction emails. Here's a template that works:
Subject: Lunch at the office for your teams — [Your food truck name]
Hello [First name],
I'm [first name], owner of [Food Truck Name] based in [city]. We provide [cuisine type] lunches directly at business parks.
Several companies around [park/zone name] trust us every week. I'd love to offer your teams a free trial service — no commitment required.
Available for a quick chat?
Kind regards, [First name]
Follow-up: 80% of Contracts Close After a Chase
Send your email, wait 5 working days, then follow up once. If no response, move to physical contact: park at the entrance to the business zone and hand out your flyers directly to employees at lunchtime. This is often the best way to spark a conversation with a decision-maker.
The Discovery Visit: Offering a Free Meal
Always propose a free (or reduced-price) trial service for the first 10–20 meals. It's your best business card. A free meal costs little, but the returns can be worth months of contract.
Formalising the Contract
Essential Elements
Never start a corporate service without a written agreement, even a simple one. Your document must specify:
- Frequency: number of visits per week/month
- Exact location and parking conditions
- Service time slot
- Minimum guaranteed cover count
- Unit rate and invoicing terms
- Cancellation terms (notice period, penalties)
Monthly Invoicing: A Sales Argument
Offering a grouped monthly invoice is a strong argument with accounting departments. It requires a little organisation on your part, but it's often the deciding factor for mid-sized companies. FoodTracks helps you track your visits and prepare monthly summaries easily.
Retaining and Growing Your B2B Client Portfolio
Refresh the Menu Regularly
This is employees' top satisfaction criterion: not eating the same thing every week. Plan a menu refresh every 4–6 weeks, with a stable backbone (your bestsellers) and rotating seasonal dishes.
Ask for Feedback
After each month, send a simple email to your company contact:
- What did teams enjoy most this month?
- Are there any adjustments needed (times, menu, quantities)?
Grow Through Referrals
A satisfied B2B client is your best salesperson. Explicitly ask if they can recommend you to other companies in their park or network. Offer a commercial gesture (a free meal per successful referral) to encourage word of mouth.
B2B Matchmaking Platforms
If direct prospecting feels daunting, platforms exist to connect you with companies:
- FoodChéri / Nestor: corporate lunch platforms present in several French cities
- PopChef: company lunch service with food truck partners
- Too Good To Go Pro: to sell unsold stock to office workers
- Internal company markets: some large groups organise internal markets — contact their HR or CSR department
Tracking the Profitability of Your Contracts with FoodTracks
Not all contracts are equal. A service far from your usual zone may look lucrative but prove unprofitable once fuel, travel time, and an unmet minimum guarantee are factored in.
With FoodTracks, you can:
- Log each location (including your corporate sites) and compare their real profitability
- Calculate your cost per meal by integrating your supplier invoices
- Track sales via SumUp to get exact figures for each visit
- Identify your most profitable slots and decide which contracts to renew
Also read: Setting Your Food Truck Menu Prices · Finding the Best Pitches · Food Truck Catering and Events
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much should I charge for a corporate food truck meal?
- The average price for a corporate food truck meal in France ranges from €10 to €18 per person depending on the menu and service level. Always factor in travel, setup time, and your minimum break-even before quoting.
- Do I need a written contract for corporate catering?
- Yes, always. A simple purchase order or contract is enough, but it must state the date, location, minimum covers, menu, price, and cancellation terms. This protects you against last-minute cancellations.
- How do I find companies to prospect for my food truck?
- Start with business parks and industrial zones near your regular pitches. Google Maps, LinkedIn, and chamber of commerce directories are great starting points. Target companies with 20–200 employees who have no nearby company canteen.
- Can I get listed on corporate catering platforms?
- Yes. Platforms like FoodChéri, PopChef, or Nestor (depending on the city) let food trucks offer their services to subscribed companies. This is a good entry point to land your first corporate clients without solo prospecting.
- How do I retain a corporate client long-term?
- Consistency, punctuality, and menu rotation are the three pillars. Refresh your menu every 4–6 weeks, send a monthly summary of your visits, and stay reachable to adjust quantities. A satisfied corporate client stays for an average of 14 months.
