In your cart, keep a booklet with the following information: your company permit, location permit or site leasing contract, your health department license, a photocopy of the local health code for quick identification, and this operations guide in case of an emergency. Make sure you have the license that authorizes you to serve at the special occasion you are catering at with you when you’re serving at the special occasion. Keeping all of these documents in transparent plastic page protectors will ensure that they remain unfrayed, tidy, and visible in the long run. Always have the instructions and operation manuals for any other devices or equipment you may be utilizing on the cart close at hand if something goes wrong.
Additionally, maintain a Daily Checklist on hand and then use it to keep track of the materials you use and the tasks you need to complete to get your business up and running each day. Check your cart, the equipment, and the contents daily before you begin your workday each day. This helps to avoid any unpleasant shocks or problems once you’ve gotten started on your project. It is preferable to work using written checklists rather than from memory whenever possible.
Every day, before and after usage, thoroughly clean the cart. Clean any filth or spilled food from the cart by first washing it with warm soapy water to get rid of it. Then, using a disinfecting solution, eliminate any bacteria that may have survived. Alternatively, you can add one teaspoon (5ml) of chlorine bleach to 1 quart (1L) of water to create a sanitizing solution. A variety of other pre-mixed chemical sanitizing treatments are available for purchase from various industrial restaurant supply and cleaning supply firms. Wear rubber gloves because these sanitizers are extremely harsh on the skin.
Clean and sanitize all the surfaces and appliances
Clean to prepare, store, cook, or serve the food and all container utensils, following the same technique as described above. You should also clean faucets and sinks. You must clean even the garbage pails regularly to avoid the development of an unpleasant odor.
Refill the freshwater tanks
Refill the cart tanks with completely fresh drinkable water daily. Don’t store water from one day to the next.
Dump the wastewater containers in the cart at the end of the day or working shift to avoid contamination. You must also clean these sewage tanks to avoid the development of an odor.
Check to see that the gas cylinders and the portable gas equipment and appliances are in proper operating order and are safe to use. This is a problem that affects both operations and safety. Whenever a problem with gas equipment is discovered, it should be replaced or repaired. Do not put off making a decision! Ensure that the hoses are in good condition and that the hose connectors are tight and will not come loose. Ensure that you always have a fully charged gas cylinder on hand, as you’ll never be caught short on gas throughout your workday. Always shut off the tank valve at the end of the day to avoid wasting water.
If the cart location is on a slope, you should use wheel chocks to secure the cart in place. You can create these yourself from small lengths of 2×4 wood, which are relatively inexpensive.
Bring enough time to get to your venue before you are scheduled to start serving food.
This will provide you with enough cleaning and carefully set up your equipment and supplies. Being on time can help you resist the risk of scrimping on your business’s proper beginning and preparation. In addition, it will help to prevent hurrying and the tension that comes with it.
Make sure you have an appropriate quantity of pennies and smaller bills on hand so that you can provide accurate change throughout the entire day. Being short on accurate change is a time-consuming and unpleasant nuisance that should be avoided wherever possible.
Keep a consistent, regular, and dependable schedule.
Customers will grow to rely on you as a result of your efforts. This will aid in the development of a loyal regular consumer base for your company.
Be nice, upbeat, and joyful, and remember to smile. You should greet every customer. Remember the names of your regular clients, as this can help you establish even more customer loyalty. In addition, it will serve as your finest advertisement by sharing word of mouth about you to their friends and colleagues, which will result in increased sales.
Show a menu of the items that you provide for your customers.
It will save you valuable time during the hectic lunch hour traffic. Customers will be allowed to decide before placing a purchase. Using a competent vinyl graphics sign provider, it may be created at a reasonable price.
Maintain a positive relationship with other local businesses.
Avoid interfering with or detracting from their operations at all costs! Instead, it must serve to complement and expand its existing operations. This may entail you doing small, straightforward things like providing a trash can for your customers and cleaning up any litter left in the station at the end of the day to demonstrate your commitment.