As property managers, we all know that typical life and workflow has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Work-from-home has created an entirely new dynamic for our properties: commercial and office properties are generally less crowded during the day than they were in March, and our residential units have many more people at them during all hours of the day due to more people working from home. So, host a food truck event where so many people are - our residential units! This provides an exciting break in the day for people who used to go out to lunch from the office, some much-needed social interaction, and a chance for something other than a cold ham sandwich for lunch!  Let’s discuss a few quick tips to make sure your event is a success.

Communicate!
Having a food truck event is a great bonus for your tenants, but make sure you get the word out about the event in advance so that as many people as possible have a chance to attend. Let them know via email, SMS (text messaging), and social media as far in advance as you can. Putting the event on their radar at least seven to ten days beforehand is ideal. A few days before the event, send out a reminder on all of the same communication channels and include links to the truck’s menu and any online ordering options that may exist. On the day of, send out a reminder about two hours before the event starts. People get busy and there is nothing worse than forgetting about a fun event happening a few hundred feet from your front door.

Plan
On the day of the event, make sure you have the spots for the food trucks blocked off so that they have plenty of room to operate safely. If you need to put up any temporary signage to send people to the correct location, make sure it is erected in advance. Check out the tips from our recent email on Food Truck Safety.

Give Back
One great idea to help build good will is to not only make your food truck event about food, but also about giving back to your community. Encourage the collection of canned food for a food drive. Across the country, food banks have been depleted as many people are still out of work. Many families may not have enough food or supplies for winter and the upcoming holiday season. MOBLZ recently organized an event in a small community, and the "thank- yous" from the residents in the area were very high. People love knowing they can help make a difference for their friends and neighbors.  

We’d love to hear about and share images from your residential food truck event. Please send us the story of the event your property hosted.