My daughter’s wedding was supposed to have elegant plated dinners with white-gloved servers. That was the plan until we got the catering quotes. After I picked myself up off the floor, she said something that changed everything: “What if we just got food trucks?”
My wife nearly fainted. Food trucks? At a wedding? But six months later, watching 150 guests line up for gourmet grilled cheese and craft tacos while a jazz trio played, I realized my daughter might have been onto something.
The Traditional Catering Experience
I’ve been to enough rubber chicken dinners to know traditional catering can go either way. When it’s good, it’s really good. My nephew’s wedding last year had beef tenderloin that melted in your mouth, servers who appeared at your elbow the moment your water glass emptied, and this chocolate soufflé thing that I still dream about.
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But when it’s bad? My company’s holiday party three years ago haunts me. Lukewarm “chicken marsala” that tasted like sadness, wilted salads, and rolls that could’ve been used for hockey practice. We paid $85 per person for that disaster.
The thing about traditional catering is it’s predictable—both the good and bad kind. You know what you’re getting: servers, courses, linens, the whole production. It feels safe, especially when your mother-in-law is involved in planning.
Enter the Food Truck Revolution
First time I ate from a food truck at a wedding, I was skeptical. This was my coworker Janet’s backyard thing, and when she said “casual,” I didn’t realize she meant “order your dinner from a window.”
Then I bit into the best Korean BBQ taco of my life.
Suddenly, the whole dynamic changed. Instead of waiting for rubber chicken, people were actually excited about dinner. The truck became entertainment. Guests compared orders, went back for seconds, took pictures with the chef.
“This is exactly what we wanted,” Janet told me, drink in hand, shoes kicked off. “No stuffy dinner service, just good food and good vibes.”
Let’s Talk Money
Here’s where things get interesting. Traditional catering for my daughter’s 150-person wedding? Quotes ranged from $12,000 to $18,000. That’s with mid-range selections, nothing fancy.
The food truck route: Two trucks for variety, $4,000 total. Even adding rentals for tables, chairs, and lights, we came in under $7,000.
But here’s the catch—traditional catering is usually all-inclusive. Plates, silverware, napkins, staff to serve and clean. With food trucks, you’re often on your own for the extras. My cousin learned this the hard way when 200 guests showed up to find exactly zero forks.
The Logistics Nobody Mentions
Traditional caterers handle everything. They show up, set up, serve, clean, disappear. It’s like magic if you don’t look behind the curtain. The coordinator deals with timing, dietary restrictions, service flow. You just point them to the kitchen and get out of the way.
Food trucks? Different story. You need:
- Power hookups (or really long extension cords)
- Level ground (watching a taco truck try to park on a hill is terrifying)
- Space for lines without blocking everything else
- Backup plans for weather
- Separate arrangements for plates and seating
My friend Mark hired a food truck for his company picnic. Forgot about power. The truck ran on generator, which sounded like a jet engine and smoked out half the party. “Next time, I’m checking the logistics,” he said, shouting over the noise.
When Traditional Catering Wins
Black-tie gala? Traditional catering. Your boss’s retirement dinner? Traditional. Anything where your grandmother would clutch her pearls at eating while standing? Traditional.
Some events need that polish. When my company landed its biggest client, we didn’t celebrate with street tacos. We wanted the theater of synchronized service, multiple courses, wine pairings. The medium is part of the message.
Indoor venues often require traditional catering anyway. Most ballrooms won’t let you drive a truck through the lobby (I asked). Plus, weather becomes a non-issue when everything’s inside.
Elderly guests or those with mobility issues? Traditional wins. Nobody’s 85-year-old aunt should have to stand in line balancing a plate while using a walker.
When Food Trucks Rule
Casual outdoor events and food trucks are made for each other. Birthday parties, company picnics, rehearsal dinners—anywhere you want energy over elegance.
Young crowds love them. My daughter’s wedding guests were mostly 20s and 30s. They Instagram’d their tacos, rated both trucks, turned dinner into an event. Try getting that excitement from plated salmon.
Variety matters too. We had a BBQ truck and a taco truck. Vegetarians, meat lovers, gluten-free folks—everyone found something. Traditional catering offers options, but not the same customization as ordering directly from a chef.
Late-night events? Food trucks kill it. My neighbor hired a grilled cheese truck to show up at 10 PM during her reception. Drunk guests treating it like manna from heaven. “Best wedding idea ever,” they kept saying, mouths full of melted cheese.
The Hidden Considerations
Insurance gets complicated. Traditional caterers carry their own. Food trucks should too, but verify. My venue required million-dollar policies from all vendors. One truck almost got turned away day-of because their certificate was expired.
Health permits matter more than you’d think. Each county has different rules. The BBQ truck at my daughter’s wedding couldn’t serve in the next county over. “We learned that the expensive way,” the owner told me.
Timing is everything with food trucks. They serve fast, but not instantaneously. 150 guests with two trucks means 45-minute dinner service. Traditional catering serves everyone simultaneously. Depends on your timeline tolerance.
The Unexpected Perks and Problems
Food trucks bring personality. Chef Miguel from the taco truck became part of our wedding story. He taught my father-in-law to flip tortillas, dedicated a special salsa to the bride, had everyone laughing. You don’t get that from catering staff trained to be invisible.
But personality cuts both ways. My friend’s food truck guy showed up an hour late, music blasting, and spent more time flirting than cooking. No manager to complain to, no company to call. You get what you get.
Weather becomes your enemy with food trucks. Rain? Guests huddle under tents waiting for food. Wind? Napkins everywhere. Extreme heat? Standing in line feels like punishment. Traditional indoor catering avoids all this.
Making the Decision
After living through both options, here’s my framework:
Consider food trucks if:
- Your event is casual/outdoor
- You want memorable over traditional
- Budget matters more than convenience
- Your crowd is adventurous
- You have time to handle logistics
Stick with traditional if:
- The event demands formality
- You need full service
- Weather is unpredictable
- Timing is critical
- You want zero stress
The Hybrid Solution
The best event I’ve attended mixed both. Cocktail hour with passed appetizers from a traditional caterer, then food trucks for dinner. Elegant start, fun finish. Best of both worlds.
Another option: traditional catering for the meal, food truck for late-night snacks. That grilled cheese truck showing up at 11 PM? Genius. Gives you the formal dinner experience plus the food truck excitement.
Six Months Later
Looking back at my daughter’s wedding photos, nobody’s talking about missing the plated dinner experience. They’re laughing in line, sharing plates, taking selfies with tacos. The informality became the charm.
Would I do it again? For the right event, absolutely. My other daughter’s getting married next year, and she wants traditional catering. Same family, same budget, totally different vision. That’s the real lesson—match the food to the feeling you want.
The food truck trend isn’t replacing traditional catering. It’s expanding what “catering” means. Twenty years ago, your options were chicken or beef. Now you can choose between five-course plated dinners or gourmet burgers from a window.
My advice? Visit both. Attend a traditionally catered event and a food truck event. Notice where people congregate, what they remember, how the service affects the flow. Then decide what story you want your event to tell.
Because whether it’s white-gloved servers or a cheerful chef in a truck window, food is memory. Choose the one that matches the memory you want to make.
