Professional truck drivers are preparing meals inside their trucks cooking inside of their trucks, presenting both challenges and opportunities for operators.
“We know factually that drivers are cooking inside of their trucks, more now than ever,” said Darren Schulte, NATSO interim CEO. “I think it is a direct reflection of the cost of living, especially for professional drivers who are on the road where, traditionally, costs are higher.”
A study by NATSO Services on professional drivers found that a significant percentage of drivers are preparing meals in their trucks regularly. “We’ve known this, but now we have the research to support it,” Schulte said.
Among respondents, about 80% said they prepare meals in their truck at some point during the week. More specifically, 20% said they prepare every meal in the truck, 19% said they prepare every other meal in their truck, and 18% said they prepare one out of every three meals.
While cost savings could be one motivating factor, Schulte added that its possible drivers aren’t finding what they want inside the travel center. “If you’re in a demographic area where you have Mexican drivers or drivers of Pakistani or Indian descent where rice is a big part of their culture and you’re not offering rice-based dishes, they may prefer to prepare their own food,” he said.
Speed is another critical factor for drivers, and they may feel that preparing something inside the cab is faster. “The upside to that is huge because we can offer solutions that get them fresh food quickly,” he added.
Grab-and-go is always an important category for operators, and Schulte said he sees potential for salad bars or other customizable options. “If you’re doing pre-made, you may limit the customers you’re reaching,” he said. “If you’re giving customers the opportunity to create their own salad mix, you can meet the needs of the various demographics. If someone is vegetarian or doesn’t like chicken, they can get exactly what they want.”
Knowing that drivers are cooking in the cab could help operators tap into sales of grocery items. “I think we’re starting to see more operators put produce in their coolers for that reason,” Schulte said, adding that he knows of one location that inadvertently ordered too many limes and tomatoes. “They had no choice but to put it out for sale. It was gone so fast that they ended up putting in a second reach-in cooler full of fruits and vegetables.”
That particular location was near warehouses and had a lot of local customers. “Customers heading home knew they had vegetables and didn’t have to stop at the grocery store,” Schulte said.
When it comes to food options, Schulte said understanding customers’ needs is critical. “Our travel center and truck stop members are going to have to do a better job of trying to understand who their customers are,” he said.
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