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Writer's pictureDavid Silverberg

The Importance of Lighting in Food Trucks

It's not just because your culinary masterpiece is ready for it's close up.


Below are five quick reasons for good lighting in your food truck/mobile kitchen:


1. Visibility and Safety: Good lighting ensures that both customers and staff can navigate around the food truck safely, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries, especially during evening hours or in dimly lit areas.


2. Enhanced Presentation: Adequate lighting showcases the food and enhances its visual appeal, enticing customers and encouraging them to make purchases. It highlights the colors, textures, and presentation of dishes, making them more appetizing.


3. Brand Ambiance: Lighting sets the mood and ambiance of the food truck, contributing to the overall brand experience. Whether it's a cozy, intimate atmosphere or a vibrant, energetic vibe, lighting plays a crucial role in shaping customer perceptions and loyalty.


4. Operational Efficiency: Well-lit workstations improve efficiency for staff, allowing them to prepare and serve food more effectively. Proper lighting reduces errors, enhances workflow, and boosts productivity, ultimately leading to faster service and higher customer satisfaction.


5. Compliance and Hygiene: Adequate lighting is essential for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards within the food truck, enabling staff to spot spills, stains, or other sanitation issues promptly. It also helps adhere to health regulations and inspection requirements, ensuring the truck operates in compliance with safety standards.


At Lektra, we have extensive experience servicing trucks manufactured by other companies, alongside maintaining our own fleet of carts and trucks, which typically require minimal repairs, with fewer than ten instances per year.


When our equipment does require attention, it's often for upgrades rather than repairs.


However, one common issue that we frequently encounter, particularly with trucks from other manufacturers, involves lighting fixtures. These fixtures are often basic off-the-shelf models, typically constructed from thin steel and powder coated. While suitable for stationary applications like buildings, they face unique challenges in the dynamic environment of a truck.


The elevated temperatures within a truck can lead to condensation buildup on the fixtures, resulting in rust over time—a cosmetic issue that may seem tolerable. However, a more pressing concern arises from inadequately secured lamp end contacts, known as tombstones. When these tombstones are not securely fastened, lamps may fall out of the fixture, rendering them unusable and posing a safety risk, especially while driving over rough terrain or potholes.


It's essential to assess whether your truck manufacturer utilizes high-grade stainless-steel fixtures and ensures that tombstones are securely fastened to prevent lamp detachment during transit. While opting for such fixtures may incur higher initial costs compared to basic models, the potential downtime and inconvenience of having to address lighting issues during work hours far outweigh the upfront expense.


Drop us a note or call if you'd like to schedule a free consultation to explore lighting options for your truck.


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