Training Your Food Truck Staff

Posted on 08/28/2021 by Redactie

As a food truck owner, you don't have to stand alone in your food truck, there is an opportunity to hire staff who can support your business. It is therefore important that your staff is reliable and that they are properly trained. What should you keep in mind when training your staff? We have listed a few points that you should keep in mind when training your food truck staff.

EXPERIENCE

If your new employee has zero experience in the field of catering or working in a kitchen, you will be busy managing your new employee during this busy period. While these should relieve you of several tasks. Easily said than done; your task should become lighter instead of heavier. Someone who already has experience is easier to learn and will also have a lot more to bring than someone who has to be guided all the time.
ACQUAINTED

Your new employees must receive enough information about the ins and outs of the company. You have to explain clearly what the basis of your company is. These can be the practical things, such as where everything is and how everything works, but also less obvious things such as who is responsible for what and what is expected of the employees. In addition, you should introduce your employees to the menu and drinks menu. A good tip is to let your employees taste new dishes or drinks. This way they know better what they are talking about and how a dish should taste. Let them learn about wines and beers or the different ingredients.
TRAINING

A good tip is to organize a training day for your new staff. It differs per employee about how much experience he/she has, but we still recommend organizing a training day. It works a little differently for every company. During this day you give your employees hospitality lessons and teach them about the company culture. Customer service is extremely important. Your staff needs to learn that the customer is always king. Go to Chapter 18 to read more about optimizing your food truck's customer service. In addition, you can teach them to walk with a tray in a fun way, for example by setting up a course or a role-play for recording and serving dishes. A training day is also a fun way to get to know each other better.

In addition, it is an idea to draw up a development plan so that you can monitor the learning curve of your employees and that your employees know how much they can still learn if they stay in the company. You can also have individual progress meetings with your employees so that you stay on top of the learning curve and the ideas of your employees.
CULTURE

Make sure that your staff learns the company culture in addition to all the practical things. As a company, you have a culture and the staff also contribute to this. Your employees must have a good understanding of the company's standards and values and must ensure that this corresponds to their standards and values. Employees who feel representative of the company's culture and values work harder and that leads to more long-term success. How can you introduce staff to the company culture immediately upon arrival? For example, you can make an employee manual, where all practical things are written down, but it is also described in detail what the standards and values of your company are and what is expected of the employee. Don't forget to train your staff on how to convey this culture to customers. Of course, you want your customers to be attracted to your food truck!
INVOLVEMENT

Listen to your employees and involve them in important decisions. In this way, you ensure that there is an open and honest working atmosphere and that stimulates growth. Is your business doing well or not at all? Discuss this with your employees and ask for their ideas and input. Of course, you can make the final decision yourself, but by involving your staff you show them that their opinion matters.